Job description

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY

South Tandridge Primary Care Network (PCN) is made up of the following Practices: Oxted Medical Practice, Pond Tail Surgery and Lingfield Surgery, with a population of approximately 35K. The PCN has worked together over several years and is therefore mature in its collaboration with member practices as well as external provider organisations.

In this role, a successful applicant will manage the PCN clinical frailty pathway (Hub) that all practices within this PCN can refer into. The aim is to offer care in the patients home in order to reduce unplanned admissions and improve patient care. The Frailty General Practitioner will be responsible for providing clinical leadership to the frailty hub team and providing medical leadership to the wider community team of Community Matrons, District Nurses, Pharmacists, etc.

It is therefore desirable that you should also have experience of or qualifications in clinical supervision/education, but not essential as training can be given. Populations are changing, and patients are living longer with complex care needs. Having a frailty service that is well triaged aims to create a better patient experience, a better way of working collaboratively and a reduction in unplanned admissions to hospital.

This service will be available up to 5 sessions per week, with the expectation that coverage will be across the working week, but flexible requests will be considered. Improved home visiting at scale will also potentially reduce pressure on A&E attendances, with the role of the Frailty General Practitioner providing oversight and clinical care to a cohort of patients as identified by the individual practices within the PCN. This role will include seeing patients in their own homes as well as visits to care homes where appropriate.

The Frailty General Practitioner will be responsible for developing a care plan for frail patients at risk of hospital admission, using their clinical skills to diagnose and treat patients accordingly. This will involve liaising with other professionals responsible for the patients care, referring to other teams as necessary, as well as liaising with secondary care, community care, social care, mental health services and other local providers.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POST

The following are the core responsibilities of the Frailty General Practitioner. There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks; dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels:

• Effective triage of referred and proactively identified patients to provide highly effective medical care to the entitled population in a timely fashion
• Proactively managing the care of frail people alongside the Community Matron
• Generic prescribing adhering to local and national guidance
• Effective management of long-term conditions
• Processing of administration in a timely manner, including referrals, repeat prescription requests and other associated administrative tasks
• Undertake telephone triage and prioritise home visits accordingly
• Maintain accurate clinical records in conjunction with good practice, policy and guidance
• Working collaboratively across the PCN with all practices and partner organisations, and agencies
• Lead discussion about patients at both PCN-level MDTs and at Practice-level MDTs
• Adhere to best practice recommended through clinical guidelines and the audit process
• Contribute to the successful implementation of continuous improvement and quality initiatives with the Practices and PCN
• Accept delegated responsibility
• Contribute effectively to the development and maintenance of the PCN, including clinical governance, training, financial management and HR
• Commit to self-learning and continuing professional development
• Support the partners in achieving the strategic aims of the PCN
• Review and adhere to Practice/ PCN protocols and policies at all times
• Encourage collaborative working, liaising with all staff regularly, promoting a culture of continuous improvement at all times

ORGANISATIONAL POSITION

The Frailty GP will report to the PCN Clinical Director and Service Manager.

KEY PRINCIPLES OF THE FRAILTY GENERAL PRACTITIONER ROLE

• Proactive management of the frail population and people at the end of their life (65yrs+)
• Identification of the people most at risk of deterioration/hospital admission
• A multi-disciplinary team (MDT) approach to provide holistic care
• A defined caseload of people who have:

1. An in-depth frailty assessments
2. Structured medication reviews & falls assessments
3. Quality conversations about end-of-life care
4. Planning for when care needs change
5. A personalised care plan agreed and enacted
6. A key point of contact
7. Proactive intervention to avoid hospital admission - linking with the reactive community service

INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Adhere to DHC and GP Practices policies and procedures and any other relevant legislation
• Ensure mandatory training is up to date at all times
• Participate in regular supervision sessions and appraisals with your line manager. Attend training and development activities as identified and participate in meetings as required
• Maintain administration systems and workspaces in a clean and tidy fashion
• Maintain a good working knowledge of Health and Safety procedures and fire precautions, and operate the correct procedures and participate in policy development and data collection where appropriate
• Work flexibly to meet the needs of patients
• Contribute to ongoing/new projects as required
• To undertake any other duties appropriate to the grade and purpose of the job as may be agreed by the post holder

WORK SETTING AND REVIEW

• The post holder will work autonomously to an agreed set of KPIs, targets and objectives.
• They will manage their own time and case load, providing regular updates/progress reports to their line manager and to the GP practices they are based in.
• Participate in DHCs appraisal and review system.

