About this role
Job summary
The Nursing Associate will work as an integral member of the Meridian PCN multidisciplinary team, supporting the Frailty Lead in the delivery of high-quality, proactive and personalised care to frail, older and clinically complex patients in the community.
The postholder will provide nursing care across a range of community settings, including patients homes, care homes and primary care environments. They will contribute to the assessment, monitoring and ongoing management of patients with frailty and long-term conditions, helping to prevent avoidable deterioration, hospital admissions and unnecessary use of urgent and emergency services.
Working under the direction of the Frailty Lead and as part of a wider multidisciplinary team, the Nursing Associate will support patients to remain safe, independent and well in their usual place of residence.
The role will involve close collaboration with GPs, practice nurses, community nursing teams, therapists, social care, care homes, pharmacies, voluntary sector services and other professionals involved in the care of the patient.
Main duties of the job
Please see Job Description for full details and overview of the Nursing Associates responsibilities.
About us
Primary Care Networks (PCNs) and Integrated Neighbourhood Teams are a new way of working that enables health and other services to work together to provide better access for patients.
PCNs build on existing primary care services and enable greater provision of proactive, personalised, coordinated and more integrated health and social care for people close to home. Clinicians describe this as a change from reactively providing appointments to proactively caring for the people and communities they serve.
Our PCN
The Meridian PCN is a collaboration of six GP surgeries across Cambridgeshire and North Hertfordshire; supporting a patient population of +48,000.
Bourn Surgery Comberton & Eversden Surgery Harston Surgery Orchard Surgery - Melbourn Roysia Surgery - Royston Monkfield Medical Practice - Cambourne
Our Vision
We aim to provide high quality services adhering to principles of best practice, promoting equal opportunities and working positively with diversity. We ask our staff to treat patients how they'd want their family members to be treated.
Our Aims
Support the local interpretation and implementation of NHS transformation plans Design and deliver primary care services at scale. Provide the operational people and infrastructure to allow practices to collaborate Be a voice for Primary Care, one that enables what we all want; sustainable and clinically excellent general practice.
Job description Job responsibilities
Primary Responsibilities
The following are the core responsibilities of the Nursing Associate. There may be on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks; this will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels, please see Job description for full responsibilities:
Frailty & holistic patient care
Support the Frailty Lead in providing holistic, person-centred care to patients living with frailty and multiple long-term conditions. Undertake delegated assessments and contribute to holistic assessments of patients physical, psychological and social needs. Identify changes in a patient's condition and escalate concerns promptly to the Frailty Lead or appropriate clinician. Work closely with both our Pharmacy and Personalised Care teams, ensuring a holistic approach to care
Clinical Care
Monitoring vital signs and clinical observations. Blood pressure, pulse, respiratory rate, oxygen saturations and temperature. Blood glucose monitoring. Urinalysis and other point-of-care testing where appropriate. Wound assessment and management within competence. Catheter care and other delegated nursing procedures. Supporting medicines-related care within role boundaries and local policy. Supporting continence care.
Working with the Frailty Lead
Identify patients requiring proactive review and monitoring. Undertake planned home visits and follow-up reviews. Monitor patients following hospital discharge or periods of acute illness. Support the management of patients identified as high risk of deterioration.
Preventing hospital admissions & supporting admission avoidance
Identifying early signs of deterioration. Supporting timely clinical intervention and escalation. Promoting self-management and preventative health measures. Supporting patients and carers to understand when and how to seek help. Signposting patients to other services. Facilitating appropriate community-based interventions where clinically safe.
Care homes
Supporting routine and proactive clinical reviews. Monitoring residents with frailty and long-term conditions. Recognising deterioration and escalating appropriately. Supporting care home staff with clinical observations and care planning. Contributing to personalised care plans.
Health promotion and prevention
Falls prevention. Nutrition and hydration. Continence care. Physical activity and mobility. Vaccination and screening awareness. Smoking cessation and healthy lifestyle advice where appropriate. Supporting patients to manage long-term conditions.
Communication and multidisciplinary working
Establish effective therapeutic relationships with patients, relatives and carers. Communicate sensitively with patients who may have cognitive impairment, dementia, hearing impairment or other communication needs. Liaise effectively with professionals across health and social care.
Documentation and information governance
Maintain accurate, contemporaneous and comprehensive clinical records. Record all assessments, interventions, observations and outcomes in accordance with PCN and practice policies. Use relevant clinical systems effectively.
Professional responsibilities
Work within the Nursing Associate scope of practice and professional standards. Maintain registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Maintain competence through continuing professional development. Participate in supervision, appraisal and clinical review. Recognise personal limitations and seek appropriate support and advice. Work within Meridian PCN policies, procedures and clinical governance arrangements. Participate in audit, quality improvement and service development.
Contribute to a culture of learning, safety and continuous improvement.
Person Specification
Knowledge & Skills Essential
Understanding of frailty and the impact of multiple long-term conditions. Understanding of safeguarding and professional responsibilities. Ability to undertake clinical observations and recognise deterioration. Good communication and interpersonal skills Ability to work autonomously within an agreed scope of practice. Ability to prioritise workload and manage competing demands. Good IT and clinical documentation skills. Ability to work effectively across organisational boundaries.
Desirable
Knowledge of local health and social care services. EMIS / SystmOne knowledge
Personal Qualities Essential
Compassionate and patient-centred approach. Reliable, adaptable and organised. Confident working in patients' homes and community settings. Able to build positive relationships with patients, carers and professionals. Able to work independently while recognising when to seek support. Commitment to improving outcomes for older and frail patients.
Other requirements Essential
Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check Access to own transport and ability to travel across the locality on a regular basis, including to visit people in their own home
Qualifications Essential
Registered Nursing Associate with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Evidence of ongoing professional development. Relevant clinical experience in nursing or healthcare.
Experience Essential
Experience of working with older people and/or patients with long-term conditions. Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team. Experience of recognising and escalating changes in a patient's condition. Experience of delivering person-centred care. Experience of working with patients with complex health and social care needs. Experience of working within primary care, community nursing or intermediate care.
Desirable
Experience working with frailty. Experience of working in care homes. Experience of wound care, catheter care or other community nursing interventions. Experience of care planning and case management. Experience of quality improvement or clinical audit. Experience of supporting patients following hospital discharge.
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 Meridian Primary Care Network
Address 25 Alms Hill
Bourn
Cambridgeshire
CB23 2SH
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://meridianpcn.gpweb.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)