Assistant Practitioner -Acute Medical Unit
At NNUH it is our privilege to provide healthcare to over one million people across Norfolk and surrounding areas. Our vision is to ‘provide the best care for every patient’, and if this inspires you and you share our values, we really want you to join our team.
NNUH is currently the busiest Trauma Unit in the East of England caring for almost 850 trauma patients annually many with complex care needs. We are enhancing our urgent and emergency care specialist services for patients with significant injuries as a result of trauma and have an ambition to become a Major Trauma Centre.
Our values support our vision and guide the behaviour of everything we do, these are:
People-focused
We look after the needs of our patients, carers and colleagues, to provide a safe and caring experience for all.
Respect
We act with care, compassion and kindness and value others’ diverse needs.
Integrity
We take an honest, open and ethical approach to everything we do.
Dedication
We work as one team and support each other to maintain the highest professional standards.
Excellence
We continuously learn and improve to achieve the best outcomes for our patients and our hospital.
Wish you were here? So do we.
We want all our staff to achieve a balance between work and personal life and understand how important flexible working can be. We welcome applications on a full or part time basis, various shift patterns and hybrid working, where roles allow.
At the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NNUH), we know the benefits diversity can bring to our organisation such as creativity, innovation and compassion. All of which have a direct impact towards our staff and patient experience.We are committed to being a Hospital for All – being equitable and inclusive, and a place where all feel a sense of belonging. We therefore particularly encourage and welcome applications from candidates who are underrepresented in NNUH’s workforce.
These include people from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, people with diverse abilities and people within the LGBT+ community.
Job overview
Hello. My name is Natalie, and I am the Matron of the Acute Medical Unit here at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. I wanted to personally introduce myself and explain to you why you should choose to come and join my team.
The Acute Medical Unit at NNUH is set across three wards currently with a combined bed base of 84 beds plus 9 trolleys. Much like other AMU’s we receive patients directly from GP’s and the Emergency Department and we ensure all emergency admission patients receive seamless, high-quality care at the point of admission.We see around 20,000 emergency admissions each year.
Where we differ from other acute units is that NNUH has spent a lot of time in the development of Emergency Care which has led to the expansion of the services offered by the Acute Medical Unit. This includes Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC), Priority Assessment Unit (PAU) acute medical short stay beds, and advanced care for critically ill patients.
So why join my team?I’m a realist, acute medicine is busy. The days are long, and the work is challenging. As a team we recognise this and make sure that all members of the team are fully supported, and we look after you. I am really lucky to have three amazing ward sisters, and we are supported by our own clinical educator.
All our doors are open, and we encourage our team to come speak to us.
Main duties of the job
The Assistant Practitioner will function as part of the Multidisciplinary Team within the Ambulatory Care Unit and the Acute Medical Unit, to provide a seamless service to patients under the remote supervision of a Registered Nurse/Practitioner.They will also have the opportunity to work with the Unit Coordinator in driving patient flow in and out of the units from GP/Emergency Department to the Wards or discharge home.
The post holder will continue to develop and undertake a range of delegated tasks and delegated authority and will report to a Registered Practitioner. The Assistant Practitioner will provide a high standard of general/specific care for an identified client group and will be proficient and competent to work across professional disciplines.
The post holder will be able to deliver elements of health and social care and undertake clinical work in domains that have previously only been within the remit of registered professionals. He or she would also have the underpinning knowledge and assessed level of competence to undertake such as role – locally assessed following academic instruction.It is anticipated that this role will continue to develop through the acquisition of further skills, knowledge and competencies to be determined within the clinical teams, with focus on clients need.
Working for our organisation
Join us at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and be part of a workforce of over 10,000 staff!
The NNUH is one of the largest NHS trusts in the UK, providing first-class acute care for around one million people, living in Norfolk and surrounding areas. We are a teaching and research hospital, at the forefront of innovation, home to state-of-the-art facilities, such as the Quadram Institute.We are pleased to work closely with the University of East Anglia, providing teaching opportunities for our staff and placement opportunities for their students. We attract some of the best and leading professionals from across the country and are proud that our workforce represents 94 countries from across the world.
We are a friendly, collaborative hospital, working with local services and home to N&N Hospitals Charity
We can offer you the full range of NHS benefits/discounts and in addition:
- Flexible working hours
- Fast Track Staff Physiotherapy Service
- Multi Faith prayer room
- Discounted gym memberships
- Excellent pension scheme and annual leave entitlement
- Wagestream - access up to 40% of your pay as you earn it
- Free Park & Ride service direct to NNUH site
- Free 24-hours confidential counselling support
- On-site Nursery
- On-site cafes offering staff discounts
- Support in career development
- Flexible staff bank
- Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars, Cycle to Work scheme and home electronics
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
We get to see a huge variety of patients in AMU, and it gives Assistant Practitioners the chance to enjoy a working environment where you are exposed to lots of different patients and no two days are the same. NNUH is keen on career progression; we encourage every single member of our teams to achieve their potential.
