SS9 South PCN are looking to welcome a Frailty Practitioner to the team. This position is offered on a full-time basis.
The successful applicant will be an experienced Emergency Care Practitioner (ECP), Nurse Practitioner or Nurse Prescriber with a specialist interest in frailty and urgent community-based care. The postholder will provide autonomous clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment and care planning for frail and vulnerable patients within their usual place of residence, including private homes, residential settings and care homes.
The role will have a strong focus on responding to acute deterioration, preventing avoidable hospital admissions, supporting timely discharge from acute settings and enabling patients to remain safely within their own environment wherever clinically appropriate. The Frailty Practitioner will work collaboratively with General Practice, the Integrated Neighbourhood Team (INT), Community Services, Secondary Care and Social Care providers to deliver proactive and reactive care to patients living with frailty.
The postholder will undertake comprehensive holistic assessments, formulate differential diagnoses, initiate treatment plans and prescribe medication where qualified. They will act as a senior clinical decision-maker for frailty-related presentations and support the development of integrated pathways to improve outcomes for patients with complex health needs.
Responsibilities will include;
- Undertake urgent same-day assessments for frail patients experiencing acute deterioration in their health or functional status.
- Provide rapid clinical assessment and treatment to support admission avoidance and reduce unnecessary attendance at Emergency Departments.
- Assess patients presenting with falls, reduced mobility, suspected infections etc.
- Undertake comprehensive physical examinations and formulate differential diagnoses.
- Make autonomous clinical decisions and treatment plans.
- Prescribe medication where qualified and authorised.
- Undertake comprehensive frailty assessments, including clinical, functional, cognitive and social domains.
- Develop personalised care and support plans.
- Identify patients requiring anticipatory care planning and advance care discussions.
- Work proactively to prevent avoidable hospital admissions through early assessment and intervention.
- Liaise directly with GP Practices, Community Teams, Ambulance Services and Acute Trusts to facilitate timely clinical management.
- Deliver a high-quality home visiting service for housebound and vulnerable patients.
- Conduct urgent and routine visits based on clinical need.
- Assess environmental, social and safeguarding risks that may impact patient health and wellbeing.
- Work closely with carers and families to support ongoing care arrangements.
For further information, please see job description attached.