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Job Description

Job Title: First Contact Practitioner - Paramedic

Reports to: to be confirmed

Salary Range: Band 7

SW Healthcare (SWH)

SW Healthcare is a GP federation and provider of community-based healthcare services to NHS patients within South Worcestershire. The organisation utilises the excellent clinical expertise that already resides within the local NHS environment and harnesses it with efficient administration pathways to provide patients with more convenient and accessible services. We hope that by doing this we will not only deliver pathway improvements to patients but also go some way to relieving the growing volume pressures that are being experienced within local hospitals and GP practices.

Job Purpose

The successful candidate will autonomously work with the support from the GPs, visiting patients in their homes to assess a variety of health conditions. The Paramedic will autonomously devise a plan with support if needed to meet the immediate care needs, and also plan to address any longer-term care requirements. Paramedics assist greatly in developing effective relationships between patients requiring regular care and the practice. Ideally candidates should be looking for a role where they can work as part of a team and independently.

The precise working pattern will be discussed with the successful applicant and will need to take into account the needs of the PCN to ensure adequate cover Monday to Friday between 8.00am and 6.30pm as a team.

Main duties of the job

• The ability to assess the situation both from an immediate need perspective, such as doing observations for the post holder can autonomously make a decision on treatment options but also considering if some of our other services may help the patient in the longer term.
• The role will provide a Paramedic resource to the PCN working in collaboration with other members of the Multidisciplinary Team with GP support where necessary.
• To assess, record initial observations within their competency and feedback to a GP following a visit request if GP feedback is required.
• The post holder will use their proven clinical skills to provide education to service users, promoting self-care and empower them to make informed choices about their treatment.
• To work within the locality, as a Paramedic visiting patients in their home environment to record observations regarding the effectiveness of how their long-term conditions are managed.
• The post holder must own a vehicle for home visits with expenses remunerated.

Job responsibilities:

Clinical

• To undertake assessment for patients within the community or in care homes, using diagnostic skills and initiation of investigations where appropriate.
• To refer patients directly to secondary care with problems needing referral to secondary care, discussing with the GP if support is needed.
• Ensure clinical practice is safe, effective and working within the scope of practice, and to acknowledge limitations.
• Advise patients on general health care, with referral to other members of the primary and secondary health care team as necessary
• Works from network practices and within the locality as a paramedic operating within the scope of practice caring for patients and families.
• Works in accordance with the Health Professions Council Standards of Conduct to ensure that personal and professional clinical standards are maintained.
• Carry out planned consultations to record observations, create agreed care plans, provide sign posting to other services that may help and advice how to improve general health outcomes with patients who have long term conditions in which you have undertaken training and demonstrated competency.
• To impart knowledge and skills formally and informally to colleagues promoting peer review and best practice within the work environment.
• To communicate at all levels within the team ensuring an effective service is delivered.
• To maintain accurate, contemporaneous healthcare records appropriate to the consultation.
• Ensure evidenced-based care is delivered at the highest standards ensuring delivery of high-quality patient care.
• Works with local policies and procedures.
• Enhance own performance through Continuous Professional Development, imparting own knowledge and behaviours to meet the needs of the service.
• To achieve and demonstrate agreed standards of personal and professional development in order to meet the needs of the service.
• To participate in the audit process, evaluation and implementing plans and practice change in order to meet patient need.
• Contribute positively to the effectiveness and efficiency of the team and work colleagues.
• The Post Holder will have a holistic approach to the care of their patients.

Pathological specimens and investigatory procedures

• Undertake the collection of pathological specimens including intravenous blood samples, swabs etc. Perform investigatory procedures requested by the GPs

Administration and professional responsibilities

• Participate in the administrative and professional responsibilities of the network practices
• Ensure accurate and legible notes of all consultations and treatments are recorded in the patients notes
• Ensure clinical computer systems are kept up to date, with accurate details recorded and amended
• Ensure accurate completion of all necessary documentation associated with patient health care
• Ensure collection and maintenance of statistical information required for regular and ad hoc reports and audit
• Attend and participate in practice meetings as required

Training and personal development

• Training requirements will be monitored by yearly appraisal and will be in accordance with the needs of network practices. Personal development will be encouraged and supported by the PCN. It is the individual’s responsibility to remain up to date with recent developments.
• Maintain continued education by attendance at courses and study days as deemed useful or necessary for professional development.
• If it is necessary to expand the role to include additional responsibilities, full training will be given.
• Develop and maintain a Personal Learning Plan

Liaison

• Work with both clinical and administrative staff to ensure the smooth running of services reporting any problems encountered to the relevant person and ensuring everyone is aware of the different roles within the PCN
• There is also the need to establish and maintain good liaison with all the practices in the network and agencies, including secondary care

Meetings

It will be necessary to attend and contribute to various PCN meetings as requested. The only reason for not attending will be annual, study or sick leave.

Confidentiality:

• 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 PCN business. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential
• Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the PCN business may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the relevant practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data

Equality and diversity:

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 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
• Behaving in a manner that is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Personal/Professional development:

The post-holder is required to maintain membership of an appropriate professional body and will participate in any training programme implemented by the PCN 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

Quality:

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practices that are part of the network, 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 team’s performance
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients need
• Effectively manage own time, workload, and resources

Communication:

The post-holder should recognize 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 people’s needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly

Contribution to the implementation of services:

The post-holder will:

• Apply SW Healthcare, PCN and 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

Person Specification

Essential

• Registered Paramedic HCPC (minimum 3 years post registration)
• Current and valid certification
• Evidence of continuing Professional Development
• Bsc in a training programme approved by the College of Paramedics
• Evidence of verification against Paramedic First Contact Practitioner Roadmap to Practice (minimum of stage 1)

Desirable

• Non-medical prescriber qualification
• Postgraduate Diploma/Masters degree

Experience Essential

• Extensive experience working in the NHS
• Advanced clinical practice skills and clinical examination skills
• Management of patients with common acute medical conditions
• Experience of working with patients across a range of settings

Desirable

• Experience of preventative medicine
• Experience of trauma informed care
• Experience of mental health
• Experience of wound care
• Experience of working within General Practice
• Experience of working to achieve standards within the Quality and Outcome Framework (QOF)

Knowledge Essential

• Knowledge of the role of Primary Care in the wider system and the potential role of federations within this.

Desirable

• Knowledge of current national and local agendas particularly the Long Term Plan..
• Knowledge of corporate, clinical and information governance and systems for managing particularly clinical governance.
• Management of patients with long-term conditions

Skills and Abilities Essential

• Ability to work on own initiative and organise workload, allocating work as necessary, working to tight and often changing deadlines.
• Ability to analyse complex issues and make decisions where information is conflicting, incomplete and drawn from multiple sources.
• Ability to communicate passionately, effectively, and persuasively across a diverse set of stakeholders; and able to create processes and structures to facilitate effective communication both internally and externally
• Ability to work well with colleagues and within a team
• Ability to work flexibly to meet the needs of a service

Desirable

• UK Driving Licence
• 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.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Benefits:

• Additional leave
• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Flexitime
• On-site parking
• Sick pay

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Flexitime
• Monday to Friday

Education:

• Certificate of Higher Education (preferred)

Experience:

• Registered Paramedic HCPC: 3 years (required)
• Evidence of continuing Professional Development: 2 years (required)
• Extensive experience working in the NHS: 3 years (required)
• clinical examination skills: 2 years (preferred)
• Advanced clinical practice skills: 2 years (preferred)

Work Location: One location

Application deadline: 16/02/2023