Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical responsibilities:

• In accordance to 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 medical reports and examinations (e.g. Insurance Companies) on behalf of the Practice, referral letters (NHS and 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 contemporaneous computer based consultation notes to agreed standards;
• Collecting data for audit purposes;
• 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.

Other responsibilities with the Practice:

• Teaching and training of doctors and nurses;
• Awareness of compliance with all relevant practice policies/guidelines, eg prescribing, confidentiality, data protection, health and safety, CQC and annual QOF assessment of the Practice;
• A commitment to life long learning and audit to ensure evidence based best practice;
• Keep a portfolio;
• Contributing to evaluation/audit and clinical standard setting within the organisation;
• Contributing to the development of computer based patient records;
• Attending training, Practice Meetings and events organised by the Practice or other agencies where appropriate;
• Meet all tight timescales/deadlines for audits and written returns to ensure that the Practice meets quality standards and receives the designated funding (eg Enhanced Services returns, annual QOF audit etc).

Confidentiality

• In the course of 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.

Health and Safety

The post holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the practice Health and 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;

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 as 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.

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.

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/NHS England/SHA/CCG, new legislation etc).

Safeguarding

Whitstable Medical Practice is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults; and expects all staff and post holders to share this commitment by understanding their role in effective safeguarding.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Ability to work with limited supervision.
• Willingness to contribute to and participate in a peer support group.
• Good IT skills and familiarity with primary care clinical systems.
• Ability to handle a busy and varied patient list.

Desirable

• Understanding of the pressures faced by GPs and healthcare teams.
• Ability to offer support within a clinical team and share learning points.

Qualifications

Essential

• Qualified GP
• Current GMC Registration
• Appropriate representation with a recognised Medical Defence Organisation.

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 .

Employer details

Employer name

Whitstable Medical Practice

Address

Whitstable Health Centre

Harbour Street

Whitstable

Kent

CT5 1BZ