Community Frailty PractitionerNHS

Job summary

We are looking for an experienced Nurse Practitioner with a Non-Medical Prescribing qualification.

Hours: 37.5 per week

Salary dependant on experience

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our expanding Frailty Team. We are growing our service to enhance the care we provide to our local community, and were looking for a dedicated professional to become part of this forward-thinking team.

Our established Frailty Team currently includes a two Community Frailty Practitione and a Care Coordinator. A Non-Medical Prescribing qualification is essential for this role, and applicants must have successfully completed this qualification.

The PCN Frailty Team plays a key role in supporting our practices by conducting weekly ward rounds, monitoring new care home residents, and providing high-quality long-term condition management.

In addition, the team delivers a non-urgent housebound service, offering vital support for patients who are unable to attend the surgery but require ongoing management of their long-term conditions.

This is a fantastic chance to be part of a dynamic, compassionate team dedicated to improving frailty care across our community.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for an experienced & motivated clinical practitioner to join our supportive & forward-thinking team, delivering high-quality care to housebound patients & residents within care homes.

This is a rewarding & varied role where you will work autonomously within your professional boundaries, undertaking history taking, clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment, & evaluation of care for vulnerable patients.

You will play a key role in leading long-term condition management for elderly, frail, & housebound patients, helping to improve outcomes & quality of life within the community. A key part of the role will involve leading & participating in regular care home ward rounds, working proactively with care home staff & the wider multidisciplinary team to provide coordinated, person-centred care.

The successful candidate will demonstrate safe clinical decision-making, using advanced assessment & diagnostic skills within general practice. You will prioritise & triage patient needs effectively, arranging investigations, referrals, & onward care when required.

Working closely within a supportive multidisciplinary team, you will collaborate with GPs, nurses, care homes, & wider healthcare professionals to deliver holistic care.

This is an exciting opportunity to develop within a dynamic role, with strong clinical support, mentorship, & opportunities for professional growth. The workload will include home visits, care home visits, ward rounds, & telephone consultations.

Job description

Job responsibilities,

To work as part of a multi-disciplinary team across the PCN to care for our housebound and care home patients, including proactive assessment, diagnosis and treatment of individuals using a holistic approach.To undertake care home weekly ward rounds.

To assess, diagnose, investigate, treat, refer or signpost patients/service users within the community with undifferentiated or undiagnosed condition relating to minor illness, minor injury or urgent problems.

The post holder will use advanced clinical skills to provide education to service users, promoting self-care and empowering them to make informed choices about their treatment.

The post holder must have access to a vehicle for home visits with mileage expenses remunerated by submission of a monthly mileage form. (Please note it is the postholders responsibility to ensure that their car insurance is covered for business use).

• Visiting patients who are frail/have co morbidity in their homes or in a care home. Undertake care home ward rounds with the support of the PCNs Community Frailty Practitioner, Community Frailty Paramedic and Care Coordinator
• Prescribe/issue medications as appropriate following policy, patient group directives and local pathways. Independent Prescriber qualifications is essential.
• May be required to help with the Avoiding Unplanned Admission reviews
• Consult with patients, take medical histories, perform physical examinations, analyse, diagnose and explain medical problems during consultations and home visits.
• Recommend and explain appropriate diagnostic tests and treatment.
• Formulate differential diagnoses and develop and deliver appropriate treatment and management plans. Request and interpret results of laboratory investigations when necessary.
• Advanced end of life care planning to include ReSPECT discussions and development of Personalised Care and Support Plans.
• Advise patients on general health care and minor ailments, with referral to other members of the primary and secondary health care team as necessary.
• Undertake assessment for patients within their place of residence using diagnostic skills, initiation of investigations and feeding back to the patients GP where appropriate.
• To help manage/support patients with their long term condition.
• Support quality improvement and assurance initiatives within the PCN.
• Promote public health and screening programs, including immunisations and cervical screening.
• Integrate population health management approaches to reduce health inequalities.
• Work collaboratively with the wider practice team to enhance patient care.
• Work with local and national evidenced based policies and procedures.
• To communicate at all levels within the team ensuring an effective service is delivered.
• Ensure evidenced-based care is delivered at the highest standards ensuring delivery of high-quality patient care.

About us

Severnvale PCN (Primary Care Network) comprises four GP practices in South Gloucestershire delivering services to a population of circa 34,000 patients which includes 10 care homes. We are an enthusiastic, dynamic, and friendly PCN who constantly strive to improve patient pathways and health care outcomes.

The PCN team includes a Clinical Director, a PCN Manager, 2 Community Frailty Practitioner, a Care Co-ordinator, 4 Clinical Pharmacists, 7 Care Coordinator Prescription Clerks, dedicated Social Prescribing Link Workers and First Contact Physiotherapists.