West Calder Medical Practice - Job Description

Job Title:Lead Practice Nurse

Place of Employment:West Calder Medical Centre

Accountable to: Practice Manager and Partner with supervisory role for practice nurses for clinical matters.

Hours per week:37

  1. Job Purpose

As a member of the practice team you will lead a range of nursing services for patients registered with West Calder Medical Practice. This will require you to work with others in managing patient care, and also to work independently without immediate supervision.

  1. Dimensions

To provide a service to 9,200 patients registered with West Calder Medical Practice, and others who may be in need of temporary or emergency services.

  1. Organisation Chart

7 x GP Partners

Practice Management Team

1 x Treatment Room/Practice Nurse7 x Receptionists 3 x Secretaries

1 x Healthcare Assistant1 x Admin Assistant 2 x Data Administrators

2 x Phlebotomists

  1. Role of the Department

You will work as a key member of a large multidisciplinary primary care team to provide primary health care services for patients, and in conjunction with others, review provision in the light of changing needs and service development.

  1. Key Results Areas
  • To lead and develop the nursing team to provide the highest possible level of service to the population of the practice.
  • To provide routine nursing care within a community setting. This will include wound care and provision of dressings.
  • To lead the chronic disease management programmes (asthma, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and mental health) based on guidelines of evidence based practice, by providing special clinics and services, health and lifestyle advice and audit of patient activity.
  • To provide the majority of family planning and well woman services. This will include, family planning and long acting contraception advice, contraceptive pill reviews, contraceptive injections, cervical screening, reviews of hormone replacement therapy and assistance with fitting of long acting reversible contraception.
  • To give immunisations when necessary, as part of either general or special immunisation programmes. This will include the provision of a travel health advice service, including the provision of immunisations as appropriate.
  • To provide a direct access service to patients requiring to consult on a range of problems. An assessment and treatment plan will be prepared, with consultation on, or referral to a GP or other member of the team as appropriate.
  • To act as a promoter of a healthier lifestyle, either alone or in conjunction with others, by opportunist and specific services, aimed at assessing risk and providing appropriate advice.
  • To take part in clinical audit and research in relation to patient care and nursing practice and to contribute to the development and review of practice protocols.
  1. Assignment and Review of Work

Work is mostly generated by patients and referrals from medical and other staff.

Monthly meetings are held with the Practice Manager and weekly meetings are held with the practice nursing team to discuss ongoing issues.

Regular contact with other nurses in the primary care team is established via the ‘Time to Learn’ sessions’ and Team Meetings.

Regular contact is established with a clinical nurse mentor to ensure personal development is addressed.

Regular contact is established with other West Lothian Practice Nurses via the WL wide Practice Nurse meetings.

On an annual basis the Practice Manager and GP with clinical responsibility for nursing staff will individually appraise the Nursing Team performance in line with their personal development plan.

  1. Communication and Working Relationships

The Nursing Team will have regular contact with the Practice Manager for day to day issues.

Clinical contact will be maintained with GPs, community nurses, other surgery staff and external agencies.

Internal Contacts will be with:

  • Other nursing staff.
  • Office staff within West Calder Medical Practice.
  • West Calder Medical Practice GP’s and Nursing staff.

External Contacts will be with:

  • Patients registered with West Calder Medical practice.
  • West LothianCHCP.
  • West Lothian Council and other relevant local organisations.
  1. Most Challenging Part of the Job

To work as an independent practitioner leading the nursing team to provide evidence based nursing care appropriate to the needs of the population registered with West Calder Medical Practice.

  1. Experience and Qualification

RGN registered (or equivalent).

Family Planning/Sexual Health Certificate.

Asthma qualification.

COPD qualification.

Diabetic qualification.

A minimum of 3 years experience as a practice nurse.

  1. Job Description Agreement

Job Holder’s Signature:

Date:

Practice Manager’s Signature:

Date: