General Practice Assistant GPA

NHS; Preston; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

Ash Tree House Surgery is seeking a motivated GP Assistant to join their dynamic team in Preston. This permanent role involves supporting patient care and administrative tasks, with a commitment to high-quality service delivery. Candidates should have relevant qualifications and a passion for improving patient access and care efficiency.

Qualifications

• Experience of working with the general public.
• Experience of working in a health care setting.
• Experience of working as a General Practice Assistant.

Responsibilities

• Support the smooth running of clinics by performing routine administration and clinical tasks.
• Assist GPs with urgent admin tasks such as referrals and patient follow-ups.
• Ensure compliance with CQC standards and participate in clinical governance activities.

Skills

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Time management

Problem solving

Education

GCSE grade A to C in English and Maths

NVQ level 2 in Health and Social Care

Tools

Microsoft Office

Outlook

Job description

AshTree House is currentlyrecruiting enthusiastic, forward thinking GP Assistant. This is an exciting opportunity for a General Practice Assistant (GPA) to join ourfriendly and dynamic team.

The post is permanent, up to 37 hours per week with a minimum of 34 hours over 4 or 5 days will be considered.

Interviews will take place on Wednesday 11th June 2025 only!

Main duties of the job

GP Assistant

LOCATION: Ash Tree House Surgery, Kirkham

RESPONSIBLE TO:

Clinical: Partners

Administration: Practice Manager

ACCOUNTABLE TO: Partners

General Duties

We arelooking for highly motivated individuals who will work as part of amulti-disciplinary team to provide support in Improving patient access and releasing highly qualifiedstaff to concentrate on treating and managing patients with more complexconditions

Improving patient flow within surgery hours, increasingthe time efficiency of appointments, and reduction of waiting times

Reduce time spent by GPs on managing correspondence

You will be expected to develop links with local GPpractices, colleagues within the service and local communities to ensuredelivery of integrated, patient focused care, demonstrating flexibility in therole and a caring attitude towards patients.

You will have excellent organisational, interpersonal andcommunication skills together with a good working knowledge of primary care andthe challenges facing patient care in the NHS.

About us

Ash Tree House Surgery in Kirkham is a progressive Training Practice housed in a beautiful listed building, Ash Tree House provides a full range of primary care services to a population of over 12,032 patients.

We are committed to giving our patients the highest quality service by maintaining a caring, respectful and mutual confidence between Doctor and Patient. There are 5 GP Principals working closely with 5 salaried GP's and a dedicated Practice team which includes an Advanced Nurse Practitioner, a team of Practice Nurses, a Clinical Pharmacist, Counsellors and support staff.

The Practice is also supported by Community staff including a Community Matron, District Nurses and Health Visitors and a resident Physiotherapist.

The Practice is also a member of the Kirkham & Wesham PCN.

Job responsibilities

Our GP Assistant will support the smoothrunning of clinics by performing routine administration and clinical tasks onbehalf of the GP. They could support theGPs/ANPs with urgent admin such as fast tracks, x-rays, scans and referralsgenerated from our patients with an urgent acute condition.

Duties

Sorting all clinical post and prioritising for the GP interms of actions. Signposting some post to others such as clinical pharmacistetc as appropriate.

Extracting all information from clinical letters thatneeds coding and adding to notes

Supporting with QOF reviews

Arranging appointments, referrals, tests and follow upappointments of patients

Completing basic (non-opinion) forms and core elements ofsome forms for the GP to approve and sign such as insurance forms, mortgage,benefits agency forms etc

Explaining treatment procedures to patients

Helping the GP liaise with outside agencies e.g. gettingan on-call doctor on the phone to ask advice or arrange admission while the GPcan continue with their consultation(s)

General

Ensure that all activities are monitored and evaluated.

Attend internal meetings as required.

Work in accordance with the policies, including the equalopportunities policy and practice.

Attend any training courses and supervision sessions asrequired.

Work with due regard to the Health and Safety Policiesacross the PCN, ensuring that all practices and procedures are undertaken inaccordance with issued guidelines.

Undertake any other duties as may reasonably be requiredfrom time to time.

To be prepared to work flexibly, including evenings andweekends if required.

Care Quality Commission

Work with the general practice teams to ensure thepractices are compliant with CQC standards.

