General Practice Assistant; GPA

A General Practice Assistant (GPA) will support GPs in the smooth running of clinics by performing the more routine administration and clinical tasks on behalf of theGP freeing up their time to focus on the patient.

Duties may include, and may not be limited to:

• Working with the PCN leadership team to design, plan and implement the PCN vision and strategy.
• Sorting all clinical post and prioritising for the GP in terms of actions. Signposting some post to others such as clinical pharmacist etc.
• Extracting all information from clinical letters that needs coding and adding to notes.
• Arranging appointments, referrals, tests and follow up appointments of patients.
• Preparing patients prior to going into see the GP, taking a brief history and basic readings in readiness for theGP appointment.
• Completing basic (non-opinion) forms and core elements of some forms for the GP to approve and sign such as insurance forms, mortgage, benefits agency forms etc.
• Filtering test results based on set protocols to minimise those requiring opinions from the clinicians.
• Assisting the clinical staff in general to alleviate workload that can safely and appropriately be delegated to the GPA.
• Explaining treatment procedures to patients.
• Helping the GP liaise with outside agencies e.g. getting an on call doctor on the phone to ask advice or arrange admission while the GP can continue with their consultation(s).
• Supporting the GP with immunisations/wound care.

Primary Care Networks (PCNs) have been created to facilitate delivery of more integrated care. They cover defined geographical areas toenable them to better respond to the needs of local populations and build relationships across wider primary care within natural neighbourhoods. Bydesign they are small enough for relationships to flourish, but large enough toprovide a broad scope of services.

Stafford Town PCN consists of 4 practices, Castlefields Surgery, Stafford Health & Wellbeing, Holmcroft Surgery and Wolverhampton Road Surgery.

A General Practice Assistant (GPA) will support GPs inthe smooth running of clinics by performing the more routine administration and clinical tasks on behalf of the GP freeing up their time to focus on the patient.

Duties:

• Working with the PCN leadership team to design, plan and implement the PCN vision and strategy.
• Sorting all clinical post and prioritising for the GP in terms of actions. Signposting some post to others such as clinical pharmacist etc.
• Extracting all information from clinical letters that needs coding and adding to notes.
• Arranging appointments, referrals, tests and follow up appointments of patients.
• Preparing patients prior to going into see the GP, taking a brief history and basic readings in readiness for theGP appointment.
• Completing basic (non-opinion) forms and core elements of some forms for the GP to approve and sign such as insurance forms, mortgage, benefits agency forms etc.
• Filtering test results based on set protocols to minimise those requiring opinions from the clinicians.
• Assisting the clinical staff in general to alleviate workload that can safely and appropriately be delegated to the GPA.
• Explaining treatment procedures to patients.
• Helping the GP liaise with outside agencies e.g. getting an on call doctor on the phone to ask advice or arrange admission while the GP can continue with their consultation(s).
• Supporting the GP with immunisations/wound care.

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.

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.

Quality:

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the Practice, and will:

• Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk.
• Work to practice protocols.
• 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.

Health & Safety:

• Using personal security systems within…