PRIMARY CARE ADVANCED CARE PRACTITIONER

The Primary Care ACP will work as an integral member of the Ancora Medical Practice multidisciplinary team, providing face-to-face assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of patients presenting with acute and same-day medical conditions. Patients will be directed to the ACP appointment by trained reception/care navigation staff, in accordance with agreed practice protocols. The post holder will be responsible for undertaking a full clinical assessment of the patient and determining the appropriate management pathway, including treatment, investigation, safety-netting, referral or escalation to a GP or other appropriate clinician. The role is specifically focused on acute and urgent primary care presentations and does not include routine home visiting. The post holder will work within their professional scope of practice, competence and experience and will contribute to safe, effective and patient-centred care.

Main duties of the job

• Clinical Assessment and Patient Care
  • Undertake face-to-face consultations with patients presenting with acute and same-day problems.
  • Obtain a comprehensive clinical history and undertake appropriate physical examination.
  • Undertake and interpret appropriate clinical observations.
  • Assess, diagnose and manage patients within the post holder's scope of practice.
  • Recognise patients who are acutely unwell or whose presentation requires urgent medical intervention.
  • Identify red flags and ensure appropriate escalation.
  • Develop appropriate individualised treatment and management plans.
  • Provide appropriate self-care, health promotion and safety-netting advice.
  • Ensure patients understand when and how to seek further medical advice.
  • Arrange appropriate follow-up where required.
• Acute and Same-Day Presentations
  • The post holder will assess and manage appropriate presentations including, but not limited to:
  • Acute respiratory infections
  • Coughs and chest infections
  • Sore throat and tonsillitis
  • Earache and ear infections
  • Sinusitis
  • Urinary symptoms and uncomplicated urinary tract infections
  • Minor skin infections and rashes
  • Minor injuries
  • Sprains and strains
  • Minor wounds
  • Minor burns
  • Headaches
  • Back and musculoskeletal pain
  • Abdominal symptoms where appropriate
  • Minor acute illness
  • Insect bites and minor allergic reactions
  • Other appropriate same-day presentations within the paramedic's competence.
• Care Navigation and Patient Pathway
  • Work within the practice's agreed care navigation protocols.
  • Patients will be directed to the paramedic by trained reception/care navigation staff.
  • The post holder will not be responsible for initial reception-based triage.
  • On seeing the patient, the paramedic will undertake their own clinical assessment and determine whether the patient is appropriate for management within the role.
  • Where the patient's presentation is outside the post holder's scope of practice, seek advice or arrange assessment by the duty GP or other appropriate clinician.
  • Support effective patient flow and appropriate utilisation of same-day appointments.
  • Ensure patients are directed to the most appropriate service where their needs cannot be safely managed within the practice.
• Clinical Escalation and GP Support
  • Recognise and respond appropriately to patients who are deteriorating or clinically unstable.
  • Escalate to the duty GP or appropriate clinician when required.
  • Seek advice where the patient's presentation is complex, uncertain or outside the post holder's competence.
  • Arrange emergency referral or ambulance attendance where clinically indicated.
  • Participate in agreed clinical supervision arrangements.
  • Maintain clear communication with GPs and other members of the multidisciplinary team.
• Investigations and Treatment
  • Within agreed scope of practice and practice protocols:
  • Request appropriate investigations.
  • Review and act upon investigation results.
  • Initiate appropriate treatment.
  • Prescribe where appropriately qualified and authorised to do so.
  • Undertake appropriate clinical procedures within competence.
  • Make referrals to other primary, community or secondary care services where appropriate.
  • Ensure appropriate follow-up and safety-netting arrangements are documented.
• Clinical Record Keeping
  • Maintain accurate, contemporaneous and comprehensive clinical records.
  • Document clinical assessment, examination, diagnosis, treatment and management plan.
  • Clearly record safety-netting advice and follow-up arrangements.
  • Ensure referrals and investigations are appropriately documented.
  • Maintain confidentiality and comply with information governance requirements.
  • Use the practice's clinical system and agreed templates appropriately.
• Safeguarding
  • Recognise safeguarding concerns involving children, young people and adults.
  • Follow Ancora Medical Practice safeguarding policies and procedures.
  • Escalate safeguarding concerns appropriately.
  • Work collaboratively with the practice safeguarding team and external agencies when required.
• Infection Prevention and Control
  • Follow practice infection prevention and control policies.
  • Maintain appropriate standards of cleanliness and hygiene.
  • Use PPE appropriately.
  • Maintain a safe clinical environment.
  • Report infection control concerns through the appropriate practice procedures.
• Multidisciplinary Team Working
  • The post holder will work closely with:
  • GPs
  • ACPs
  • Practice Nurses
  • Healthcare Support Workers
  • Clinical Pharmacists
  • Care Coordinators
  • Reception and Care Navigation staff
  • Other ARRS and multidisciplinary team members
  • Community and secondary care colleagues
  • The post holder will contribute positively to the development of an effective multidisciplinary team.
• Clinical Governance and Quality Improvement
  • Participate in clinical audit and quality improvement.
  • Contribute to significant event reviews and learning from incidents.
  • Attend practice clinical meetings where appropriate.
  • Maintain professional registration and continuing professional development.
  • Maintain competence in emergency and acute care.
  • Participate in annual appraisal and development planning.
  • Work within relevant professional standards, practice policies and CQC requirements.
  • Contribute to the development and review of clinical protocols relevant to the role.

Person Specification

• Qualifications
  • Registered ACP with the Health and Care Professions Council.
  • Relevant ACP qualification.
  • Evidence of continuing professional development.
  • Current professional registration and appropriate professional indemnity arrangements.
• Experience
  • Post-registration experience as a paramedic.
  • Experience of assessing and managing acutely unwell patients.
  • Experience of working in a multidisciplinary environment.
  • Evidence of sound clinical assessment and decision-making skills.
  • Experience of recognising clinical deterioration and escalating appropriately.
• Knowledge and Skills
  • Excellent clinical assessment and examination skills.
  • Good knowledge of acute illness and minor injury.
  • Ability to recognise red flags and clinical deterioration.
  • Ability to formulate appropriate management plans.
  • Good understanding of safeguarding.
  • Good understanding of infection prevention and control.
  • Excellent communication skills.
  • Ability to work autonomously while recognising when senior clinical support is required.
  • Ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary primary care team.
  • Accurate and effective clinical documentation.
• Desirable
  • Previous experience working in general practice or primary care.
  • Advanced clinical assessment qualification.
  • Independent prescribing qualification.
  • Experience of minor illness/minor injury clinics.
  • Experience of requesting and interpreting investigations.
  • Experience of managing same-day primary care presentations.
  • Experience of clinical audit and quality improvement.
  • Experience of working with clinical systems used in general practice.
  • Experience of supervising or mentoring junior staff or students.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.