Advanced Nurse Practitioner

This is a great opportunity to join a dynamic Primary Care Network in Epsom, Surrey. The role offers a mix of home visits with close liaison with our practices and our community team (matrons, DNs, physiotherapists etc) and a practice-based role within a large, thriving practice in the centre of Epsom.

Main duties of the job:

• The post-holder is an Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) who has been assessed as competent in practice using their expert clinical knowledge and skills.
• The ANP provides an opportunity for patients to avoid the need to be referred to a GP, enabling them to receive timely care and negate unnecessary delay in receiving treatment.
• ANPs in primary care can develop close, long-term relationships with their patients and work in partnership with them to achieve optimum health.
• They are autonomous in making decisions based on assessment, diagnosis and the interpretation of test results.
• They can independently prescribe appropriate medication, evaluate or refer to other specialists if necessary.

About us:

Epsom PCN brings together six GP practices across the Epsom and Ewell area, serving a population of approximately 63,000 patients. We are a well-established and forward-thinking network, supported by a multidisciplinary team of around 25 to 30 additional roles, including Clinical Pharmacists, Paramedics, Physician Associates, First Contact Physiotherapists, Pharmacy Technicians, Care Co-ordinators, GPs, and a dedicated Health & Wellbeing Team. We work closely with our Community and Integrated Mental Health Teams to provide joined-up, person-centred care.

Epsom PCN is proud to be among the first 43 areas in England selected for the government’s new Neighbourhood Health Programme, reflecting our strong partnerships and collaborative working with the VCSE (Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise) sector. Our PCN is dynamic and ambitious, demonstrated by our success in securing two Surrey Heartlands test bed pilot projects including one focused on delivering transformative care at scale through an innovative new Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system. It’s an exciting time to join Epsom PCN as we continue to shape the future of integrated care in our community.

Job responsibilities:

• Develop, implement and embed health promotion and wellbeing programmes.
• Manage patients presenting with a range of acute and chronic medical conditions, providing subject matter expert advice.
• Implement and evaluate individual specialised treatment plans for chronic disease patients.
• Identify, manage and support patients at risk of developing long-term conditions, preventing adverse effects to the patient's health.
• Provide advanced, specialist nursing care to patients as required in accordance with clinical based evidence, NICE and the NSF.
• Be aware of duties and responsibilities regarding current legislation and adhere to practice policies and procedures on Safeguarding Adults and Safeguarding Children.
• Request and collect pathological specimens. Upon receipt, process and interpret pathology and other test results as required.
• Provide chronic disease clinics, delivering patient care as necessary, referring patients to secondary/specialist care as required.
• Maintain accurate clinical records in conjunction with extant legislation ensuring that SNOMED CT codes are used effectively.
• Maintain chronic disease registers and implement and embed an effective call/recall system.
• Develop, implement and embed well woman and well man clinics.
• Chaperone patients where necessary.
• Prioritise health issues and intervene appropriately.
• Support the team in dealing with clinical emergencies.
• Recognise, assess and refer patients presenting with mental health needs.
• Support in the provision of vaccination programmes for both adults and children.
• Be an extended and supplementary prescriber, adhering to extant guidance.
• Support patients in the use of their prescribed medicines or over-the-counter medicines (within own scope of practice), reviewing annually as required.
• Contribute to practice targets (QOF, etc.), complying with local and regional guidance.
• Liaise with external services/agencies to ensure the patient is supported appropriately (vulnerable patients, etc.).
• Delegate clinical responsibilities appropriately (ensuring safe practice and that the task is within the scope of practice of the individual).
• Understand practice and local policies for substance abuse and addictive behaviour, referring patients appropriately.
• Deliver opportunistic health promotion where appropriate.
• Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) within the organisation.
• Assess and triage patients, including same day triage, and as appropriate provide definitive treatment (including prescribing medications following policy, patient group directives, NICE (national) and local clinical guidelines and local care pathways) or make necessary referrals to other members of the primary care team.
• Advise patients on general healthcare and promote self-management where appropriate, including signposting patients to the social prescribing service and, where appropriate, other community or voluntary services.
• Perform specialist health checks and reviews within their scope of practice and in line with local and national guidance.
• Perform and interpret ECGs.
• Perform investigatory procedures as required and undertake the collection of pathological specimens including intravenous blood samples, swabs and other samples within their scope of practice and in line with local and national guidance.
• Support the delivery of anticipatory care plans and lead certain services (e.g., monitoring blood pressure and diabetes risk of elderly patients).
• Provide an alternative model to urgent and same day GP home visit for the network.
• Communicate at all levels across organisations ensuring that an effective, person-centred service is delivered.
• Communicate proactively and effectively with all colleagues across the MDT, attending and contributing to meetings as required.

Wider responsibilities:

• Provide holistic support in the clinical governance spectrum assuming a senior role in its compliance.
• Support the IPC lead for the practice, ensuring compliance.
• Monitor and ensure the safe storage, rotation and disposal of medications.
• Undertake overall management of the nursing team, providing guidance when necessary, acting as a mentor to students and newly qualified staff.
• Participate in local initiatives to enhance service delivery and patient care.
• Support and participate in shared learning within the organisation.
• Develop an area of specialist interest, taking the lead within the organisation.
• Continually review clinical practices, responding to national policies and initiatives where appropriate.
• Drive the development of nursing services within the organisation, liaising with external agencies and professional organisations as required.
• Develop practice administrative and clinical protocols in line with the needs of the patient and current legislation.

Person Specification:

• Understanding of general practice and the wider NHS.
• Experience of practice within the four pillars.
• Experience of leading in chronic disease management.
• Experience of prescribing and undertaking medication reviews.
• Experience of infection prevention and control measures.
• Experience of quality initiatives, i.e., benchmarking.
• An appreciation of the new NHS landscape including the relationship between individual organisations, PCNs and the commissioners.
• Experience of working as a practice nurse or community nurse.

• Understanding the importance of evidence-based practice.
• Ability to work within scope of practice and understanding when to refer to GPs.
• Good clinical system IT knowledge.
• Excellent interpersonal, influencing and organisation skills with the ability to constructively challenge.
• Understanding of QOF and enhanced services.
• Demonstrate personal accountability, emotional resilience and work well under pressure.
• Ability to follow legal, ethical and professional policies/procedures and codes of conduct.

This role involves home visits so the ability to drive is necessary.

• Registered Nurse with Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
• Masters degree required for qualification post December 2020 refer to RCN Credentialing for Advanced Level of Nursing Practice (ALNP) or, a degree for Advanced Practice Qualification up to December 2020.
• Qualified Independent Nurse Prescriber on the NMC register.
• Has evidence of working at an enhanced level, as described in the Primary Care and General Practice Nursing Career and Core Capabilities Framework.
• Meets NMC revalidation requirements in accordance with the NMC Revalidation booklet.
• Confirmation of registration with the NMC.
• Qualified Triage Nurse.
• Teaching qualification.
• ALS and PALS.

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.