This job description represents an outline of the responsibilities of the post and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of duties or tasks. It will change and develop in line with organisational needs and may be amended following agreement with the post-holder.

Person Specification

Other requirements

Essential

• Disclosure and barring service check.
• Willing and able to travel to other sites & locations to attend meetings and training events.

Skills

Essential

• Excellent communication skills (written and oral), including the ability to listen.
• Strong and confident IT skills, including MS Office and databases.
• Excellent administrative skills, working under own initiative at times.
• Effective time management skills, often in a fast-paced environment.
• Proven problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Ability to adapt to changing situations and changing needs of the service.
• Excellent patient care skills.
• Motivated to achieve good outcomes for patients.
• Able to follow policies and procedures effectively.
• Able to maintain confidentiality at all times.

Desirable

• Knowledge of GP clinical systems EMIS and/or TPP SystmOne.

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Polite & confident, remaining calm under pressure.
• Caring, sensitive and empathetic sensitive to patients' life stages, concerns and problems.
• Self-motivated, reliable and dedicated.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Motivated and proactive.
• Ability to use initiative and judgement.
• High levels of integrity and reliability.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Confident, assertive and resilient.

Experience

Essential

• Experience working with the general public in a similar role.
• Experience working in a health care setting.
• Experience working in the NHS/Primary Care General Practice setting.
• Understanding of community services and personalised care.
• Experience in managing a complex administrative role.

Desirable

• Experience of leading MDT Meetings in Primary Care.

Qualifications

Essential

• Good standard of education with excellent literacy and numeracy skills

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. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Dorking Healthcare Ltd.

Address

Pond Tail Surgery

Godstone Green

Godstone

Surrey

RH9 8DY

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://dhcclinical.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Job description

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a multi-disciplinary team of therapists and manage working locations to continue the development of our Talking Therapies service. DHC is going through an exciting period of growth, and we plan to continue to increase our team of therapists and become the service of choice in the area for referrers and patients.This is a leadership role supporting the Service Manager and Clinical Team Leads to deliver an exceptional quality, cost-effective Talking Therapies service which meets performance targets against quality and productivity measures.

We are seeking an experienced Manager to manage and grow a team of therapists covering the area and working in sub-groups around the emerging Primary Care Networks. This will involve networking to create new relationships and require flexibility to align with emerging delivery models within general practice and other local services.

The Talking Therapies Operational Manager will have the ability to inspire and manage a team to ensure they deliver high-quality psychological interventions, and will work with others to improve organisational performance. The person needs to be highly motivated to deliver change, build relationships and work with the Service Manager and Clinical Team Leads to create a team that will provide outstanding services for the local population.

The post holder requires strong managerial skills.

The main aim of the role is to support the Service Manager and Clinical Team Leads to ensure the team delivers a dynamic, effective and efficient service:

• Responsibility for Service Delivery and development for defined Geographical areas
• To provide highly effective people management, including Line Management responsibilities
• Support the development of the operational aspects of service development
• To be an innovator who embraces change and strives for excellence

Deputise for the Service Manager or Clinical Lead when required, andto work on non-clinical aspects of service improvement, delivery and development.

ROLE OF DEPARTMENT

The post holder is expected to set an exemplary standard and work accurately under pressure with the ability to manage and prioritise their workload and that of the department, providing and receiving information which may require tact, diplomacy and persuasive skills.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

• Service Manager and Management team
• Clinical Lead
• Clinical Team Leads
• Advanced and Senior Therapists
• Therapists and other healthcare staff
• Administration/Reception staff
• Patients & Relatives
• General Practitioners
• Local authorities
• Social services

NB: This list is not exhaustive as the Post Holder is required to communicate with a wide range of external and internal departments and agencies at all levels.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POST

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership and management:

1. To be responsible for the operational management of service delivery in given localities, reporting to the Service Manager and working alongside the Clinical Team Leads, Lead Operations Administrator and wider Talking Therapies team.
2. To hold Line Management and Meta Line Management responsibility, including the management of performance, sickness, career progression/development and welfare
3. The post holder will promote quality in all areas of service work and support the Service Manager/ Clinical Lead in the identification, development and implementation of improvements
4. The post holder will support the selection and employment of staff within budget.
5. The post holder will have responsibility for non-clinical risk management and health and safety in the workplace.
6. The post holder will ensure that the culture is conducive to good health, safety and security. This includes the mental as well as physical health and safety of clients and service staff.
7. The post holder will maintain and develop the use of IT systems and staff skills within this area.
8. The post holder is responsible for initiating and, with support from the Service manager and Clinical Team leads where required, implementing service developments and projects to improve team and organisational performance

