Job description

Job Title: Trainee Urgent Care Practitioner (tUCP)

Base Location: Various sites across Local Care Direct (LCD) including St Georges / Wharfedale Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) & King Street Walk in Centre

Line Manager: UCP Clinical Educator

Hours of Work: 30 hours per week to 37.5 hours per week - various shifts (including in hours, weekends, evenings & public holidays)

DBS Check Level Required: Enhanced with Child & Adult workforce & barred checks

Vaccination Requirement Statement:

• Covid19 double vaccination not required but recommended.
• This job has been rated as Medium Risk for requiring Hepatitis B immunisation vaccination is recommended, therefore Post Holders will be offered a Hep B immunisation.
• Flu jab recommended and will be offered.

Job Purpose:

The post holder will be a Paramedic or Nurse with post graduate qualifications & clinical experience relevant to the position. The post holder will act within their professional boundaries & will provide care for the patient from initial history taking, clinical assessment, diagnosis & treatment to discharge or onwards referral. This may take place over the telephone, in a clinic or in the patients home. The post holder will demonstrate safe, clinical decision-making and expert care for patients, work only within their scope of clinical competence. The post holder will be required to work flexibly to meet service demand.

The post holder will undertake the relevant courses required to fulfil the training post. The course of choice is the Urgent Care Practitioner course at Huddersfield University. The post holder will need to evidence they meet the course requirements, confirmation of job offer will be based on acceptance onto the course

The post holder will work as a trainee under the supervision of an experienced ENP/EP/ANP/UCP Clinical Educator to provide complete care, ensuring safe & effective management of patients.

You will be supported to achieve the qualifications however dedication & commitment will be required on your part. Following successful qualification on approved courses & completion of the LCD UCP Competency Framework the post holder will autonomously undertake assessment & treatment of patients in the UTC / Walk in Centre. These patients may present with complex and/or acute/chronic illness and/or injury: to determine clinical diagnosis, treatment & refer/discharge as indicated.

KEY PRINCIPLES

Clinical

Independently prioritise, assess, treat, & safely discharge/refer patients with undifferentiated & undiagnosed primary/urgent health care problems by making use of skills in history taking, physical examination, problem-solving & clinical decision making, to establish a diagnosis & management plan.

Provide assessment, treatment & diagnosis at the point of contact which may be in a variety of clinical or non-clinical settings.

Make professionally autonomous decisions for which the post holder is accountable.

Only work within the clinical competencies & scope of practice of the individual UCP maintaining a positive approach to patient care & experience whilst recognising limitations of the UCP role.

Complete & maintain accurate, contemporaneous records which include the documentation of the presenting history, past medical history, medications, allergies, examination findings, differential diagnosis & management plan & appropriate safety netting.

Adhere to Medicines management policy & procedures.

Independently triage and interpret call information, accessed directly on SystmOne in a timely & professional manner to the patient or carer.

Act as a referral agent & care co-ordinator by establishing multi-agency collaboration across the primary/secondary interface to meet the needs of the patient.

Work within the parameters of current prescribing legislation or approved Patient Group Directives.

If working in the MIU Urgent Treatment Centre environment, be IMER trained & competent in the interpretation of adult & paediatric limb x rays to aid diagnosis of musculoskeletal injuries.

Provide professional & clinical advice within the multi-disciplinary team.

Discuss patients continuing care with GP/ senior clinician if required

Work within the Code of Professional Conduct or guidelines of relevant professional body e.g. NMC, College of Paramedics, & HCPC.

Research & Quality

Demonstrate evidence based care, working within agreed guidelines & protocols.

Take an active role in research studies within the policy framework of the organisation.

Participate in audit, data collection & activity monitoring to improve performance & inform future service development.

Management

Actively promote integrated working in collaboration with other health care professionals both within & outside the LCD organisation.

Contribute to the development, implementation, review & evaluation of clinical protocols.

Ensure effective communication, participating in meetings & liaising with other professionals, services & agencies as required.

Maintain personal & professional development through evidence of continuous professional development (CPD), including demonstrating a personal awareness of advisory papers & current national issues that may have a local impact for the service.

Participate in development of the UCP roles & other healthcare professionals though teaching, mentoring & assessment; this will include the provision of evidence based healthcare advice which contributes to the diagnosis, care or treatment of a wide range of clinical conditions.

Actively participate in the mentoring of colleagues & participate in the delivery of internal training material.

Effectively manage the safeguarding of adults, children, young people & refer appropriately.

Professional & Educational

To work within the professional Code of Conduct & other directives as defined by the HCPC & NMC.

To undertake appropriate personal & professional development to meet the requirements of HCPC & NMC registration.

