About this role
Job summary
This service is a collaboration between Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust (SCFT) and the Sussex Federations: Brighton & Hove Federation (BandHF), Alliance for Better Care (ABC) and South Downs Health & Care (SDHC). The Federations will be delivering the GP-led aspect of the Virtual Ward at a place-level to match SCFTs Urgent Community Response service across Sussex. SCFT provides the service in West Sussex, Brighton and Hove and the High Weald, Lewes and Havens area of East Sussex.B&HF are the lead contractor for the GP Service delivery and have sub-contracted to ABC for delivery within the federations geographical areas of Mid Sussex (including Crawley, Horsham, East Grinstead, Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill and surrounding villages), Worthing and Chichester.
The UCR Hub Based GP will work within their assigned place based SCFT UCR base. We are recruiting for three separate places of Mid Sussex, Worthing and Chichester, with a GP required for each place. The GP will present within the allocated UCR base working face to face with the SCFT MDT delivering GVW (including supervision of ACPs and team development). Patient visits may be required. (Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning)
GPs will need to meet regularly with other VW GPs across the SCFT footprint for shared training and supervision. Some of this can be done remotely, but this role will require some travel across Sussex.
Hours of Work: 9am to 1pm
Chichester: Monday, Wednesday and Friday
Crawley: Monday
Main duties of the job
Since 2022, SCFT have delivered Virtual Wards (Hospital at Home) in line with the NHS Englands national definition that a virtual ward is a safe and efficient alternative to NHS bedded care that support patients who would otherwise be in hospital to receive the acute care and treatment they need in their own home.
As of August 2024, SCFT re-modelled the Virtual Ward delivery and mobilised General Virtual Wards within Urgent Community Response (UCR), which supports Sussex patients within its catchment area with a higher level of acuity to be safely managed at home/chosen place of residence. This could be patients on either an admission avoidance pathway or early supported discharge pathway, where the alternative would be NHS bedded care.
The Virtual Ward activity is now prioritising admission avoidance whilst still delivering early supported discharge for patients from the Acute hospitals. It is delivered 365 days per year, 8am 8pm. UCR teams within the SCFT footprint provide urgent support to help prevent unnecessary hospital admissions and ultimately keeping patients safely at the place they call home. There is a consistent service across Sussex and is made up of multi-disciplinary teams including General Practitioners, Nurses, Pharmacists, Therapists and Carers, ensuring they can meet a range of needs quickly offering the best level of support to patients.
About us
Alliance for Better Care (ABC) is a GP Federation uniting 77 NHS GP member practices across 98 sites within 24 Primary Care Networks in Sussex and Surrey. We support our Primary Care colleagues - and their patients - to transform how healthcare is delivered in their communities.
We work closely with GP Practices, PCNs, Hospitals, Community Organisations, and the Third Sector. These vital partnerships enable us to deliver a truly integrated approach that offers the support andexpertiseneeded to effectively serve our populations.
Job description Job responsibilities
The Virtual Ward GP role is to act as the senior clinical decision maker within the UCR Team and providing daily clinical leadership. The following duties are the core responsibilities of the Virtual Ward GP:
adhering to the timetable of daily scheduled clinical activitiesholding the responsibility for medical decisions made during the contracted service hoursappreciating the complexity of patients with multi-morbidity, frailty and polypharmacy where involving specialists is necessaryproviding care in line with recommended best practice as established through clinical guidelinesproviding medical advice and supporting decision making to the members of the wider MDT through all stages of the patient journey.supporting and guiding the development of patient management plansreviewing and prescribing medications, with clinical input from the VW Pharmacy Team proposing the use of digital monitoring where it may be appropriatework with the MDT to support clinical decision-making based on readings from POC or remote monitoring equipmentrequesting diagnostic investigations and managing test resultsproviding virtual consultations or home visiting where clinically requiredkeeping accurate and contemporaneous documentation. keepingliaising with other health professionals or providers for advicePlease see full Job Description attached for further information.
Person Specification
Experience Essential
Experience of working in a primary care environment Experience of continued professional development Experience and knowledge of Sussex ICB and referral systems
Desirable
Experience of working with Urgent Care, A&E and Out of Hours Five years post-CCT in general practice Previous post CCT experience of working in virtual wards or other acute care settings Experience of working effectively in collaboration with other organisations Experience of providing supervision/support to an MDT
Clinical Knowledge and Skills Essential
Outstanding level of clinical knowledge and skills commensurate with that of an experienced GP Understands the importance of evidence-based practice and clinical effectiveness Excellent communication skills (written and verbal) Strong IT skills (competent in the use of Office and Outlook) Effective time management (Planning & Organising) Ability to work as a team member and autonomously Excellent interpersonal skills Problem solving & analytical skills Ability to follow clinical policy and procedure Ability to process information accurately and effectively, interpreting data as required Experience with clinical risk management Understanding of Clinical Governance and quality issues as well as health and social policy
Desirable
Knowledge of the current issues facing primary care and the wider NHS EMIS and SystmOne user and Docman skills Experience with audit and able to lead audit programmes Ability and success in the implementation of change and/or service development within an organisation
Qualifications Essential
Qualified GP General Practitioner (Certificate of Completion of Training CCT) Full GMC Registration National Performers List registration Appropriate defence indemnity (MPS/MDU)
Desirable
MRCGP Diploma in Geriatric Medicine Diploma in Immediate Medical Care Diploma in Urgent Medical Care
Personal Qualities Essential
Adherence to the GMC Standards/Duties Motivated, forward thinker Ability to work under pressure Commitment to ongoing professional development Flexibility of working hours to meet the needs of the service Car driver
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 Alliance for Better Care CIC
Address Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust
Terminus Road
Chichester
West Sussex
PO19 8EZ
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://allianceforbettercare.org/ (Opens in a new tab)