Policy and service development

1. The post holder will be responsible for supporting the implementation of policies and operating procedures for mental health across the organisation. These will include operational aspects, including governance and audit.
2. The post holder will support the development of appropriate consultation with service users regarding the working of the service.
3. Contribute to the development of services for the community less likely to access services,, responding to the identified mental health needs of each locality, ensuring services are tailored to the specific needs of each community [homeless, prison, new mothers], ethnic group [Black, Asian, Polish, Portuguese], disability [hearing / long term conditions/ carers], and age [older persons / young adults].
4. Work collaboratively with colleagues in the 3rd sector to facilitate awareness of our Talking Therapies service
5. Work closely with both the Service manager and Clinical Team Leads to ensure service delivery targets and workforce development targets are achieved.

General

1. To be a positive and influential member of the team, contributing to a positive work environment and a team ethos of providing excellent patient care in an effective and efficient manner.
2. To be a positive ambassador for DHC Ltd with particular focus on the Talking Therapies service and its promotion with key stakeholders
3. To support the operational running of the team, including (but not limited to) monitoring of waitlists of all pathways and taking action where required, managing complaints and ensuring locations are available that meet both staff and patients needs
4. All employees have a duty and responsibility for their own health and safety and the health and safety of colleagues, patients and the general public.
5. All employees have a responsibility and a legal obligation to ensure that information processed for both patients and staff is kept accurate, confidential, secure and in line with the Data Protection Act (1998) and Security and Confidentiality Policies.
6. It is the responsibility of all staff that they do not abuse their official position for personal gain, to seek advantage of further private business or other interests in the course of their official duties.
7. This Job Description does not provide an exhaustive list of duties and may be reviewed in conjunction with the post holder in light of service development.

INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Apply and adhere to agreed policies, procedures, and protocols, including national initiatives and propose changes for improvements to departmental working practices.
• Participate in reflection, self-evaluation and continuous professional development, including performance review. Ensure mandatory training is up-to-date at all times.
• Contribute to ongoing projects as required.
• Maintain and encourage safe working practices and environment in accordance with local Health and Safety policies.
• Comply with the requirements of the Caldicott Report, Data Protection Act, Access to Health Records Act and subsequent legislation issued in relation to confidential data.

CONFIDENTIALITY

The post holder must maintain the confidentiality of information about patients, staff and DHC business in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and Caldicott principles.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Desirable

• Formal training in Leadership and Management.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working as an operational Leader.
• Experience in managing the performance and welfare of others.
• Experience in managing the operational aspects of service delivery.
• Experience in providing effective Line management.
• Working to achieve Governance standards, including management of complaints and Incident management.
• Worked in a service where agreed targets were in place.

Desirable

• Experience of working in a Primary Care environment.
• Experience using record systems such as IAPTUS, SystmOne or RADAR.

Skills & Competencies

Essential

• Highly developed communication skills in a range of formats to a diverse audience, including highly sensitive and complex information.
• Highly developed people management skills with the ability to motivate, develop and inspire others as well as manage performance, sickness and welfare as required.
• Highly developed organisational skills, including the organisation of others.
• Experience in providing operational leadership.
• Competent IT skills, including working knowledge of Microsoft Office.
• Ability to monitor operational processes within the service and know when to escalate or take action.
• Ability to be an advocate for service, to develop and promote the service to all stakeholders.
• A can do attitude who can meet targets, stay calm under pressure and promote a positive, safe work environment.
• An understanding of mental health.
• Commitment to challenging the stigma of mental illness, seeking to break down barriers to treatment and recovery through continuous service improvement.
• Experience of working with diverse communities and within a multicultural setting.
• Ability and willingness to regularly travel to locations throughout the organisation, some of which are rural and not accessible by Public Transport.

Desirable

• Experience in managing projects.

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Dorking Healthcare Ltd.

Address

Medwyn Centre

Reigate Road

Dorking

Surrey

RH4 1SD

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://dhcclinical.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job purpose

The Research Nurse will work with the DHC Research Clinical Lead, Research Assistant, participating Primary Care Networks and GP practices to support the safe, effective and high-quality delivery of clinical research across the Federation.

The post holder will coordinate and deliver a portfolio of studies from feasibility and set-up through participant identification, informed consent, study visits, follow-up and close-down. They will provide research nursing expertise, support practices to become research active, and ensure that study activity is undertaken in accordance with approved protocols, Good Clinical Practice, professional standards and DHC policies.

