About this role
Job summary
As a busy surgery of 10,300 patients we really want to ensure that patients' needs are met whilst enabling our staff team to have a good work/life balance. Hence the Partners have decided to invest in this additional senior clinical role of Salaried GP.
Main duties of the job
Managing your own patient list. Conducting patient consultations and managing clinical cases including making all necessary referrals to secondary care, ordering and considering the results of pathology tests and imaging to assist in the clinical management of patients, prescribing medication for acute and long-term presentations, visiting housebound patients at home and conducting 'ward rounds' in care homes as needed. Actioning all related tasks i.e. raising and authorising prescriptions, acting on directions in documentation from secondary care services, completing insurance reports and benefit application requests from your patients. Participating in clinical audit and internal practice meetings e.g. clinical governance and palliative care.
About us
Victoria Road Surgery in Lowestoft was founded in the 1940s and currently serves around 10,300 patients. There are six GP Partners who own the business which works under various NHS contracts. The Partners currently employ nurse practitioners, practice nurses, healthcare assistants and administrative staff including receptionists, secretaries and managers.
Victoria Road Surgery works in partnership with other Lowestoft practices as "Lowestoft Primary Care Network" and benefits from PCN staff including a pharmacy technician, health & wellbeing coach and a care-coordinator who are based at the surgery. We have a wonderful wellbeing garden/allotment close to the surgery for the benefit of patients and staff.
We train GP registrars (doctors who are training to be GPs), nurses, medical students and apprentices.
Our main objective is "To provide our patients with General Medical Services and care of the highest quality, within the resources available to the practice and the NHS generally."
We very much have a "team" ethos and enjoy social and leisure events throughout the year, many with an objective of raising money for charity.
Lowestoft is a town of c. 70,000 people and is Britain's most easterly settlement! Lowestoft had a fishing-based economy many years ago; now the main industries are tourism, hospitality and technology including off shore energy generation. Lowestoft boasts two award winning beaches, and some very picturesque villages lie within commuting distance.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Role summary: The post-holder will provide medical services managing a caseload and lead with a wide range of health needs in a primary care setting, ensuring the highest standards of care for all registered and temporary patients.
Main purpose of the role: To support the 6 GP partners managing a busy and interesting clinical caseload. The appointee may also take part or lead on key disease areas (monitoring trends in treatment, staff training and prescribing) and assist in developing appropriate healthcare services for a diverse, patient list including patient participation and health promotion. This is a GMS Practice.
Clinical responsibilities
In accordance with the practice timetable, as agreed, the post-holder will make him/herself available to undertake a variety of duties including surgery consultations and emergencies, telephone consultations and queries, triaging, visiting patients at home, checking and signing repeat prescriptions and dealing with queries, patient test results, patient medical reports and examinations (e.g. Insurance Companies) on behalf of the Practice, referral letters NHS/private, paperwork and correspondence in a timely manner.
Making professional, autonomous decisions in relation to presenting problems, whether self-referred or referred from other health care workers within the organisation.
Recording clear and accurate I.T. based consultation notes to agreed standards.
Collecting data for audit purposes and contributing to the Practice audit
Programme as required.
Compiling and issuing computer-generated acute and repeat prescriptions (avoiding hand-written prescriptions whenever possible).
Prescribing in accordance with locally agreed or national guidelines.
In general, the post-holder will be expected to undertake all the normal duties and responsibilities associated with a GP working within primary care.
Quality
The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will:
Alert other team members to issues of Clinical Governance issues, quality and risk; participate in Significant Event Analysis reviews.
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 patients needs.
Effectively manage own time, workload and resources. He/she will also contribute to the overall team-working of the Practice putting the needs of the Practice first.
Prescribe safe and effective medicines management which conforms to
NICE guidance and Department of Health and Social Care directives, Good Prescribing Practice as defined by British National Formulary (BNF) guidance from Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain on safe and secure handling of medicine, operate safe management and regular review for all patients receiving repeat prescriptions, Controlled Drugs legislation, Shared protocols agreed between the ICB (NHS Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care Board) and other NHS providers.
Work effectively so as not to exceed the Practice prescribing budget as
set annually by the ICB.
Comply with targets set within the Prescribing Incentive Scheme.
Contribute to the teams approach which ensures that referrals are made for patients to see other medical service providers, ensuring that adequate information is given to personnel to whom the patient has been referred for proper assessment to be made.
Be supportive of any complaints policy and procedure to ensure proper investigation and appropriate follow up action in the event of a complaining being made about any aspect of the service provided or any personal provider of the service.
Other responsibilities within the Practice
Awareness of and compliance with all relevant practice policies/guidelines, e.g. prescribing, confidentiality, data protection, health and safety, annual QOF (Quality Outcomes Framework) Assessment of the Practice.
A commitment to life-long learning and audit to ensure evidence-based best practice.
Contributing to individual case discussions at clinical meetings and bring examples of cases for group discussion.
Contributing to the organisational development of the Practice by contributing to the development of ideas, strategies and policies which will promote efficiency and wellbeing of the practice.
Contributing to evaluation/audit and clinical standard setting within the organisation.
Contributing to the development of computer-based patient records.
Attending training, Practice & team Meetings and events organised by the practice or other agencies as may be necessary.
Meet all tight timescales/deadlines for audits and written returns to ensure that the Practice meets quality standards and receives the designated funding (e.g. Quarterly Enhanced Services returns, annual QOF audit etc.)
Confidentiality
While 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, to 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.
Reporting potential risks identified.
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 recognises 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 which is welcoming to and of the individual, is
non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings, priorities and rights.
Personal/Professional Development
In addition to maintaining continued education through attendance at any courses and/or study days necessary to ensure that professional development requirements are met, 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, annual GP Appraisal 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.
Communication
The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:
Communicate effectively with other team members.
Communicate effectively with patients and carers.
Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.
Contribution to the planning and 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.
Work with the Partners and Management Team to achieve standards of quality, performance standards, budgets and targets without compromising levels of patient healthcare.
Contribute towards the development and implementation of new standards, policies and procedures that are/will be required of GP Practices now and in the future (as directed by NHS/ Department of Health and Social Care/ICB, new legislation etc.)
The main duties and responsibilities shown above are not exhaustive but should merely be regarded as a guide. The post-holder will be expected to conduct any reasonable activities according to the business needs at that time. These will be subject to periodic review and may be amended to meet the challenging needs of the practice. The post-holder will be expected to participate in this process, and the practice would aim to reach agreement to changes.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) or a Doctor of Medicine (MD)
- Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT)
- Membership of the Royal College of GPs (MRCGP)
- Fluent written and spoken English
- UK Full Driving Licence
Desirable
- Any additional medical specialist qualifications e.g. FSRH membership.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a primary care environment
- Experience of continued professional development
- Experience of QOF and clinical audit
- Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
- Strong IT skills
- Effective time management (Planning & Organising)
- Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
- Problem solving & analytical skills
- Ability to follow clinical policy and procedure
- Experience with audit
- Experience with clinical risk management
- Ability to work under pressure / in stressful situations
- Effectively able to communicate and understand the
- needs of the patient
- Commitment to ongoing professional development
- Punctual and committed to supporting the team effort
Desirable
- Experience of working with SystmOne clinical system
- Competent user of Microsoft Office packages
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
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
Victoria Road Surgery
Address
82 Victoria Road
Oulton Broad
Lowestoft
Suffolk
NR33 9LU
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.victoriaroadsurgery.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)