Develop own skills & competencies through education, training & development activities related to the current & future demands of the role opportunities & where possible achieve Independent Prescriber status.

Completion of Urgent Care Practitioner (UCP) course (level 7) or completion of minor injuries/minor illness training at level 6/7 where the course is accredited & of at least 3 mths duration

Complete the LCD UCP 3 mth probationary training & identify areas of further education/skills required. Completion of required courses & UCP competency framework is required within 12 mths of commencement of training post.

Observe & participate in all areas of clinical practice including telephone assessment, face to face & home visits & work flexibly to meet demand.

Understand & observe professional & national guidelines on confidentiality.

Comply with the corporate governance structure in keeping with the principles and standards set by LCD.

Ensure clinical supervision needs are met.

Participate in teaching & mentoring other health professionals & members of the multi-disciplinary team.

COMMUNICATIONS & RELATIONSHIPS

To ensure agreed lines of communication and reporting are implemented within the team to support all employees understanding LCD business plans, objectives, priorities & changes.

To promote effective cross-functional working & that the operational team supports the achievement of objectives, standards & protocols of other LCD areas.

To attend internal & external meetings representing LCD & engaging in discussions appropriate to the role and level of the post.

PATIENT CARE

To ensure that the quality of patient care is firmly at the centre of the organisations objectives & vision.

To ensure the management & monitoring of the highest standards or safety & quality in the delivery of healthcare & related services, & manage risk within LCD.

FINANCIAL RESOURCES

To ensure financial policies & procedures are maintained & the budget is adhered to & that best value for money is achieved.

CONFIDENTIALITY

To operate & ensure the team operates within information governance protocols & that business confidentiality is maintained at all times.

TRAINING

To complete the defined company induction programme & core training for this role & mandatory refresher training there after & ensure that accurate records of training are maintained.

INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL

Healthcare workers have a duty of care to patients & are expected to comply fully with the companies Infection Prevention & Control (IP&C) policies & attend/complete IP&C training, for personal & patient safety & for prevention of healthcare-associated infection (HCAI). Knowledge, skills & behaviour in the workplace should reflect this.

SAFEGUARDING

Individuals have a duty of care to children & vulnerable adults that they come into contact with whilst at work to safeguard & promote their welfare & to work to prevent, recognise, respond, appropriately refer and record potential neglect or abuse, adhering to the companys Safeguarding Children & Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults policies and procedures.

MANAGING SELF

Ensure that relevant professional practice is evidence based & current.

Ensure that CPD is maintained and facilitates the ability to provide care to a high standard in a way that is both safe & cost effective.

Ensure that mandatory training is up to date & participate as appropriate.

Effectively utilise time management, organisational, co-ordination & if required - management skills.

Identify own professional development needs through the Personal Development Review process.

The main duties and responsibilities shown here are not exhaustive & the post holder will be expected to carry out any reasonable activities according to the needs of the business as directed by the line manager.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• 1st level Registered General Nurse/BSc in Nursing (min 2:2) OR BSc in Paramedic Practice (min 2:2)/IHCD paramedic qualification.
• Minimum 3 years post registration.

Desirable

• Additional qualifications relevant to primary / urgent care.
• Prescribing qualification, currently undertaking or willing to undertake
• MSc Level 7 Modules on advanced clinical assessment and management.
• Completed IRMER training.
• Completed reporting course (red dot).

Experience

Essential

• Evidence of a range of clinical expertise.
• Evidence of working as an autonomous practitioner.
• Evidence of continuing personal and professional development.
• Experience of working in urgent care.
• Experience of multidisciplinary teamwork.
• Experience of PGDs.

Desirable

• Experience of change management.
• Evidence of a range of expertise in urgent/primary/emergency care.

Skills/ Knowledge

Essential

• Effective communication skills: verbal, written and non-verbal.
• Able to work independently and accountably.
• Knowledge of current clinical and professional issues.
• Up-to-date knowledge of health agenda (local and national).
• Innovative approach to practice.
• Keyboard/PC skills.
• Awareness of the impact of evidence-based practice within nursing and Paramedic practice.
• Effective interpersonal skills.

Desirable

• Able to develop self and others.
• Aware of impact of change on self and service.
• Evidence of previous contribution to service change or improvement.
• Evidence of development of others in previous roles.

Personal circumstances

Essential

• Flexibility in working hours.
• Flexibility in location of work.

Training

Essential

• Evidence of continuing professional development and application to practice within the last 12 months.

Desirable

• Understanding of training needs in relation to post.

Other requirements

Essential

• Able to pass pre-employment health assessment.

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.