The role complements the DHC Research Assistant. The Research Assistant provides administrative, project and study coordination support, while the Research Nurse holds responsibility for delegated clinical activity, participant assessment and care, clinical procedures, safety monitoring and professional nursing decisions within their competence.

DHC and the research service

DHC is a GP Federation supporting general practice in Surrey and delivering a range of community-based healthcare services. DHC places people at the centre of its work and develops services with local practices, Primary Care Networks and system partners.

The research service works with practices and external academic, NHS and commercial partners to increase high-quality research activity, translate learning into clinical practice and improve care for local populations. The Research Nurse will act as a visible clinical point of contact for studies delivered across DHC and participating practices.

Key working relationships

• DHC Research Clinical Lead and Research Assistant
• DHC clinical, operational, governance, finance and digital teams
• GP partners, practice managers and multidisciplinary practice teams
• Primary Care Network clinical directors and teams
• Principal Investigators, Chief Investigators and study teams
• Study sponsors, contract research organisations and academic partners
• NIHR Research Delivery Network colleagues and research support services
• Research participants, patients, carers and members of the public
• Pharmacy, laboratory, courier and other support services where relevant to a study

Main duties and responsibilities

Research study set-up and coordination

• Review study protocols and associated documentation to understand clinical requirements, participant pathways, resource implications and delivery risks.
• Contribute to robust feasibility assessments, including realistic estimates of eligible populations, recruitment potential, workforce requirements, clinical procedures, equipment and practice capacity.
• Support confirmation that required approvals, agreements, training, delegation and local arrangements are in place before study activity begins.
• Coordinate allocated studies across one or more practices, maintaining oversight of milestones, recruitment targets, follow-up schedules, amendments, monitoring requirements and close-down activity.
• Work closely with the Research Assistant to maintain accurate study trackers, site files, training records, delegation logs, version-controlled documents and communications.

Participant identification, recruitment and care

• Identify and screen potential participants using approved study criteria and authorised clinical systems or searches.
• Assess eligibility within the scope of professional competence and liaise with the Principal Investigator or delegated clinician where clinical confirmation is required.
• Provide clear verbal and written study information, answer questions and support individuals to make a voluntary and informed decision about participation.
• Undertake or support the informed consent process where appropriately trained, delegated and permitted by the protocol.
• Plan and deliver protocol-required participant visits, maintaining continuity, dignity, privacy and a positive participant experience.
• Provide ongoing information and support to participants and carers and escalate clinical concerns promptly through the agreed pathway.
• Promote equitable access to research and adapt communication and delivery approaches to meet individual needs and reach underserved groups.

Clinical research delivery

• Undertake study-specific clinical assessments and procedures within competence and delegation. These may include observations, venepuncture, cannulation, ECG acquisition, spirometry, urinalysis, height, weight and other protocol-defined measurements.
• Collect, label, process, store and arrange transportation of biological samples in accordance with the protocol, laboratory manual and local procedures.
• Administer study medication or interventions only where authorised, trained, competent and appropriately delegated, and in accordance with the protocol and medicines management arrangements.
• Monitor participants for expected and unexpected effects, recognise deterioration or safety concerns, and take appropriate clinical action.
• Maintain equipment, calibration and temperature-monitoring records relevant to allocated studies, reporting defects or excursions promptly.

Safety, governance and quality

• Deliver research in accordance with Good Clinical Practice, the UK Policy Framework for Health and Social Care Research, applicable clinical trial regulations, approved protocols, ethical requirements and DHC policies.
• Record, assess within professional scope, and report adverse events, serious adverse events, incidents, protocol deviations and safeguarding concerns within required timescales.
• Maintain participant confidentiality and process personal and research data lawfully, accurately and securely.
• Ensure source data, participant records and case report forms are complete, contemporaneous, attributable and available for verification.
• Support monitoring visits, audits and inspections, respond to data queries and implement agreed corrective and preventive actions.
• Identify and escalate risks or barriers affecting participant safety, data quality, recruitment, retention, timelines or study delivery.
• Contribute to the development, review and consistent use of research standard operating procedures and work instructions.

Data, performance and reporting

• Enter and validate research data on paper and electronic systems accurately and within study timescales, maintaining a clear audit trail.
• Maintain accurate recruitment and activity records and provide progress information to the Research Clinical Lead, investigators, sponsors and relevant research networks.
• Work with the Research Assistant to resolve missing data, document queries, follow-up requirements and study administration issues.
• Use recruitment, retention, quality and delivery information to identify improvement opportunities and recommend practical action.