Quality

Under supervision and support of GPs inpractices, the post-holder will strive to maintain quality within thepractices, and will:

Participate in clinical governance activity andcontribute to the improvement in quality of health outcomes through audit, riskmanagement and the Quality and Outcomes Framework.

Alert other team members to concerns about risk, qualityand safety.

Participate in investigation of incidents and events asrequired.

Identify, apply and disseminate research findingsrelating to our PCN

Collect data for audit purposes and use clinical audit tomonitor quality in the service and implement change according to findings.

Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflectingon own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve andenhance the teams performance.

Work effectively with individuals in other agencies tomeet patients needs.

Confidentiality

Under the Data Protection Act 2018 (alongsidethe EU General Data Protection Regulations) the post holder must maintain theconfidentiality of information about patients and staff. The work is of aconfidential nature and information gained must not be communicated to other personsexcept in the recognized course of duty. Unauthorised disclosure ofconfidential information will result in disciplinary action and may lead toyour dismissal.

While seeking treatment, patients entrust uswith, or allow us to gather sensitive information in relation to their healthand other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect thatstaff will respect their privacy and act appropriately.

In the performance of the duties outlined inthis job description, the post-holder may have access to confidentialinformation relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and otherhealthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to thepractice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is tobe regarded as strictly confidential.

Information relating to patients, carers,colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may onlybe divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the PCNs practicespolicies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection ofpersonal and sensitive data.

Equality and Diversity

The post-holder will support the equality,diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

Acting in a way that recognises the importance of peoplesrights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with the organisationsprocedures and policies, and current legislation

Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs ofpatients, carers and colleagues

Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of theindividual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelingspriorities and rights

Health & Safety

Employees must be aware of theresponsibilities placed on them under the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974)to ensure that the agreed procedures are carried out to maintain a safeenvironment for patients, visitors and staff, including infection preventionand control.

Infection Prevention and Control

It is the responsibility of all members of staff toprovide a high standard of care to patients they are involved with. Thisincludes good infection prevention practice.

All staff have a responsibility to comply with InfectionPrevention and Control policies and procedures, this includes:

Completing mandatory infection prevention training.

Challenging poor infection prevention and controlpractices.

Ensuring their own compliance with the PCN practicesInfection Prevention and Control policy and procedures for example, standardprecautions, hand hygiene, prevention & management of inoculation incidents

Safeguarding

To be fully aware of and understand theduties and responsibilities arising from the Childrens Act 2004 and WorkingTogether in relation to child protection and safeguarding children and youngpeople as this applies to the workers role within the organisation.

To also be fully aware of the principles ofsafeguarding as they apply to vulnerable adults in relation to the workersrole, which will include recognising the types and signs of abuse and neglectand ensuring that the Clinical Director is made aware and kept fully informedof any concerns which the worker may have in relation to safeguarding adultsand/or child protection.

Everyone within the organisation has aresponsibility for, and is committed to, safeguarding and promoting the welfareof vulnerable adults, children and young people and for ensuring that they areprotected from harm.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation ofOffenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for asubmission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service(formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Special Working conditions

The post holder may have contact with body fluids, i.e.wound exudates, urine, etc while in clinical practice.

To be prepared to work flexibly, including evenings andweekends if required.

The post holder is likely to need to visit patients intheir own home.

Flexibility

This job description is not intended to beexhaustive. The post-holder will be expected to adopt a flexible attitudetowards the duties outlined which may be subject to amendment at any time inline with the needs of the organisation.

The post holder may be required to fulfilother duties, as agreed with the Clinical Director, to meet the needs of theorganisation. This will involve travel to other sites within the organisation.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• GCSE grade A to C in English and Maths
• Qualified to NVQ level 2 in Health and Social Care

Experience

• Experience of working with the general public
• Experience of working in a health care setting
• Experience of working as a General Practice Assistant
• Experience of electronic patients records

Knowledge and skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Able to deal with service users sensitively
• Able to work as part of a team and autonomously
• Clear, polite telephone manner
• Competent in the use of Microsoft Office and Outlook
• Effective time management (planning and organising)
• Problem solving and analytical skills
• Ability to follow policy and procedure

Personal Qualities and Attributes

• Polite and confident
• Flexible and co-operative
• Motivated
• Forward thinker
• High levels of integrity and loyalty
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
• Ability to work under pressure

Other

• Flexibility to work outside of core office hours if required
• Ability to travel within our community PCN if required.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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.