To support the delivery of a high quality, safe and compassionate healthcare service, all staff are expected to act as a role model to others in all aspects of their work and consistently demonstrate NNUH’s ‘PRIDE’ values of People focused, Respect, Integrity, Dedication and Excellence and demonstrate behaviours that support and encourage an inclusive culture.
- Deliver clinical and therapeutic care to patients as required within set protocols and within the scope of the Assistant Practitioner remit.
- Perform patient assessment under remote supervision and after appropriate delegation from the Registered Practitioner
- Plan and deliver high standards of individualised personal care in accordance with Essence of Care benchmarks and Trust policies
- To communicate effectively at all times within the team, with other health care professionals and with the patient, family, carers and all visitors
- Accurately and responsibly carry out the instructions of the registered members of the multidisciplinary team who are professionally accountable for the delivery of care.
- Under the delegation of the Registered Practitioner to undertake clinical skills as generally agreed to be appropriate for the role and for which competency has been assessed e.g. wound care, second checking of approved medications, removal of wound sutures.
- Coordinate and undertake the safe admission, transfer and discharge of patients as delegated by the Registered Practitioner. Assist in effective and timely discharge planning.
- Assist patients in maintaining their personal hygiene, grooming and dressing needs with specific concern for their religious, cultural and personal preference ensuring dignity and privacy at all times.
- Communicate effectively within the multidisciplinary team and other departments to ensure that patient care is well planned and co-ordinated.
- Welcome patients, visitors and relatives to the clinical area, providing assistance, support and information where required, being aware of barriers to effective communication.
- Assist in the management of patient case load as required and as directed by the Registered Practitioner
Please see the attached job description for full details.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria- Foundation degree in Health Studies (Science) or academic equivalent; e.g. Diploma in Higher Education
- Apprenticeship in Health and Social Care or Health (which includes NVQ level 3)
Experience
Essential criteria- Significant experience of working within a healthcare environment
Skills
Essential criteria- Understanding of the role and requirements of the Assistant Practitioner role within AMU
- Highly motivated and able to use initiative
Attitude, aptitude
Essential criteria- Ability to relate well with patients/clients/relatives/visitors and colleagues within the multi-disciplinary team
- Flexible and adaptable to changing needs of the service
- Effective role model, demonstrating NNUH’s PRIDE values of People focussed, Respect, Integrity, Dedication and Excellence
The Job Description, which includes a Person Specification, provides a full outline of responsibilities and requirements for this role. Please use your supporting statement to demonstrate how you meet the person specification.
Visa and Immigration
If you are wishing to apply for this role and would require sponsorship (this includes if you are already in a sponsored post and looking to change employer), you can determine the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship for this post by assessing your circumstances against criteria specified on the gov.uk website https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/your-job.
Travelling to work
Staff parking is available onsite; however, this is limited during core working hours. We have more capacity in the evening and at weekends and can usually provide spaces during those hours.
We look to allocate these spaces fairly. Our Travel Office have a set of criteria that staff must meet in order to qualify. If you qualify for a space, you may be placed on a waiting list if we are at full capacity.
The NNUH is served by a number of public buses, and we offer generously discounted monthly passes with First Bus & Konect.
The Costessey Park and Ride runs regularly each day from 06:30 (from P&R) to 20:45 (from NNUH) and this service is free for NHS staff. There is a regular Thickthorn P&R service as well which is free. Applications to the Travel Office are required for this service.We also have a discounted service from the airport P&R if you purchase a bundle. Please see Konect website for further details.
The NNUH host multiple bicycle racks and a salary sacrifice scheme. We also benefit from a Beryl station onsite.
If you work at another Trust site, please discuss travel and parking arrangements at interview.
DBS
If this post involves working with children or adults the application form will ask for information regarding previous convictions as you will be required to undertake a Criminal Record and Barring Check known as a DBS check.
If you are a new employee or registering with the Staff Bank you will need to meet the cost of this unless your salary is less than point 9 of Afc
NHS Service
Should you be appointed to the post we will need to establish any previous NHS service via the ESR IAT and we will accept the submission of your application as your agreement to this.
UK Registration
You will need to have current UK professional registration where this is a requirement of the role.
Application
Following candidate feedback and to reduce our dependency on paper, all our communication with you regarding your application will be by email so could you please check your e-mails (and Spam) regularly.
We value equality in our team and recruit from all sections of the community. We recognise there is a wealth of talent among people who have a disability and if you meet the minimum criteria detailed in the person specification and have a disability, you may wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme by indicating this in the relevant section on your application.
We look forward to receiving your application and if you do not hear within the next four weeks this will usually mean that you have not been short-listed. However, if you wish to confirm this please contact the person indicated on the advert.
Flexibility
Whilst every effort will be made to recruit to the post as it is advertised, there may be occasions where we consider alternative working patterns, such as part time working, or contract types, such as secondments, depending on circumstances.Should you wish to work in a different working pattern to that stated in our advertisement, please indicate this in the supporting statement to your application.
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