Emergency Care Practitioner / Practice Paramedic
Job Description
Job summary
To provide provide an on the day and pre booked health care to patients. The role will involve the assessment, diagnosis, treatment or referral of patients presenting with undifferentiated and undiagnosed conditions. The post holder will work within the Advanced/Emergency Care Practitioners level of competency.
The ECP will be required to respond to referrals and requests from various sources including:
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Patient
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Care homes
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General Practitioners
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111
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Out of Hours
Main duties of the job
- To provide assessment, diagnosis and treatment at first point of contact by attending to patients according to patients needs either in the Practice or patients homes
- To accurately triage and prioritise patients, including in emergency situations, demonstrating the use of a variety of techniques to elicit the history of an event/illness, including past medical and drug history
- To evaluate clinical information from examination and history taking, and initiate appropriate treatment and/or referral
- To refer patients to appropriate care settings, within locally agreed healthcare pathways
About us
Enfield Unity PCN is made us of 9 practices across 16 sites. The post holder will be mainly based in 2 or 3 of these sites.
The successful applicants will have the unique opportunity to help shape the development of ECP's in general practice working closely with the clinical directors and senior colleagues. Benefits include: access to the NHS Pension scheme, comprehensive induction programme, 6 weeks annual leave pro rata + bank holidays, designated Clinical Professional Development (CPD) time and paid indemnity cover.
Job responsibilities
Clinical
- To provide assessment, diagnosis and treatment at first point of contact by attending to patients according to patients needs either in the Practice or patients homes.
- To support and continue the development of an on the day emergency patient service in the Practice.
- To accurately triage and prioritise patients, including in emergency situations, demonstrating the use of a variety of techniques to elicit the history of an event/illness, including past medical and drug history.
- To evaluate clinical information from examination and history taking, and initiate appropriate treatment and/or referral.
- To undertake and interpret diagnostics and take appropriate action to manage patient care, whilst distinguishing between abnormal and normal findings in order to relate them to a possible diagnosis. To use broad clinical guidelines (NICE etc) relating them to individual cases, providing assistance and feedback to the organisation and others on how these should be interpreted.
- To signpost appropriately to other services in the identified healthcare pathway.
- To refer patients to appropriate care settings, within locally agreed healthcare pathways.
- To discharge or treat, as appropriate and within the scope of practice.
- To maintain accurate and systematic documentation of patient interactions and clinical care provided, including adverse events.
- To advise and support members of the public on healthy lifestyles, health promotion and disease prevention.
- To provide clinical advice to other members of the team where appropriate.
Communication
- To liaise and interact with multi-professional teams across organisational boundaries, including primary care, social services and secondary care providers according to patient needs and appropriate care pathways.
- To maintain communication with all healthcare professionals and outside agencies to ensure seamless, patient-centred service provision.
- To ensure effective communication so that the patient receives the appropriate level of care and wherever possible avoid unnecessary hospital admission.
- To take an active role in maintaining expert communication with all patients, carers and relatives which meets their individual needs.
- To deal with complaints in a calm and courteous manner, ensuring that, wherever possible, complaints are dealt with efficiently and satisfactorily on a local level.
- To communicate effectively in demanding and challenging situations, where there may also be hostility
- To assist in maintaining accurate data collection.
Professional
- To input to and extract information from EMIS clinical IT system.
- To work collaboratively with other members of the health care team such as the District Nursing Team, Mental Health Services, staff in Care Homes, Ambulance Service, and Secondary Care etc.
- To ensure that the wellbeing of patients and staff is maintained in accordance with Practice policies.
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To undertake clinical audits in line with the organisations clinical audit plan, and to participate as required in equipment testing and other research.
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To contribute to the analysis of information to inform future development of the service.
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To participate and contribute to clinical meetings
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To identify risks servicing provision, and highlighting them to the Clinical Lead.
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To work within the requirements of Data Protection legislation as it applies to patient records.
- To maintain current professional registration.
- To act at all times in such a manner as to promote confidence and public trust and to uphold the reputation of Enfield Unity PCN and their own profession.
Organisational
- To operate as an effective member of the Practice team
- To maintain accurate and systematic documentation of patient interactions and clinical care provided, including any adverse events, child protection issues or other notifiable matters.
- To provide information to inform the evaluation and efficiency of the role and for performance management purposes as requested.
- To engage in self appraisal and utilise reflective practice to enhance and develop personal and organisational practice.
- To assist in marketing and promoting the role and organisation within the health community both locally and nationally.
Managerial
- To ensure effective time management and prioritisation of workload.
- To ensure the security, safe storage and maintenance of any allocated equipment and goods.
- To ensure practice is within good clinical governance and based on sound up-to- date clinical evidence. Where appropriate, to identify and assess any risks associated with patient care or to oneself and communicate these risks to the appropriate clinical manager.
This is not meant to be an exhaustive list of duties. The need for flexibility is required and the post holder is expected to carry out any other related duties that are within the employee's skills and abilities whenever reasonably instructed.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Current registered Nurse (NMC) or registered Paramedic (HPC)
- Evidence of continued professional development.
- ENP/ ECP Minor Injuries and Minor Illness course Level 6
- ALS/APLS provider.
- Completed mentorship programme.
Desirable
- Attended X-ray/IRMER course
- Teaching and assessing qualification.
- Relevant MSc or BSc
- Completed RCN Clinical Leadership Programme or similar
Experience
Essential
- Ability to manage and prioritise workload.
- Proven ability to work autonomously and as part of a team.
- Previous experience of non-medical prescribing and using PGDs.
- Experience as an autonomous practitioner within a minor injury/illness centre or mobile service.
- Experience of the ECP/Advanced Practitioner role within Primary or Secondary Care.
- Current knowledge of government targets and initiatives and N.I.C.E. guidelines and their impact on clinical practice.
- Understanding of the N.M.C/H.P.C Code of Professional Conduct.
- Knowledge of child protection issues.
- Understanding of clinical governance and its significance and impact upon practice.
- Good communication skills.
- Basic IT skills in word processing ...
