Urgent Care Practitioner

LOCATION: St Austell Healthcare (Carlyon Road Health Hub, Wheal Northey, Park, Mevagissey and Foxhole)

HOURS: Full and Part time vacancies.

The post holder will work as part of the clinical team at the Carlyon Road Health Hub, as well as working within our visiting team. They are a registered clinician with postgraduate qualifications relevant to the position, who acting within their professional boundaries, will provide care for the presenting patient from initial history taking, clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment and evaluation of their care. They will demonstrate safe, clinical decision-making and expert care for patients within the general practice. They will work collaboratively with the multi‑disciplinary general practice team to meet the needs of patients, supporting the delivery of policy and procedures.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Ensure complete and accurate documentation of each and every patient contact.
• Work as an independent practitioner and as part of the multidisciplinary and multi‑agency teams in order to ensure patients’ needs are met.
• Ensure that professional standards are maintained and within the guidance by the Department of Health, the NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council), the HCPC and the College of Paramedics (COP).
• Act as an expert practitioner, demonstrating clinical competence and a sound knowledge base.
• Undertake consultations with patients including visiting in their own home or a care‑home environment.
• Assess patients with a range of acute, non‑acute and chronic medical conditions.
• Assess, plan, implement and evaluate individual treatment plans for patients with a known long‑term condition.
• Proactively identify, diagnose and manage treatment plans for patients at risk of developing a long‑term condition as appropriate.
• Work with other health‑care professionals to diagnose, monitor, manage and treat long‑term conditions, including non‑drug‑based treatment methods using a management plan, and in line with national and local policies and practice needs.
• Diagnose and/or liaise with GPs to agree diagnosis, any further investigations which may be needed and appropriate treatment.
• Liaise with GPs to admit patients to secondary care if they are in acute medical need.
• Refer patients as appropriate to other members of the multidisciplinary team, secondary care and to other relevant care providers.
• Provide education and training to other staff as appropriate and to encourage teamwork and the sharing of best practice.
• Ensure that patients receive high‑quality clinical care, delivered in a timely manner.
• Provide dietary advice, urinalysis, health screening and general/specific health screening to practice patients within agreed protocols, with referral to other members of the primary and secondary health‑care team as necessary.
• Triage and treat patients wishing to see a health‑care professional and make necessary referrals to other members of the primary health‑care team.
• Advise patients on general health care and minor ailments with referral to other members of the primary and secondary health‑care team as necessary.
• Adhere to own professional body requirements and at all times work within the scope of professional practice.
• Ensure that professional practice adheres to organisational policies, procedures and guidelines.
• Maintain a professional manner and act as a role model and mentor for junior staff including trainees and student nurses.
• Maintain confidentiality with regard to information pertaining to patients and staff.
• Ensure that the service interfaces with all other departments in a professional and productive manner, providing an effective service to partner organisations and other service providers.
• Communicate effectively with patients and families regarding complex information about their care.
• Provide advice and information to patients, carers and their families where appropriate.
• Communicate effectively and work collaboratively with medical, nursing and allied health professionals to ensure delivery of a coordinated service.
• Ensure accurate documentation record keeping in line with local policies and own professional body guidelines.
• Promote and demonstrate effective communication networks within the organisation, with partner organisations and other service providers.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of sound clinical governance and risk management.
• Support the development/implementation of any new ways of working/policies that need to be introduced across SAH.
• Support SAHC in operating a quality assurance but no‑blame culture that adheres to best practice around incident reporting and whistleblowing.
• Initiate, develop and maintain excellent third‑party relationships e.g. with ICBs, NHSE Area Teams, sub‑contractor providers, patient groups, local community health teams and other stakeholders to grow, maintain and support service and performance delivery.
• Ensure patient surveys are undertaken, analysed and action plans are developed and acted upon.
• Act in a way that recognises the importance of people’s 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.
• Participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, including annual individual performance reviews and taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development.
• Assist in promoting and maintaining 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.

Person Specification

• Willingness to undergo additional training, education and mentoring to develop and maintain clinical skills.
• Flexibility to work either evenings, nights, weekends and bank holidays or daytime shifts.
• Ability to undertake training during office and own hours.
• Ability to work under pressure whilst delivering high‑quality care.

Experience

• Ability to work autonomously.
• Knowledge of unscheduled care practice.
• Excellent clinical skills.
• Ability to organise and prioritise workload.
• Knowledge and experience of undertaking audits.
• Knowledge of clinical governance.
• Ability to evidence in writing, verbally and through listening skills, personal understanding and use of the English language.
• Ability to use initiative and to work autonomously.

Qualifications

• Qualified Registered Nurse.
• Current registration on the NMC register.
• Qualified Paramedic.
• Current registration on the HCPC register.
• Prescribing qualification (in process of achieving).
• Post registration experience in Primary Care.
• Experience of working to protocols or guidelines.
• Chronic long term conditions qualification.
• A&E unscheduled care or related field.
• Experience in visiting patients in own home.

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.