Assistant Practice Manager in Rushden

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Assistant Practice Manager at Parklands Surgery, to support the Practice Manager & GP Partners in the effective management of the practice team, patient services & the overall operational management of the surgery. We are seeking a dedicated individual who can bring reliability and flexibility to this new position.

Main duties of the job

The Assistant Practice Manager will work with the Practice Manager, focusing on championing Service Delivery, IT, Health & Safety and HR, promoting a positive working environment. Supporting the Practice Manager in all aspects of practice finance, functionality, managing staff, optimising efficiency and overall performance, developing and training on clinical systems and searches, ensuring the practice achieves its long-term strategic objectives in a safe and effective working environment.

Working alongside the Quality & Outcomes Framework GP, carrying out agreed processes to ensure QOF targets are met, maintaining patient recall systems and read codes as appropriate.

About us

We are a busy, friendly EMIS Web practice with over 13,500 patients. Our team of 7 GPs, 5 Nurse Practitioners and 6 Treatment Room Nurses is supported by our well established team of administrators.

Job responsibilities

• Contracts, Financial & IT - Assisting the Practice Manager in:

• Overseeing all administrative Quality & Outcomes Framework (QOF) procedures and public health indicators, working in conjunction with the QOF Lead GP.
• Supporting the overall practice clinical governance framework, submitting reports for QOF, enhanced services and other reporting requirements using CQRS/Open Exeter.
• Monitoring and disseminating information on safety alerts and other pertinent information.
• Ensure the effective use and maintenance of EMIS, Anima, TeamNet, Open Exeter, and other IT programmes.
• Understanding financial implications of contract and legislation changes affecting the practice.
• To work with the Integrated Care Board (ICB) to validate patient information, performing regular checks and quality audits.
• Administration and action of Medical Alerts.
• Oversee administration of clinical system.
• Investigate and resolve problems in the day-to-day use of computers, printers and other IT related equipment in the absence of the IT administrator.
• Annual DSP toolkit submission in liaison with the Data Protection Officer.
• Maintain a working knowledge of Integrated Care Board initiatives.
• Review all income and expenditure statements, identifying any inaccuracies and rectifying such issues, informing the practice manager as required.
• Primary Care Networks (PCN) collaboration and plans, ensuring practice targets and thresholds are met.
• Undertaking practice audits in line with contract requirements.
• Ensuring annual calibration & PAT Testing is arranged.

• Ensure that the practice premises are properly maintained and cleaned, and that adequate fire prevention and security systems are in place.
• Manage the procurement of practice equipment, supplies and services within target budgets.
• Keep abreast of current Health & Safety legislation.
• Maintain a practice room plan.
• Ensure that the practice has adequate disaster recovery producers in place.
• Manage CQC compliance registers, supporting the Practice Manager and CQC registered manager.

• Providing leadership and guidance, completing appraisals as required.
• Developing, implementing and embedding an effective practice training programme for all staff, liaising with external agencies when necessary and maintaining training record.
• Coordinate all staff absences, maintaining an effective absence register.
• Act as the communication link between the management team and staff.
• Review and update practice policies and procedures.
• Manage compliance registers, supporting the practice manager, ensuring DBS checks are conducted.
• Arrange paperwork and inductions for new members of staff.
• Oversee the recruitment and retention of staff and provide a general personnel management service.
• Manage staffing levels within target budgets.
• Keep abreast of changes in employment legislation.
• Implementing effective systems for the resolution of disciplinary, grievance issues, maintaining an overview of staff welfare.

• To support the practice manager in the day-to-day operations of the practice ensuring staff achieve their primary responsibilities.
• Receive telephone calls for the Practice Manager and return calls/emails as requested.
• Oversee group mailboxes, ensuring information is disseminated appropriately.
• Convene meetings, prepare agendas and ensure distribution of minutes as necessary.
• Attend Patient Forum meetings and take minutes.
• Liaising at external meetings as required.
• Maintaining the significant event database, providing advice to staff and briefing the team at any meetings required.
• Developing, implementing and embedding the practice audit programme.
• Ensuring the clinical session structure is effective, meets the needs of the patients and clinicians have access to suitable rooms.
• Assist Practice Manager with responding to complaints, ensuring complaints are dealt with in a timely manner and where necessary escalated to the next level.
• Assist the clinical leads with administrative elements of medical students and GP trainee placements, organising timetables, accommodation and induction.
• On-call responsibility in Practice Managers absence.
• Deputise for the practice manager in the practice managers absence.

• The post-holder will work alongside the Practice Administrator in leading on the full range of promotion and management of their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the practice Health & Safety policy, the practice Health & Safety manual, and the practice Infection Control policy and published procedures.
• This will include (but will not be limited to): Ensuring job holders across the practice adhere to their individual responsibilities for infection control and health and safety, using a system of observation, audit and check, hazard identification, questioning, reporting and risk management.
• Maintain an up to date knowledge of health and safety and infection control statutory and best practice guidelines and ensure implementation across the business.
• Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines.
• Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks across the business.
• Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills, and initiate and manage the training of others.
• Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards, and initiation of remedial / corrective action where needed.
• Actively identifying, reporting, and correction of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised.
• Keeping own work areas and general / patient areas generally clean, identifying issues and hazards / risks in relation to other work areas within the business, and assuming responsibility in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness across the business in consultation (where appropriate) with other sector managers.
• Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum annually).
• Routine management of own team / team areas, and maintenance of work space standards.
• Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

• The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

• Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation.
• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues.
• Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

• The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, such training to include:

• Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development.
• Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.

• The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will:

• Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk.
• Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision.
• Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance.
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs.
• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources.

• The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

• Communicate effectively with other team members.
• Communicate effectively with patients and carers.
• Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.

• The post-holder will:

• Apply practice policies, standards and guidance.
• Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work.
• Participate in audit where appropriate.

• In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately.
• In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential.
• Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 GCSEs (or equivalent), including English and Maths.
• Diploma / NVQ / AMSPAR Management & Leadership.

Experience

• Minimum 3 years experience in a GP Practice or Healthcare Setting:

• Prior experience working in general practice, clinic, or hospital setting, with a solid understanding of the healthcare environment, including patient management systems, medical terminology, and the regulatory frameworks that govern healthcare delivery.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Adaptability and resilience.
• Experience of working in a fast-paced environment.
• Flexibility and multitasking, experience of handling multiple tasks simultaneously and managing competing priorities.

• Familiarity with Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF), NHS funding streams, Care Quality Commission (CQC) standard.

• Understanding how to navigate and manage the system ensuring smooth administrative operations and effective patient record management.

• Experience managing or supervising a team, including delegating tasks, managing performance, and providing support and training.

• Experience in human resources, including recruitment, staff training, performance appraisals, and handling disciplinary matters.

• Implementing new technologies or adapting to updated NHS regulations.

• Familiarity with practice finances, such as managing budgets, handling payroll and processing invoices.

• (enhanced services, QOF payments, LCS) to manage and optimise practice revenue.

• Including scheduling, supply management, and ensuring smooth patient flow.

• Experience in resolving issues quickly and effectively.

• Familiarity with compliance processes, including CQC inspections, data protection (GDPR), and health and safety regulations, ensuring the practice operates within legal and professional standards.

• An understanding of excellent customer service, experience of interacting with the public or patients and resolving any complaints effectively.

• Experience with optimising patient flow, including managing appointment scheduling systems and patient recalls.

• Experience in handling conflicts among staff or patients and resolving issues diplomatically and professionally.

• Experience in identifying staff training needs and facilitating professional development programs.

• Experience in onboarding new staff, including familiarising them with the practices systems and culture.

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.