Emergency Care Practitioner

We are seeking an Emergency Care Practitioner to join our Urgent Treatment Centre in Ashford, Surrey. The successful candidate will work as an independent, autonomous practitioner providing high-quality, evidence-based, patient-centred care.

The Urgent Treatment Centre provides access to urgent care, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. You will utilise expert diagnostic and clinical skills to provide unscheduled medical care and management of a diverse range of patients with undifferentiated and undiagnosed minor illnesses and injuries.

Responsibilities:

• Work as an autonomous practitioner, providing completed episodes of care to individuals
• Work within agreed guidelines and protocols where they exist and having autonomous decision-making capacity in the absence of guidelines
• Prescribe within knowledge and skills, and in accordance with national and local guidelines
• Work within scope of practice using specialist knowledge in relation to minor injuries and health problems
• Work in partnership with other health and social care providers
• Provide service users with the opportunity to contribute to the ongoing development of the service
• Undertake prioritisation of service users according to medical need
• Interventions are timely and may include emergency and surgical invasive procedures, administration of emergency therapies, and urgent medications
• Contribute to the ongoing development of clinical guidelines, reflecting best evidence-based practice
• Referrals to both primary and secondary services are made in line with agreed guidelines and with clear, contemporaneous notes
• Supply and administer medications in accordance with legislation and organisational policies
• Have a working knowledge of child protection, elder abuse, and domestic violence, and refer to services as necessary
• Support Lead Nurse in undertaking regular appraisals, exploring opportunities to develop walk-in centre staff to maximise their performance
• Managing performance of other team members reporting to Lead Nurse where appropriate
• Ensure appropriate skill mix is allocated to each shift in order that the service needs are met efficiently and effectively
• Ensuring effective communication with patients offering informed choice
• Maintaining effective communication with other team members ensuring all team members are kept involved and informed in the delivery and continued development of the service
• Caldicott Guardianship is effective, and consent and confidentiality are maintained in line with data protection and consent policies
• Quality controls are performed by all staff, and risk assessments are performed and forwarded for action where appropriate
• All team members are aware of health and safety for self and others and attend mandatory training
• Demonstrate awareness of own professional development and training needs in accordance with service needs
• Promote and support the development and provision of work-based learning to paramedic/nursing students, health care assistants, apprentices, and other care providers
• Maintain learning environment to support training for this group
• Act as a supervisor for post-registration nurses whose clinical placements are within the Walk-in Centre
• Continued professional development through reflective practice is integral to practice; clinical supervision is regularly undertaken
• Comply with organisation medicines policy and non-medical prescribing guidance, as well as other relevant organisational policies and procedures
• Ensure service is efficient by monitoring and exploring opportunities for savings
• Undertake clinical audit to review practice and service, reporting results of audits
• Explore opportunities in line with National Health plans to support effective health care for service users

Person Specification:

• Qualifications:

+ Registered Nurse Level 1 or HCPC registered paramedic + Post-registration diploma or equivalent in advanced assessment skills for non-medical practitioners + Post-registration diploma or equivalent in managing minor injury for advanced practice + Post-registration diploma or equivalent in managing minor illness/health problems for advanced practice + ILS or willingness to undertake + Evidence of continuing professional development

• Experience:

+ Minimum 4 years post-registration experience in ED or UTC/walk-in centre + Proven track record in relation to research-based practice + Experience with audit + Experience of managing within a healthcare setting + Experience of staff management + Evidence of professional development

• Skills:

+ Organisational skills + Excellent communication and interpersonal skills + Broad range of excellent clinical skills + Ability to lead and manage a team + Ability to organise the workload, able to delegate and prioritise + Good knowledge of health and safety and risk management + Computer literate + Effective written and verbal skills