Stanmore Medical Group is a progressive, dynamic, technologically driven, expanding and modern training practice.
We seek a Care Navigator Lead to join our friendly and loyal complement of staff, consisting of 13 Partners, 20 Salaried GPs, 2 Advanced Nurse Practitioners, 5 Emergency Care Practitioners, 20 Nurses and 6 HCAs along with an experienced and supportive managerial and administrative team.
We are based over several sites within Stevenage, Hertfordshire and are committed to delivering a high-quality service to our 51,000 patients. We are the lead practice within the Stevenage North Primary Care Network.
We offer excellent career opportunities for the right candidate to join our hardworking team.
The Care Navigator Lead will support the Reception Manager with the day-to-day supervision of the Care Navigation Team whilst continuing to undertake Care Navigator duties. The successful applicant will lead by example, ensuring high standards of patient care, customer service and operational efficiency across all Practice sites.
The post holder will be responsible for supporting the management, development and training of the Care Navigation Team, ensuring effective rota cover, maintaining excellent patient access and promoting continuous service improvement whilst providing frontline reception and patient navigation services.
Hours of work are Monday to Friday. Exact hours and salary to be discussed at interview.
Key Responsibilities
- Support for New Starters
- Work closely with the Line Manager and Supervisor to support the training of all new Care Navigator staff to the agreed standards.
- Assist with individual training schedules, monitor progress and sign off relevant learning modules where authorised.
- Team Coordination
- Support the day-to-day coordination of the Care Navigator Team.
- Manage Care Navigator annual leave requests, arrange sufficient cover and ensure that approved leave is accurately recorded on BrightHR.
- Support the maintenance of appropriate staffing levels and escalate any staffing concerns that cannot be resolved.
Workload Management
- Support the allocation and prioritisation of work within the Care Navigator Team.
- Monitor visit requests, patient queries and relevant administrative tasks across the appropriate systems to support the smooth running of the service.
- Escalate any delays, backlogs or operational concerns to the appropriate manager or supervisor.
- Customer Service and Leadership Support
- Provide day-to-day guidance and support to Care Navigator staff.
- Assist with more complex patient queries where appropriate and escalate matters that cannot be resolved.
- Promote a courteous, efficient, professional and patient-focused service.
- Support the Line Manager or Supervisor with operational responsibilities when required and within the scope of the role.
Performance and Process Improvement
- Contribute to the review and evaluation of Care Navigator procedures and working practices.
- Attend relevant operational or performance meetings when required.
- Identify potential training needs and raise these with the Line Manager or Supervisor
- Make suggestions to improve team efficiency, service quality and working practices.
- Training Oversight
- Support the delivery of Care Navigator training programmes.
- Monitor staff progress and provide appropriate guidance and feedback.
- Assist with individual training schedules and sign off learning modules where authorised.
Team Support and Conduct
- Support the wellbeing of the Care Navigator Team.
- Where problems or concerns arise that cannot be resolved, ensure that these are brought to the attention of the Line Manager, Supervisor, or Deputy Practice Manager.
- Provide appropriate support during informal staff discussions where requested.
- Where required, participate in formal processes in a support or witness capacity, in accordance with Practice policies and management direction.
- Task Delegation
- Delegate appropriate duties within the Care Navigator Team as and when required.
- Ensure that delegated duties are clearly communicated and completed within the agreed timescales.
Professional Development
- Be willing to attend internal or external training courses recommended by the Line Manager, Supervisor or Practice Manager.
- Take responsibility for maintaining and developing the knowledge and skills required for the role.
General Responsibilities
- Adhere to Practice policies, standard operating procedures, protocols and guidance.
- Maintain confidentiality and comply with GDPR and data protection requirements.
- Provide a high-quality service to patients, carers, colleagues and other visitors.
- Work flexibly across Practice sites where required.
- Maintain team and patient areas in a clean, organised and safe condition.
- Please note that this list of duties is not exhaustive and may be subject to change where necessary to meet the needs of the Practice.
Confidentiality
In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust the Practice with, or allow the Practice to gather, sensitive information relating 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 postholder 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, must be regarded as strictly confidential.
Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the Practice may only be disclosed to authorised persons in accordance with Practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.
Health and Safety
The postholder will implement and support the promotion and management of their own and others’ health, safety and security, as defined within the Practice’s health and safety policy, health and safety manual, infection prevention and control policy and published procedures.
This will include, but will not be limited to:
- Ensuring that staff adhere to their individual responsibilities for infection prevention and control and health and safety.
- Supporting systems of observation, audit, checking, hazard identification, questioning, reporting and risk management.
- Maintaining up-to-date knowledge of statutory and best-practice guidance relating to health and safety and infection prevention and control.
- Using workplace security systems in accordance with Practice guidelines.
- Identifying risks associated with work activities and undertaking those activities in a manner that appropriately manages those risks.
- Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills and supporting the training of others.
- Following appropriate infection prevention and control procedures.
- Maintaining work areas in a tidy, safe and hazard-free condition.
- Initiating or escalating remedial or corrective action where required.
- Identifying issues, hazards or risks within own, team and patient areas.
- Supporting the maintenance of appropriate standards of cleanliness across the Practice.
- Managing team areas and maintaining appropriate workspace standards.
Equality and Diversity
The postholder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues by:
- Acting in a way that recognises the importance of people’s rights and is consistent with Practice procedures, policies and current legislation.
- Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues.
- Behaving in a welcoming, inclusive and non-judgmental manner.
- Respecting people’s individual circumstances, feelings, priorities and rights.
Personal and Professional Development and Quality
The postholder will participate in any training programme implemented by the Practice as part of their employment.
This will include:
- Taking responsibility for maintaining a record of personal and professional development.
- Taking responsibility for their own development, learning and performance.
- Demonstrating skills and activities to colleagues undertaking similar work.
- Alerting relevant team members or managers to issues relating to quality and risk.
- Assessing their own performance and taking accountability for their actions.
- Contributing to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on individual and team activities.
- Making suggestions to improve and enhance team performance.
- Effectively managing their own time, workload and resources.
Communication
The postholder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:
- Communicate effectively with the Line Manager, Supervisor and team members.
- Communicate effectively with patients and carers.
- Recognise people’s needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.
- Communicate delegated duties clearly.
- Escalate operational, staffing, patient safety or team concerns appropriately.
- Maintain professional and respectful communication at all times.
Contribution to the Implementation of Services
The postholder will:
- Apply Practice policies, standards and guidance.
- Support the implementation of agreed procedures and working practices.
Benefits
- Company events
- Company pension
- Health and wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
- Sick pay
Education
GCSE or equivalent required.
Experience
- Customer service experience: one year required.
- Team Leader: experience: one year preferred.
- Previous GP Practice, NHS, healthcare, reception or Care Navigator experience desirable.
- Experience supporting or training colleagues desirable.
- Experience using SystmOne or another clinical system desirable.
Work Location
- In person, across Stanmore Medical Group sites.
Benefits:
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Experience:
- Team management: 1 year (preferred)
- Customer service: 1 year (required)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
