Practice NurseinHaywards HeathinHaywards HeathPUBLISHED FRI 21 MAR 2025

Ouse Valley Practice is a rural Practice which sits between Haywards Heath and Crawley, and are looking to recruit a qualified Practice Nurse for between 16 /37.5hours per week to support our Nurse Team of 2 Practice Nurses, 1 Phlebotomists and 1 HCAs. Experience with one of the chronic disease areas would be an advantage, Smears, child Immunisations, Travel Immunisations, Wound Care, ECGs. Support to develop the right person. Salary dependant on experience.

We are situated in a rural setting with plenty of parking. We are flexible on days (potentially Wednesday and Thursday). We are also a training practice and use SystmOne clinical system. Patient list size is approx 9800+

We are looking for an applicant that can manage a full range of Practice Nurse Duties: We are looking for an applicant that canmanage a full range of Practice Nurse duties - including but not limited to: Chronic Disease Management of Diabetes, Chronic Disease Management of Asthma, Experience of working toward QOF tragets, Childhood & Adult Immunisations, Travel Immunisations, Cervical Smear Screening, Dressings & Wound care, Contraception, Health Promotion/ Advice and all other Nurse duties.

About us

REPORTS TO:The GP Partners -Clinically Practice Manager Non-clinical

Line Manager Lead Nurse

SUMMARY OF THE POSITION:The post holder will be an experienced primary care nurse who, acting within their professional boundaries, will provide care for the presenting patient from initial history taking, clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment and evaluation of care. They will demonstrate safe, clinical decision-making including assessment and diagnostic skills, for patients within the general practice and during the daily triage clinic. The post holder will demonstrate critical thinking in the clinical decision-making process. They will work collaboratively with the general practice team to meet the needs of patients, supporting the delivery of policy and procedures, and providing nurse leadership as required.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES OF THE POST

Principle duties and areas of responsibility

Clinical Nursing Practice

• To work as an Autonomous Practitioner

Diagnostic Testing, Screening and Health Promotion. Assess, diagnose, plan, implement and evaluate treatment/interventions and care for patients presenting with an undifferentiated diagnosis

• To provide general and specific health screening to the practice population (within agreed protocols), with referral to the GPs as necessary.
• To select, carry out and interpret results of specific tests within the agreed protocols of the practice, referring immediately when necessary.
• Undertake diagnostic blood tests, peak flow and ECG readings as required.
• Carry out New Patient checks as required.
• To assist in the provision of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Management activities including dietary advice, hypertension, asthma and diabetes in compliance with the NSFs and NICE Guidelines.
• To advise on breast awareness, family planning, hormone replacement therapy and take swabs and cervical smears where appropriate.
• Ensure patients views are taken into account in the decision making process.

Vaccinations and Immunisations

• To administer to babies and adults immunisations as appropriate based on your clinical knowledge and judgement, preferably while a GP is present in surgery.
• To continually update your knowledge of the implications of immunisation and contra indications.
• To provide appropriate health advice and immunisation for travellers.
• Ensure safe storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs.

Infection ControlSupport patients and colleagues in adopting sound infection control measures.Apply infection control measures within the practice according to local and national guidelines.This includes: Universal hygiene precautions The collection and handling of laboratory specimens Segregation and disposal of waste materials Decontamination of instruments and clinical equipment Reporting and treatment of sharps injuries Dealing with blood and duty fluid spillages Educate colleagues in adopting sound infection control measures.Emergency Management

• To be competent in anaphylaxis and resuscitation techniques

Child Health/Child Protection

• Recognise the signs, symptoms and categories of child abuse
• Understand the importance of recognition, observation, documentation and communication.
• Be aware of child health procedures, statutory local procedures and points of referral.
• Have knowledge of other practitioners and agencies roles.
• Understand basic legal issues around child abuse.

General Duties

• To control admissions to own case/session list i.e., allow direct access by patients to consultation appointments.
• To provide telephone advice to patients as required.
• To maintain accurate patient records in notes and enter onto the computer.
• To collect data and participate in regular practice audit and research projects when required to support the clinical governance agenda.
• To liaise with the Nurse Lead / Assistant Practice Manager with regard to claims for and regarding the ordering of appropriate medical supplies and equipment.
• To log and dispatch specimens to the hospital.

Education To maintain continuous professional development in keeping with the requirements of the practice.

To participate in training of other personnel as appropriate, including unqualified staff.

Actively participate in team meetings

Improve clinical practices through reflection.

Identify and pursue own educational and professional development.

To contribute to the preparation of the Practice and Professional Development Plan.

Organisational Controls:

• Re-enforce the Partners ethos of providing a friendly, efficient and effective service throughout the practice.
• Preventing and detecting mistakes and eliminating any potential bad practice
• Monitor and improve the levels of services we provide our patients
• Communicating with the Lead Nurse / Assistant PM any concerns or difficulties that arise within the practice
• Drafting and implementing clinical protocols within the practice.

Security Controls

• Ensuring commitment to the protection of both physical assets and confidential information from alarms, passwords and information
• Ensuring that all activities are properly authorised and processed, checking entries on the computer are inputted correctly.

Information and I.T.

• Facilitate good communication systems within the practice with the use of computerised messages.
• Extrapolate information received by outside agencies and bring to the notice of all clinicians wherever necessary.
• Undertake all training and attend any computer data input and retrieval meetings deemed necessary by the Practice to manage the clinical system effectively.
• Collect data and participate in regular practice audit and research projects.

Patient Liaison

• Be available to deal with any patient query that may prove to beyond the ability of the medical receptionist.
• Ensuring that all formal complaints are passed onto the Assistant PM for immediate action
• Be receptive to the involvement of our patient participation groups when appropriate and convenient to do so.

Health and Safety

• Draw to the Lead Nurse attention, any preventative and protective measures deemed reasonable and implement if directed to do so.
• Refer to the Lead Nurse in the first instance when unsure of procedures.
• Monitor areas that may be failing and take appropriate action
• Identify appropriate sources for further information and advice

Additional skills required for the post

• An ability to prioritise and balance routine administrative tasks against important management issues of the surgery
• Ability to contribute to future practice policies and growth
• Excellent communication skills written/verbal
• Use available resources effectively
• Ability to lead and motivate the team when asked.
• Minimise conflict between team members, referring to the Lead Nurse when necessary.
• Make balanced and appropriate decisions
• Develop and Implement new ideas to improve performance
• Communicate effectively with all GPs, clinical and administrative staff colleagues, and outside agencies
• Perform in a cost effective manner to eliminate waste and to help the organisation to run economically
• Working knowledge of clinical software
• Basic knowledge of computer hardware

This job description is intended as a guide to the main responsibilities of the post and not as an exhaustive list of duties and tasks. The post holder may be required to undertake other duties appropriate to his/her grade, which is not listed above, at the direction of his/her manager.

Statements:

The post holder will, at all times, work in accordance with the NMC Code of Professional Conduct (2002), Trust and Local Policies.

The post holder must at all times respect patient confidentiality and, in particular, the confidentiality of electronically stored personal data in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act.

The post holder must at all times carry out duties and responsibilities with due regard to the Practices Equal Opportunities Policy.