Paramedic Practitioner

The postholder will work as an integral member of the duty team, providing high quality, patient-centred care to patients. They will undertake the majority of sameday acute home visits, conducting comprehensive clinical assessments, formulating management and treatment plans, and ensuring timely escalation or referral where appropriate. Our Paramedic Practitioners are supported at all times by a Duty GP when necessary.

Working alongside another experienced Paramedic Practitioner, the role will be structured to dovetail hours in order to provide seamless home visiting cover across the week. This collaborative approach ensures continuity, efficiency, and consistent clinical standards for patients requiring urgent or unscheduled care at home.

Previous applicants need not apply.

• To provide paramedic practitioner activities in a primary care setting to support the GPs and through telephone triage; holding clinics and visiting patients within their own homes.
• Under the supervision of the GP, provide medical care,assessments, evaluation, and treatment for patients in clinics and in the community.
• To work within the acute Duty team comprising GPs and Advanced Nurse Practitioners, prioritising the needs of patients and making referrals as necessary. Training will be given.
• To make differential diagnoses using decision-making and problem-solving skills, working under the supervision of the Advanced Nurse Practitioner and GPs.
• To order necessary investigations and provide treatment and careboth individually and as part of the primary care team and through referral toother agencies.
• To screen patients for disease risk factors and early signs ofillness
• To develop with the patient an on-going nursing care plan forhealth
• To work collaboratively with other health care professionals and disciplines
• To actively pursue policies that will promote healthy lifestyles for patients: promote health education and participate in relevant sessions within the practice.
• To continuously improve personal specialised skills through audit,research, review and fulfilling training needs.

Billingshurst Surgery is based in a semi-rural West Sussex commuter village and is well respected locally. We are a busy, high achieving dispensing practice with nearly 14,000 patients and offer an organised and supportive work environment.

We are a friendly organisation committed to providing an open, friendly and supportive environment where all staff are encouraged to share ideas and contribute to continuosly improving the service we offer.

Key Activities and accountabilities

• To offer care complementary to that offered by the GPs and other Practitioners in the Practice
• Visits following discussion of each case with a GP, to undertake visits to patients in their own homes and to nursing homes if required during urgent / acute episodes of care.
• Triage (after training):
  Telephone triage of patients requesting same day appointments, prioritising the needs of patients and referring on to the Advanced Nurse Practitioner and GPs as necessary.
• To monitor and evaluate standards of care through appropriate audit, taking appropriate remedial action if standards are not achieved
• To be accountable for care given within Practice policies, protocols, and procedures
• To maintain accurate and comprehensive records with specific regards to confidentiality
• To advise and support other members of the team whilst working as a flexible and conscientious team member
• Perform specialist health checks and reviews within their scope of practice and in line with local and national guidance
• Perform and interpret ECGs
• Perform investigatory procedures as required and undertake the collection of pathological specimens including intravenous blood samples, swabs and other samples within their scope of practice and within line of local and national guidance
• Support the delivery of anticipatory care plans and lead certain services (e.g., monitoring blood pressure and diabetes risk of elderly patients)
• Communicate effectively with patients and, where appropriate, family members and their carers, where applicable, complex and sensitive information regarding their physical health needs, results, findings and treatment choices
• To attend appropriate clinical update training and general and specific paramedic skills and training in order to maintain knowledge and skills
• To be aware of national and local targets; initiatives; in relation to own practice and to apply these in the clinical setting
• To recognise professional boundaries and ensure these are maintained
• Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development.
• Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities
• To maintain a professional profile.

Confidentiality:

In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust practice staff with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to…