PCN Paramedic in Deal

This is a community-based role, working across patients' homes, care homes and community settings to deliver high-quality, person-centred care. You will play a vital role in supporting patients closer to home, through assessing, treating and managing health needs while helping to reduce avoidable hospital admissions. Working at the interface of primary and community care, a key focus of the role will be to provide holistic care that aligns with the Enhanced Health in Care Homes (EHCH) framework and the broader goals of integrated care. This includes working collaboratively with patients, families and care staff to provide support for acute, chronic and proactive care across 25 care and nursing homes within Deal and Sandwich Primary Care Network (PCN). This service is designed to help professionals work together to focus on the needs of individual patients and support a more personalised and proactive approach. This is an excellent opportunity for a Paramedic who thrives in a dynamic and autonomous role, with a passion for making a real difference within the community. The post offers a varied and rewarding career step, combining acute and proactive care within a supportive, forward-thinking environment.

Main duties of the job

• Triaging, examining, assessing, diagnosing patients and providing clinical care/management as required, as well as the completion of an appropriate care plan for each patient.
• Ensuring continuity of care, arranging follow-up consultations or reviews as necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment provided, making changes where necessary to improve patient outcomes.
• Conduct regular care home ward rounds under the EHCH framework, completing timely reviews for new residents and hospital discharges including personalised care planning, treatment escalation, and DNACPR/ReSPECT documentation where appropriate.
• Apply clinical judgement to prioritise caseloads, initiate investigations and escalated care as required.
• Support proactive management of long-term conditions, promote self-care, patient education, preventative strategies and provide guidance to care home and community staff.
• Liaising and working with the wider PCN team and external services i.e. KCHFT, Frailty Team, Mental Health, Social Care etc. to ensure that patients are supported appropriately.
• Participate in the delivery of multidisciplinary team meetings on behalf of Deal and Sandwich PCN.
• Identifying, signposting or referring patients at risk of developing long-term conditions, preventing adverse effects on the patients' health.
• Using clinical systems to record patient contacts using relevant clinical and other reporting templates to ensure outcomes are accurately recorded.

About us

Deal and Sandwich PCN is a collaborative partnership of five GP practices (Balmoral Surgery, Cedars Surgery, New Golf Road Surgery, Sandwich Medical Practice and St Richards Road Surgery) collectively serving approximately 50,000 patients in a beautiful semi-rural coastal area. Our team includes a wide range of professionals working together to provide joined-up, proactive and preventative care within the community. We have an established leadership team and a growing multidisciplinary workforce funded through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS), including an Enhanced Health in Care Homes (EHCH) team, Clinical Pharmacists, Social Prescribing and Mental Health teams. Our PCN is geographically distant from acute sites; creating a unique opportunity to develop a robust PCN and neighbourhood team, with a real focus on community-based care, prevention and proactive support for our local population.

Job responsibilities

The postholder will be part of the EHCH Team, which consists of Paramedics, HCAs and Care Coordinators as well as being part of the wider PCN team, which includes Social Prescribing Link Workers, Clinical Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technician, Mental Health Practitioners and Care Coordinators. The PCN Paramedic will support patient-centred outcomes through proactive, preventative and compassionate care by:

• Completing clinical reviews for patient concerns, general reviews of patients as well as personalised care and support planning and review of support plans i.e. ReSPECT.
• For new permanent residents to care homes and hospital discharges, providing an initial review within 7 working days, which includes a complete clinical review, development/review of a treatment escalation plan, commence personalised care and support planning and discussion on DNACPR (where appropriate).
• Demonstrating safe, clinical decision-making and expert care, including assessment and diagnostic skills.
• Prioritising and triaging the needs of patients accordingly whilst making any necessary referrals for investigations in the appropriate manner.

Care planning

The post holder will enhance a seamless care approach by ensuring effective care plans and treatments are in place, supporting with care coordination, making onward referrals to appropriate community and specialist services and participating in PCN multi-disciplinary team meetings. This will include using a high level of interpersonal and communication skills to communicate effectively with patients, family members and colleagues. This will include communication of sensitive and complex information concerning patients' medical conditions, and help prepare patients and their families for changes in condition and support choice about end of life care. The post holder will provide non-urgent and acute care to care home residents, in keeping with competence, assisting in a weekly care home ward round and review of patients, treatment and evaluation of care. The post holder will also support care home staff with education to help develop the knowledge and skills required to deliver good safe care to residents.

Cross-organisational working

The post holder will effectively communicate at all levels of the organisation with a variety of health professionals to provide the best health and social care. This will include developing effective professional relationships, signposting to other services and working in close partnership with the wider PCN team, care home teams, community teams, acute trusts, South East Coast Ambulance Service, social care, 3rd sector partners and others as appropriate.

Person Specification

Experience

• Experience in managing the care of patients presenting with undifferentiated undiagnosed conditions and/or a designated caseload, using theoretical and practical experience, completing examinations and assessments, care planning, implementing interventions, referring appropriately, and evaluating outcomes aligned to care plans.
• Strong clinical assessment and decision-making skills.
• Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team.
• Experience of working under own direction in a patient-focused environment.
• Experience of working within a primary care environment.
• Evidence of working across organisational boundaries within health and social care.
• Experience of EMIS.

Qualifications

• BSc in a training programme approved by the College of Paramedics.
• Active and relevant professional registration with HCPC.
• Completed two-year Consolidation of Learning period as a newly qualified paramedic and have a further three years' experience as a band 6 (or equivalent) paramedic.
• Commit to obtaining the clinical pillar competencies of the paramedic FCP/AP roadmap to practice within six months of the commencement of the role.
• Evidence of verification against the FCP roadmap to practice.
• Independent or supplementary prescribing qualification (or willingness to undertake).

Knowledge and Skills

• Understands and acts in line with HCPC professional standards.
• Compassionate, adaptable, and community-focused approach.
• Commitment to providing safe, effective and person-centred care.
• Good IT skills and ability to write comprehensive, accurate clinical notes.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to communicate effectively (written, verbal and non-verbal communication) with patients, relatives, carers and colleagues.
• Confidence working independently in patients' homes and community settings.
• Able to work under pressure and to meet deadlines.
• Knowledge of primary care networks and collaborative working.
• Knowledge of the EHCH framework.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.