PCN Paramedic

Job summary
Sutton Primary Care Networks (PCNs) is looking to employ a Paramedic under the additional roles reimbursement scheme (ARRS) to work within our local Acute Home Visiting Service (AHVS), the role will provide continuity of care for housebound patients within Sutton. They will be accountable to the Primary Care Networks and the referring GP practices, working across PCNs to support the multi disciplinary teams and relevant services required. These individuals may also work across more than one PCN in some cases where flexibility allows and for the purposes of cross cover and to ensure general practice resilience in Sutton. You'll be joining a great team in a great place, where your commitment will be genuinely valued, your skills respected, and your ambition rewarded.

Main duties of the job

• To assess, plan, and deliver care in line with the patient's individual needs. This may include providing timely clinical interventions and resuscitation to prevent deterioration.
• To work within the community as an autonomous and accountable Paramedic Practitioner, in the provision of a holistic approach for individuals including assessment, diagnosis and treatment, to deliver quality patient services.
• Undertake home visits on behalf of the GP practice or PCN as directed and in accordance with relevant clinical guidelines. To work closely with the team of doctors and allied health care professionals to help manage their patients suffering acute/chronic diseases.
• Be prepared to assess, diagnose, treat, refer, signpost or educate patients who attend surgery with an undifferentiated or undiagnosed condition relating to minor illness or injury.
• Use advanced clinical skills to provide education to service users, promoting self-care and empower them to make informed choices about their treatment.
• Be involved in reducing unnecessary conveyance and hospital admissions, and engage effectively with patients, carers, families and other health and social care agencies when managing often complex situations.
• The post holder should have their own vehicle available for home visits with expenses remunerated in line with contractual terms.

About us
Sutton PCNs is forward-looking, friendly and focused on providing a wide range of excellent healthcare services to patients in Sutton and the surrounding area. Not only are we more resilient and efficient but we are able to invest in continuous quality improvement, enhanced care, new services and training and developing our workforce. We value the diversity of our colleagues and actively champion an inclusive culture and are committed to helping our colleagues achieve a work/life balance.

Sutton Primary Care Networks CIC is the collaborative vehicle for the four Sutton PCNs and the former Sutton GP Federation working together as a single entity. We are a Community Interest Company that aims to reinvest surpluses back into general practice and primary care for the benefit of our practices and the people who form the communities we serve.

Sutton has four PCNs whose boundaries are based on historical relationships and groupings of organisations. There are some similarities of residents health and care needs unique to a particular PCN, and many more needs that are shared across all 4 PCNs.

Job responsibilities
Clinical Responsibilities

• Assess and treat patients within their home setting to undertake comprehensive assessment, diagnosis, care planning, treatment and evaluation for patients presenting with acute or chronic conditions.
• Clinically examine and assess patient needs from a physiological and psychological perspective, interpret test results and plan clinical care accordingly.
• To always practice within professional competencies and escalate to the referring or duty clinician for guidance where clinical presentations exceed individual experience or scope of practice.
• Make any necessary referrals in collaboration with the referring or duty clinician to other members of the primary health care team, community or hospital teams or social care team as appropriate.
• Where appropriate, discuss with the referring or duty clinician doctor the needs of patients presenting with complex health needs or conditions requiring specific treatment, hospital admission or referral.
• Follow-up patients in the short term and post discharge / 999 call to ensure continuity of care and assist with reducing unnecessary hospital admission or re-admission.
• Ensure clinical practice is safe and effective and remains within the boundaries of competence, and to acknowledge limitations.
• Advise patients on general health care and minor ailments, with referral to other members of the primary and secondary health care team as necessary.
• Support patients to adopt health promotion strategies that promote healthy lifestyles and apply principles of self-care where appropriate.
• Work as an autonomous practitioner in accordance with the Health and Care Professions Council Standards and Proficiency, Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and ensure that personal and professional clinical standards and development are maintained.
• If able to prescribe/issue medications as appropriate following national policies, patient group directives and local pathways and in accordance with own competence.
• Formally and informally impart knowledge and skills to colleagues promoting peer review and best practice within the work environment, ensuring the delivery of a safe and effective service.
• Undertake the collection of pathological specimens including intravenous blood samples, swabs etc. Perform investigatory procedures requested by the GPs, only accepting to carry out procedures that you are appropriately trained to complete.

Other Responsibilities

• Maintain accurate, contemporaneous healthcare records appropriate to the consultation.
• Assist with the development of local policies and procedures and participate in audit.
• Participate in PCN MDT where appropriate.
• Explore the potential for collaborative working and take opportunities to initiate and sustain such relationships.
• Liaise with other stakeholders as needed for the collective benefit of patients, including but not limited to:

Person Specification
Experience
Essential

• Minimum 2 yrs post qualification experience
• Demonstrable experience working in, or a good understanding of, urgent care and primary care environments, including the operational and clinical demands of these settings.
• Comprehensive patient examination skills of body systems
• Knowledge of common acute and chronic conditions that are likely to be seen in primary care
• Collaborative working and of building relationships across a variety of organisations
• Facilitating change to improve clinical practice
• Undertaking policy review and clinical audit
• Good knowledge of Emis / Clinical system
• Understanding of clinical governance and quality issues

Desirable

• Experience working within primary care
• Independent prescribing (V300)

Qualifications
Essential

• BSc Paramedic Science or other relevant and equivalent qualification or training pathway
• Online learning module induction into primary care (FCP stage 1 and 2)
• Completed level 7 clinical practice accreditation or willing to complete on appointment.
• Current unrestricted registration with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC)

Desirable

• MSc degree
• Prescribing qualification

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.
Applicants must have current UK professional registration.