General Practice Assistant (GPA) in London

Salary: £30,000- £32,000 (depending on experience)

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Location: This role will be based in a single GP practice

Key Relationships: 27 General Practices, 4 PCNs, WL ICB, Central London Borough Team, Westminster City Council, Bi-Borough (West London), Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL), Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust (CLCH), Imperial College Health Partners

Who We Are: Central London Healthcare CiC (CLH) is a federation of 27 General Practices and 4 Primary Care Networks (PCNs) in Westminster caring for more than 275,000 registered patients. We provide Community and Primary Care services to our residents, in addition to a wide range of staffing, management and administrative support to our member practices.

Our Approach: Our approach is to deliver exceptional assistance to our 27 General Practice members and to operate our NHS contracts in a manner that supports our Practices and their patients by providing services economically, locally, promptly and in a familiar environment.

Our Purpose: Our purpose is to transform Health and Wellbeing in our communities.

Our Vision: Our Vision is to be the Healthcare Provider of choice, rooted in primary care.

Our Values:

• Compassionate: we listen respectfully, offer the opportunity for different viewpoints, and are kind to each other
• Accountable: we work with integrity, taking accountability for our work to achieve the highest quality outcomes
• Resilient: we listen and with this feedback, we constantly build and improve
• Pioneering: we champion change, embrace creativity and promote innovation and new ways of thinking
• Aspirational: we nurture and motivate so our people are enabled to reach their full potential

JOB ROLE: General Practice Assistants (GPAs) form part of a multi-disciplinary team within primary care, and provide a support role, carrying out administrative tasks, combined in some areas with basic clinical duties, helping to free up GPs time and contribute to the smooth running of appointments, improving patients experience in the surgery.

• Improving patient access and releasing highly qualified staff to concentrate on treating and managing patients with more complex conditions
• Improving patient flow within surgery hours, increasing the time efficiency of appointments, and reduction of waiting times; supporting patient experience by ‘translating’ or reiterating information from the GP
• Have a positive impact on retention and job satisfaction
• Reduce time spent by GPs on managing correspondence

KEY TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Check and monitor the practice incoming emails that are received in the NHS Email account, responding to patient
• Sorting all clinical post and prioritising for the GP in terms of actions. Signposting some post to others such as clinical pharmacist etc.
• Extracting all information from clinical letters that needs coding and adding to notes
• Arranging appointments, referrals, tests and follow up appointments of patients
• Preparing patients prior to going in to see the GP, taking a brief history and basic readings in readiness for the GP appointment.
• Dipping urine, taking blood pressure, ECGs & phlebotomy
• Completing basic (non-opinion) forms and core elements of some forms for the GP to approve and sign such as insurance forms, mortgage, benefits agency forms etc.
• Explaining treatment procedures to patients
• Helping the GP liaise with outside agencies e.g. getting an on-call doctor on the phone to ask advice or arrange admission while the GP can continue with their consultation(s)
• Support the GP with immunisations/wound care

Requirements:

• Education / Training / Qualifications: GCSE grade A to C in English and Maths or equivalent
• Knowledge and Experience: Candidates must have prior experience of working in a receptionist or administrative role in a GP surgery. Experience of working with the general public. Experience of administrative duties. Experience of working in a healthcare setting.
• Skills / Abilities: Excellent communication skills (written and oral), Strong IT skills, Effective time management (planning and organising), Ability to work as a team member and autonomously, Problem solving and analytical skills, Ability to follow policies and procedures.