Job responsibilities

Employer: Bharani Medical Centre

Location: Slough, Berkshire

Job title: Experienced Practice Nurse

Hours: Part-time or full-time, to be agreed

Contract: To be agreed

Job summary

Bharani Medical Centre is seeking an experienced, confident and enthusiastic Practice Nurse to join our established primary care team in Slough.

We are looking for a nurse with previous experience working within NHS general practice who is confident undertaking routine practice nursing responsibilities, particularly childhood immunisations and cervical screening.

The primary focus of the position will be delivering childhood immunisation clinics and cervical screening appointments, alongside other routine treatment-room and preventative healthcare services.

Experience in managing long-term conditions would be an advantage, particularly diabetes, asthma and COPD, although additional specialist long-term-condition qualifications are not essential.

The successful candidate should be comfortable managing their own clinics, working independently within their professional competence and contributing to a supportive multidisciplinary team.

Main duties and responsibilities

1. Childhood immunisations

A key responsibility of the role will be the delivery of routine childhood immunisation services.

The post-holder will:

• Undertake childhood immunisations in accordance with the current UK national immunisation programme and relevant local guidance.
• Assess vaccination history, eligibility, contraindications and consent.
• Administer vaccinations safely under appropriate Patient Group Directions (PGDs) or other valid legal authority.
• Provide parents and carers with clear information regarding immunisations, vaccine schedules and potential side effects.
• Identify children with incomplete immunisation records and support appropriate catch-up programmes.
• Maintain accurate vaccination records within EMIS Web.
• Follow vaccine storage, cold-chain management and clinical safety requirements.
• Support the practice in improving childhood immunisation uptake and addressing health inequalities.

2. Cervical screening

The post-holder will undertake cervical screening appointments as part of the NHS Cervical Screening Programme.

Responsibilities include:

• Performing cervical screening sample collection in accordance with national programme requirements.
• Providing appropriate information, obtaining informed consent and ensuring patient dignity and comfort.
• Recognising patients requiring additional support or specialist assessment.
• Maintaining accurate clinical documentation and appropriate follow-up arrangements.
• Supporting patient recall and initiatives aimed at improving cervical screening uptake.
• Ensuring compliance with relevant training, competency and cervical screening quality assurance requirements.

3. General practice nursing and treatment-room duties

The post-holder will undertake routine practice nursing responsibilities, including:

• Adult immunisations and vaccinations.
• Seasonal influenza and other eligible vaccination programmes.
• Wound assessment, dressings and wound management.
• Removal of sutures and clips.
• Blood pressure checks and cardiovascular risk assessment.
• Urinalysis and other routine clinical investigations.
• Health promotion and preventative healthcare.
• NHS Health Checks, where appropriately trained.
• Other treatment-room procedures within individual competence and practice protocols.

4. Long-term-condition management

Where appropriately trained and competent, the post-holder may support the management of patients with long-term conditions, including:

• Diabetes, including annual review components, monitoring and patient education.
• Asthma, including structured reviews and inhaler technique assessment.
• COPD, including symptom reviews, inhaler technique and monitoring.
• Hypertension, including blood pressure reviews and cardiovascular risk reduction.
• Other chronic conditions according to clinical competence and practice requirements.

Experience in diabetes management would be particularly welcome but is not essential.

We are happy to consider candidates with strong general practice nursing experience whose principal expertise is in immunisations, cervical screening and treatment-room nursing.

5. Clinical governance and patient safety

The post-holder will:

• Maintain professional registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
• Work in accordance with the NMC Code and professional standards.
• Maintain appropriate training and competency in immunisations and cervical screening.
• Adhere to safeguarding, infection prevention and control, and information governance requirements.
• Maintain accurate and contemporaneous clinical records.
• Recognise clinical deterioration and escalate concerns appropriately.
• Participate in clinical audit, quality improvement and practice meetings.
• Contribute to CQC compliance and patient safety initiatives.

6. Digital systems and administration

The post-holder will use EMIS Web and relevant practice clinical systems to:

• Document consultations and procedures.
• Record vaccinations and cervical screening activity.
• Maintain accurate clinical coding.
• Review relevant clinical information.
• Support recall programmes and QOF-related activity where appropriate.
• Communicate with patients and members of the multidisciplinary team.

