Practice Nurse - Primary care experience inReading inReading PUBLISHED TUE 29 OCT 2024

The University Medical Group is a standalone practice operating over 2 sites and is the largest in West Berkshire with over 32,000 patients. We are based in Reading near the University sites where we have over 9,000 students as patients. As we are a PCN in our own right, its easy to make changes to ensure we do the best for our patients and being innovative is what we are all about. We have received outstanding on the last 2 CQC audits and are very proud of this achievement with quality patient care being our key focus.

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 patient needs

Effectively manage own time, workload and resources

This is a full time role (37.5 hours) over 4 days working Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Part time working 30 hours would be considered.

The role of the practice nurse includes the following...

• Assist in and perform routine tasks related to patient care as directed by the partners:
• Cytology
• Wound care / ulcer care/Doppler
• Removal of Sutures
• NHS health checks and urinalysis
• Travel clinic
• Management of minor ailments
• ECGs
• Asthma/Peak Flow Readings/Spirometry
• Venepuncture
• Hypertension management
• Routine immunisations and childhood immunisations
• Chaperoning and assisting patients where appropriate who are being examined by another clinician
• Assisting GPs with minor surgery and coil fittings as required
• Requesting pathology tests, for example urine culture, swabs
• Interest in diabetes or asthma or coronary heart disease and contraception.
• Following agreed clinical protocols with referral to GPs as appropriate

About us

JOB TITLE: PRACTICE NURSE (Primary care experience)

REPORTS TO: Lead Nurse

The following job description provides a broad guide to the sort of duties that the Practice Nurse will be expected to perform. The nurse can expect the support of the doctors and the practice staff in order to carry out these duties. The practice nurse will not be expected to perform the more specialised of these duties without the necessary training required. Any such additional training will be arranged for the nurse by the practice.

In general, the Practice Nurse should provide a high standard of nursing care appropriate to his/her status and in accordance with the NMC Code of Conduct.

Job responsibilities:

The list below gives an overall view of the roles of a Practice Nurse. The practice is committed to an annual appraisal system and training and development of clinical team members in line with service delivery requirements:

• Assist in and perform routine tasks related to patient care as directed by the partners:
• Cytology
• Wound care / ulcer care/Doppler
• Removal of Sutures
• NHS health checks and urinalysis
• Travel clinic
• Management of minor ailments
• ECGs
• Asthma/Peak Flow Readings/Spirometry
• Venepuncture
• Hypertension management
• Routine immunisations and childhood immunisations
• Chaperoning and assisting patients where appropriate who are being examined by another clinician
• Assisting GPs with minor surgery and coil fittings as required
• Requesting pathology tests, for example urine culture, swabs
• Interest in diabetes or asthma or coronary heart disease and contraception.
• Following agreed clinical protocols with referral to GPs as appropriate

Other tasks will include

• Maintaining a tidy and clean environment in the treatment room in line with infection control requirements
• Stocking of the treatment rooms and rotation of stock as required
• Ordering of health promotion literature as required
• Ordering of vaccinations to maintain stock levels
• Ordering of treatment room stock as required/ liaison with administrative team to maintain stock levels
• Participation in administrative systems in the Practice
• Maintenance of accurate and timely clinical records in line with practice protocols
• Attend and participate in practice meetings when required.
• Attendance at CCG and practice led clinical education meetings and training as required.
• Any other delegated duties appropriate to the post

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 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

Health & safety:

The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining 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:

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

Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills

Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards

Actively reporting of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised

Keeping own work areas and general / patient areas generally clean, assisting in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness consistent with the scope of the job holders role

Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum annually)

Reporting potential risks identified

Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

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 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 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 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

Quality:

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 patient needs

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

Recognize peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly

Contribution to the implementation of services:

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