Job summary
Cheadle Medical Practice and Alvanley Family Practice are looking for a motivated, caring and clinically curious Practice Nurse to join our friendly and supportive nursing team.

This role would suit either an experienced Practice Nurse or a registered nurse who is newly qualified or newer to general practice and keen to develop into the role. We are looking for someone who is committed to high-quality, patient-centred care and who is willing to build competence across the full range of practice nurse work, including long-term condition management, screening, immunisations, health promotion and routine treatment room duties.

The post will primarily be based at Cheadle Medical Practice, although the successful candidate must be willing and able to work across both Cheadle and Alvanley Family Practice when required to meet patient and service needs.

We are particularly keen to hear from candidates who are interested in the breadth of general practice nursing. The successful candidate will either already be competent, or be willing to work towards competence, in the management of nurse-appropriate long-term conditions such as diabetes, asthma, COPD, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. We are not looking for someone who wishes to focus only on one long-term condition area.

Independent prescribing would be desirable but is not essential.

Main duties of the job
The Practice Nurse will work as part of the wider multidisciplinary team to deliver safe, effective and evidence-based nursing care to the practice population.

Duties will include, depending on experience, training and competence:

• Long-term condition reviews and monitoring, including diabetes, asthma, COPD, hypertension and cardiovascular disease
• Supporting patients with multiple long-term conditions and promoting self-management
• Cervical screening, where appropriately trained and competent
• Childhood and adult immunisations and vaccinations
• Wound care and routine treatment room nursing
• Venepuncture, blood pressure checks, urinalysis and other clinical procedures
• NHS Health Checks and health promotion
• Contraception and womens health support, depending on competence
• Infection prevention and control activity
• Safeguarding awareness and appropriate escalation of concerns
• Accurate and timely clinical documentation, coding and use of the clinical system
• Working with GPs, pharmacists, healthcare assistants, administrative colleagues and the wider practice team
• Supporting QOF, call and recall systems, reviews and practice targets
• Contributing to clinical governance, audit, learning and service improvement

The exact duties will be agreed according to the successful candidates skills and experience. Training and development will be supported where appropriate, but the post holder must be willing to develop into a rounded general practice nursing role.

About us
Cheadle Medical Practice and Alvanley Family Practice work together to provide high-quality, patient-centred primary care to our local communities.

We have a supportive, multidisciplinary team including GPs, nurses, healthcare assistants, pharmacists, physician associate colleagues and administrative staff. We value teamwork, flexibility, kindness and professional development.

The successful candidate will be joining a team that recognises the important role of practice nursing in long-term condition management, prevention, screening, immunisation and day-to-day access to safe clinical care.

Although the role is likely to be primarily based at Cheadle, we work across two sites and the ability to work at both Cheadle and Alvanley when required is an important part of the role.

Job responsibilities
The post holder will provide and maintain a high standard of nursing care for patients attending the practice, working in line with professional standards, national and local clinical guidance, practice policies and their own scope of competence.

Key responsibilities will include:

Clinical care

• Deliver evidence-based nursing care to patients across the practice population
• Undertake holistic assessments and provide patient-centred care
• Carry out long-term condition reviews in line with national, local and practice guidance
• Support patients with diabetes, asthma, COPD, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and other nurse-appropriate long-term conditions
• Encourage self-care, lifestyle change and shared decision-making
• Undertake routine nursing procedures, including wound care, dressings, injections, venepuncture, urinalysis and blood pressure monitoring
• Administer immunisations and vaccinations in line with current protocols and patient group directions, where applicable
• Undertake cervical screening where trained and competent
• Provide health promotion, screening and prevention advice

Long-term condition management

• Work towards, or maintain, competence across the general range of practice nurse long-term condition reviews
• Recognise when patients require GP, pharmacist or specialist input and refer appropriately
• Support QOF, recalls, reviews and chronic disease registers
• Use appropriate templates, coding and clinical documentation to support safe care and practice performance

Team working

• Work collaboratively with GPs, nurses, healthcare assistants, pharmacists, physician associate colleagues, administration teams and external services
• Communicate effectively with patients, carers and colleagues
• Support continuity, safe handover and joined-up care
• Contribute to a positive, respectful and supportive team culture

Governance, safety and quality

• Maintain accurate, contemporaneous clinical records
• Work within NMC professional standards and the post holders own scope of practice
• Follow practice policies and procedures, including infection prevention and control, safeguarding, chaperoning and confidentiality
• Participate in audit, learning events, significant event reviews and quality improvement where appropriate
• Complete mandatory training and take part in appraisal and continuing professional development

Flexibility

• Work across Cheadle Medical Practice and Alvanley Family Practice as required
• Support seasonal campaigns, including flu and other vaccination programmes
• Undertake other duties appropriate to the role and level of competence, depending on service need

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse qualification
• Current Nursing and Midwifery Council registration with a valid PIN
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Willingness to undertake further training relevant to general practice nursing

Desirable

• Cervical cytology qualification
• Immunisation and vaccination training
• Long-term condition management training
• Diabetes, asthma, COPD or cardiovascular disease training
• Independent prescribing qualification
• Contraception or womens health training
• Travel health training

Skills and Personal Qualities

Essential

• Kind, professional and patient-focused approach
• Ability to adapt yoru style of work around practice systems to ensure a consistent approach across our team
• Reliable and adaptable
• Willingness to learn and develop
• Able to recognise professional limits and ask for support appropriately
• Able to prioritise workload safely
• Able to work in a busy general practice environment
• Good attention to detail
• Commitment to high standards of care

Desirable

• Confidence in supporting service improvement
• Interest in mentoring or supporting learners in the future
• Understanding of population health, health inequalities and prevention

Experience

Essential

• Experience of delivering safe and compassionate patient care in a clinical setting
• Ability to undertake clinical assessment within scope of competence
• Ability to maintain accurate and timely clinical records
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Good organisational skills and ability to manage competing priorities
• Understanding of infection prevention and control principles
• Awareness of safeguarding responsibilities
• Competent IT skills
• Willingness to work across both Cheadle and Alvanley sites when required
• Willingness to develop broad competence across nurse-appropriate long-term condition management

Desirable

• Previous experience working in general practice or primary care
• Experience of managing long-term conditions in primary care
• Experience of diabetes, asthma, COPD, hypertension or cardiovascular reviews
• Experience of cervical screening
• Experience of administering childhood and adult immunisations
• Experience using EMIS Web or a similar clinical system
• Knowledge of QOF and recall processes
• Experience of health promotion and NHS Health Checks
• Experience of wound care and treatment room procedures
• Independent prescribing experience

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.