Job Summary:
The GPA’s main responsibility is to triage using our online service (Anima), which includes both urgent and routine requests; with the purpose of ensuring all appointments are booked to high standard and within appropriate time frames. This also includes booking patients with the most suitable health care professional and utilising signposting options and available services within the community. The GPA will need to follow the triaging policy (located in Teamnet), when triaging all online requests and completing administrative duties.
They also will perform clinical duties, such as; Phlebotomy, ECG’s and further clinical duties required to achieve the practice and teams goal. They will only perform clinical duties that they have received adequate training for and is within their scope.
ROLE SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:
The following are the core responsibilities of the GPA:
The purpose of Triage is to ensure that there are clear guidance and consistent decisions made for our patients. Triage protocols are predominantly symptom based, which allows the GPA to make a decision based on the presenting symptom, as well as taking into account the patient’s past medical history. It is imperative for the GPA team to be reassured that they are following an established process and providing the best possible outcome for each patient; by maintaining consistency regardless of the GPA that is dealing with each triage request.
It is important for the GPA to be able to complete a risk assessment to ensure that all requests are prioritised. This is to solidify that each request received throughout the day has been filtered into needing an urgent or routine appointment, or action. Alternatively, the patient may need to be signposted to an urgent treatment centre or their local A&E for medical issues that cannot be dealt with, within a primary care setting.
Part of your role as a GPA involves multiple different methods of communication with our patients. These include; telephone, text, in person and by letter. Therefore it is crucial to have a professional telephone manner, as well as good literacy and IT skills.
It is incredibly important for each GPA to document in the patient’s medical records if they have had to signpost a patient; this includes internal or external signposting. For the purpose of audit trails, safeguarding, as well as staff and patient safety, ensuring that all advice and decisions that are made for a patient are documented. Example for this would be; a patient advised in person, via text message or over the telephone to attend, A&E, pharmacy first or redirected to another department within the practice.
On a daily basis you will be responsible for booking appointments that have come via our internal system ie: follow up with GP or blood test. The main systems that the GPA will be using are Emis, Anima, Iplato
As a GPA you will also have to assist with reallocation of appointments (due to staff sickness or unforeseen circumstances). This means you will need to be able to assess the appointments booked and rebook them within a clinically appropriate time frame. This is important as it is imperative that patients who require an appointment within a short time frame, are still seen.
CLINICAL ASPECT
It is an important for the GPA to stay up to date and proactive with their clinical knowledge and skills. Upon completion of their care certificate and additional clinical courses for this. The GPA will be allocated time each week to perform the clinical duties they are qualified to perform.
Confidentiality:
In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately
- In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential
- Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data
- Operate and ensure compliance of a whole team clear desk policy.
- Ensure that all operation team members are familiar with finding and relaying test results to patients, as determined by clinicians.
The successful applicant will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues to include
Acting in a way that recognises the importance of people’s rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation
Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues
Behaving in a manner that is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: From £12.71 per hour
Benefits:
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
