About us

Solihull Healthcare Partnership is a partnership providing NHS GP services to over 55,000 patients through one individual GP practice operating from seven surgeries across Solihull / Shirley.

Our vision is to forge a strong relationship between our multidisciplinary team within our healthcare centres and the wider community. With a small centralised management team that support our GP practices and provide HR, IT, finance, governance, operations and communications services; our GP practice teams can concentrate their energies on providing excellent/outstanding care to our patients. Find out more about us, here.

Many of our staff work flexibly in many different ways, including part-time. Please talk to us at interview about the flexibility you need. We can't promise to give you exactly what you want, but we do promise not to judge you for asking.

Role

The Care Navigator will be the second point of contact for patients ringing the surgery. The role will be to optimise the patient’s journey and be an ambassador for the practice. The purpose of the post holder is to take every opportunity to ensure that the patient’s presenting issue is managed appropriately and that the patients are up to date with their routine appointments. This will be a telephone triage role as well as dealing with walk in attendees who present at the surgery reception.

Responsibilities:

• Provide clear concise information to patients and understand the importance of discretion and confidentiality.
• Good communication skills and a calm manner. Be able to put patients rapidly at their ease and give them the space and time to explain their needs.
• After appropriate training employ a variety of questioning techniques in order to develop a full picture of the nature of the patient’s problem.
• Identify potentially serious problems and bring those to the immediate attentions of the correct clinician; i.e. on call GP; triage Nurse Practitioner.
• For less serious problems negotiate with the patient and identify an appropriate timeframe for them to be seen, and the appropriate professional to see them.
• Build strong relationships with all direct team members, clinicians and recognise healthcare professionals in the practice as a scarce resource to be used appropriately.
• Develop and maintain an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the services provided in the practice and in the wider health community; be able to use this knowledge to guide the patient to the service, which is most likely to meet their needs, whether inside or outside the practice.
• Be able to distinguish real priorities from cases of unnecessary panic, be able to reassure and manage these situations. Demonstrate assertiveness without being domineering and have ability to gain the confidence of the caller (project confidence and sensitivity).
• Support the Practice in developing approved business changes that include process improvements and assist in embedding these into daily operations/contribute to increasing clinical effectiveness.
• Assist in the timely production of relevant information for patients; clinicians and 3^rd Party services.
• Development, mentoring and performance management of the practice team within their area.
• Engage in regular supervision relationship with GP’s and Advanced Nurse Practitioners to get direction and support for the role.
• Evidence of a clear understanding of patients presenting issues by identifying potentially serious problems and bring those to the immediate attention of the appropriate clinician – using the Practice Triage protocol and clinical software EMIS WEB.
• Evidence for less serious problems negotiate with the patient and identify an appropriate timeframe for them to be seen, and the appropriate professional to see them.
• Evidence managing patient’s routine appointment requirements when patients initiate contact with the practice.
• Timely management of telephone conversations with patients whilst obtaining both the patients and practice’s desired outcome from the call.
• Demonstrate understanding of the role’s limitations and work within them. Evidence that guidance has been sought from colleagues when appropriate.
• Meet the required standard with regards to clear and concise notes of encounters and have these documented in EMIS WEB clinical software tool.
• Resolution of patient presenting issues and pro-active management and escalation of any risks.
• Evidence of effective performance management through teamwork, collaboration; successful application of tools and techniques.
• Understand the Practice Business strategy agreed and accepted by the Practice Partners and Management.
• Provide Feedback to Management, GP Partners, Practice teams & Peers.

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To apply for this vacancy, please send your CV and covering letter to shp.hr@nhs.net

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in Solihull Healthcare Partnership; we look forward to hearing from you soon!