Care Coordinator in Wigan

St Helens North Primary Care Network are looking to recruit to a Care Coordinator post. You will work within our Primary Care Network multidisciplinary healthcare team. You will be part of a team of three Care Coordinators who will be working together and in partnership with the six practices that make up the Primary Care Network, the staff within the Network and partner organisations to support the care of patients with long term conditions, frail patients and those in care homes. They will be involved in helping to redesign and refine the way we care for these patients.

Please note we are unable to sponsor overseas applications. If enough applications are received prior to the closing date, this advert may close early. No agencies please.

Main duties of the job

The Care Coordinator's role will support other ARRS roles, the PCN leadership team and GPs in coordinating all key activity including improving access to services, providing advice and information, and ensuring health and care planning is timely, efficient, and patient-centred. The successful candidate will be expected to contact patients directly regarding their care, build relationships and carry out home visits when required. The role will include supporting digital initiatives and includes responsibilities for the coordination of the patients' journey through primary care. This may include supporting with patients who have recently been discharged from hospital, contacting patients with a recent cancer diagnosis or supporting patients who have diabetes. The role will generally involve working within core hours 8-6:30 but may involve supporting patients outside these times as required on a case by case basis.

About us

The post holder will be working as part of the St Helens North Primary Care Network. We are a team of 6 Practices including Garswood Surgery, Windermere MC, Bethany MC, Kenneth Macrae MC, Rainford HC & Billinge MC - with a combined list size of just approx. 30,000 patients. It is a friendly and close-knit team and our work ethic is that of motivation, productivity, respect and innovation. This is an exciting opportunity to be a part of an expanding and diverse Primary Care Network team, improving patient care and all whilst developing your knowledge and skills. Our mission is to provide pro-active care to patients to improve their health and wellbeing and to make a positive impact on their lives, with respect and compassion. Working in partnership with local people, health and social care, voluntary sectors, community groups and colleagues to bring communities together and helping to reduce health inequalities.

Job responsibilities

• The Care Coordinator will liaise with GPs, practice teams and Network staff to:
• Identify patients who are elderly, frail or who have long-term health needs and support.
• Support patients to access personalised care and support plans, in line with best practice.
• Be involved and when appropriate organise care homes and practice MDTs.
• Ensure regular and consistent communication with care homes regarding patient progress and any complications, including supporting the coordination of ward rounds.
• Work with Network pharmacists to arrange SMRs and support work towards PCN DES.
• Liaise with primary, secondary and specialist care services as required.
• Work with the multi-disciplinary team to help identify people at risk of loss of independence or admission to hospital as a result of inadequate social support.
• Provide these cohorts of people signposting to identified services in order to maintain their independence and improve their health and well-being.
• Support patient access to cancer screening and prevention services.
• Visit patients in community, home or care home settings to assess and discuss their care needs involving carers as appropriate.
• Work with Social Prescribing Link Workers to assist with personal care plans for individual patients, ensuring preventative actions are detailed to support the appropriate use of services.
• Work with Frailty Practitioners to coordinate care of frail patients in their own homes.

The successful candidate will have great negotiation and communication skills and will have an understanding of primary care services & community health services. The post holder will work across six practices in St Helens North PCN and will be required to travel from practice to practice and to other venues during fulfilment of their duties, therefore a full clean driving license is essential, plus access to a reliable vehicle.

Person Specification

Experience

• Experience of working with the general public.
• Experience of working or volunteering in a healthcare or care sector setting.
• Experience of preparing minutes, plans and reports.
• Experience of organising recurring events or meetings.
• Experience of using tools to create individualised plans.

Skills

• Excellent communication skills (written and oral).
• Clear, polite telephone manner.
• Competent in the use of Office and Outlook.
• Effective time management (planning and organising).
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Problem-solving & analytical skills.

Knowledge

• General understanding of well-being and community services.
• Good understanding of interventions, behavioural and motivational change methodologies.
• Good understanding of MDT roles and models.
• Polite and confident.
• Flexible and cooperative.
• Motivated.
• Forward thinker.
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations.
• Ability to work under pressure and flexibly when required.

Qualifications

• Core Level of Maths and English.
• Willing to engage with the training programmes via the Personalised Care Institute for the new roles identified within primary care networks as part of the NHS Long Term Plan.

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.