Engagement and capacity building

• Build effective relationships with practices and PCNs, including teams with limited research experience, and support them to develop confidence and capacity to participate in research.
• Promote relevant study opportunities to clinicians, staff, patients and communities using approved materials and messages.
• Support study initiation, training and research awareness sessions for DHC and practice staff.
• Share learning from research activity and contribute to embedding evidence and best practice into clinical services.
• Represent DHC professionally at relevant internal and external meetings, study meetings and research events.

Professional practice and team contribution

• Work at all times within the Nursing and Midwifery Council Code, professional scope of practice and DHC clinical governance arrangements.
• Maintain professional registration, revalidation, mandatory training, Good Clinical Practice training and study-specific competencies.
• Manage and prioritise a varied workload across locations, working autonomously while seeking advice or escalation when required.
• Provide day-to-day clinical guidance and support to the Research Assistant and other colleagues without transferring responsibility for tasks outside their role or competence.
• Support induction, peer learning and development of staff involved in research delivery.
• Participate in supervision, appraisal, continuing professional development and service improvement activity.

General responsibilities

Confidentiality and information governance: Protect confidential and personal information and comply with DHC information governance, records management and data protection requirements.

Safeguarding: Recognise and respond to safeguarding concerns in accordance with DHC procedures and statutory responsibilities.

Infection prevention and control: Follow DHC and site-specific infection prevention and control policies and maintain safe clinical practice.

Health, safety and risk: Take reasonable care of personal and others safety, follow lone-working and incident-reporting procedures, and escalate risks.

Equality, diversity and inclusion: Treat participants, carers, colleagues and partners with dignity and respect, promote inclusion and make reasonable adjustments within the role.

Sustainability: Use resources responsibly and support environmentally sustainable ways of working where consistent with safe study delivery.

Flexibility: Travel between DHC, practice and partner sites as required. Some study activity may require flexibility outside normal working hours, subject to contractual arrangements and reasonable notice.

This job description describes the principal duties of the post and is not an exhaustive list. Duties may be reviewed and amended in consultation with the post holder to reflect service development, changes in research delivery and organisational need, provided they remain appropriate to the role.

Person Specification

Research Governance and Clinical Skills

Essential

• Current or recent Good Clinical Practice training, or willingness to complete before undertaking delegated research activity. Understanding of informed consent, participant safety, confidentiality and accurate source documentation.
• Competence in venepuncture, or willingness and ability to complete competency-based training. Ability to undertake clinical observations and maintain accurate records.

Desirable

• Knowledge of the UK Policy Framework for Health and Social Care Research and clinical trial regulatory requirements.
• Cannulation, ECG, spirometry, sample processing, vaccination or study medication experience, where relevant.

Experience

Essential

• Post-registration nursing experience and evidence of safe autonomous clinical practice.
• Experience of assessing patients, recognising deterioration and escalating concerns.

Desirable

• Experience in primary care, community care or clinical research.

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse with current NMC registration.

Desirable

• Degree-level study or equivalent relevant experience; post-registration research or clinical qualification.

Communication and Partnership Working

Essential

• Excellent written and verbal communication. Ability to explain complex information clearly and sensitively to participants, carers and professionals.
• Ability to build constructive relationships across clinical, operational and external partner teams and contribute effectively to multidisciplinary working.

Desirable

• Experience presenting or delivering training to staff or stakeholder groups.
• Experience supporting research-naive sites or community engagement.

Digital and Data Skills

Essential

• Confident use of Microsoft 365 and clinical or research data systems, with accurate data entry and a clear understanding of audit trails.

Desirable

• Experience of electronic case report forms, primary care clinical systems or research reporting systems.

Values, Behaviours and Practical Requirements

Essential

• Commitment to safe, person-centred care; integrity; inclusion; continuous improvement; accountability; teamwork; flexibility; and learning.
• Ability to travel between DHC, practice and partner locations in a timely manner.

Desirable

• Evidence of supporting service development or quality improvement.
• Full UK driving licence and access to transport, subject to reasonable adjustments.

Study Delivery and Organisation

Essential

• Ability to interpret and work to detailed protocols, manage participant visits and coordinate competing deadlines with close attention to detail.
• Ability to plan and prioritise a mobile workload, work independently, maintain reliable documentation and escalate appropriately.

Desirable

• Experience of study set-up, feasibility, recruitment, consent, follow-up, monitoring visits, close-down or commercial research.
• Experience coordinating work across multiple sites or organisations.

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. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Dorking Healthcare Ltd.

Address

Holmhurst Medical Centre

12 Thornton Side

Redhill

Surrey

RH1 2NP

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://dhcclinical.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)