About Bharani Medical Centre

Bharani Medical Centre is an established general practice providing care to approximately 18,000 patients across three nearby sites in Slough.

We have an experienced multidisciplinary team of GP partners, salaried GPs, advanced nurse practitioners, clinical pharmacists, practice nurses and other healthcare professionals.

We value clinical independence, teamwork, patient safety and high-quality preventative care.

We are looking for a dependable and proactive Practice Nurse who can confidently deliver core nursing services and contribute to the continued development of our practice.

Working arrangements

We offer flexible working arrangements, with hours and working days to be agreed according to the successful candidates availability and the needs of the service.

The successful candidate will be supported by an established clinical and administrative team and encouraged to engage in ongoing professional development.

Experience

Essential

• Previous experience working as a Practice Nurse within an NHS GP surgery.
• Experience independently managing routine practice nurse clinics within professional competence.
• Experience administering childhood immunisations in accordance with the national immunisation programme.
• Experience undertaking cervical screening sample collection.
• Experience delivering adult vaccinations and routine treatment room procedures.
• Understanding of primary care clinical workflows, patient recall systems and preventative healthcare.

Desirable

• Experience working across multiple general practice sites.
• Experience contributing to improvements in vaccination and screening uptake.
• Experience in QOF and long-term condition management.
• CHILDHOOD IMMUNISATIONS

ROUTINE PRACTICE NURSING SKILLS

Essential

• Competence in routine practice nursing procedures, including immunisations, wound care, dressings and blood pressure measurement.
• Ability to undertake preventative healthcare assessments and patient education.
• Good clinical assessment skills and the ability to recognise when GP review or escalation is required.
• Ability to maintain accurate clinical records.

Desirable

• Experience with NHS Health Checks.
• Experience in travel health consultations and vaccinations, where appropriately trained.
• Experience in additional treatment room procedures.

IT AND CLINICAL SYSTEMS

Essential

• Competence using electronic patient records.
• Ability to accurately record clinical consultations, immunisations and cervical screening procedures.
• Confidence using digital clinical systems and completing relevant clinical documentation.

Desirable

• Experience using EMIS Web.
• Familiarity with Ardens templates and primary care recall systems.
• Experience supporting population health and preventative care searches.

CERVICAL SCREENING

Essential

• Experience undertaking NHS cervical screening sample collection.
• Evidence of recognised training and current competency as a cervical sample taker.
• Understanding of NHS Cervical Screening Programme requirements.
• Ability to provide patient-centred consultations, obtain informed consent and maintain dignity and confidentiality.
• Understanding of appropriate documentation, sample handling and clinical escalation.

LONG TERM CONDITIONS MANAGEMENT

Desirable

• Desirable
• Experience undertaking diabetes reviews, including relevant monitoring and patient education.
• Experience supporting asthma and COPD reviews.
• Experience undertaking hypertension reviews.
• Familiarity with QOF indicators and long-term condition recall systems.
• Additional specialist training in diabetes or respiratory disease.
• Specialist diabetes experience is not essential for this position.

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse with current Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) registration.
• Relevant post-registration experience in NHS general practice.
• Completed appropriate childhood immunisation training, with evidence of current competence and required updates.
• Completed recognised NHS cervical screening sample taker training, with evidence of current competence and relevant updates.
• Commitment to continuing professional development and maintaining clinical competenciEs

Desirable

• Additional qualifications in diabetes, respiratory care or other long-term conditions.
• Training in chronic disease management and health promotion.
• Relevant postgraduate primary care nursing qualifications.

CHILDHOOD IMMUNISATIONS

Essential

• Confidence and competence in independently delivering routine childhood immunisation clinics.
• Knowledge of the current UK childhood immunisation schedule and catch-up programmes.
• Understanding of vaccination consent, contraindications, vaccine safety and appropriate administration.
• Familiarity with Patient Group Directions and applicable medicines legislation.
• Ability to communicate effectively with parents and carers, including those who are hesitant about vaccination.
• Knowledge of cold chain management, vaccine storage and accurate vaccination recording.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).