Assistant Practice Manager: Role Profile

About Strawberry Hill Medical Centre

Strawberry Hill Medical Centre is an NHS General Practice Surgery covering the north half of Newbury, Berkshire. We have 22 300 patients registered with us. This makes us the largest GP practice in West Berkshire, and one of the largest in the whole of Berkshire.

With a team of GPs who are all partners, and the majority of whom work full-time, we are able to provide unparalleled continuity of care to our patients. The doctors are supported by a strong team of clinicians including Nurses, Physician Associates and Clinical Pharmacists.

Training and development is central to what we do. The practice has been a GP training practice for over 20 years, and 3 of our partners were trained here. We are trainers for the University of Reading’s Physician Associate degree program, and we have run business administration apprenticeships for Newbury College. There is an active programme of training and development for all staff, clinical and administrative support teams.

Our ethos is to provide the best possible care to our patients, using the most appropriate member of staff for their problem or concern, and to do this at the right time. Our nursing and physician associate clinicians specialise in a wide range of medical issues, from diabetes to women’s health.

Central to the service we provide is our administrative and reception teams. We recognise that triage systems are unpopular and have moved beyond that. This has empowered our Patient Care Advisors to help our patients get the best care from the most appropriate staff member in an appropriate and timely manner. Our administrative support team ensures patients prescriptions are issued and onward referrals are sent in a timely manner and that all clinicians can access their patients clinical documentation.

The Practice Manager ensures the safe, effective, responsive, and innovative running of the practice at all times, and they maintain compliance with the appropriate regulatory bodies. To achieve this, they are supported by an Assistant Manager and Finance Manager. These roles report directly to the partnership team, and work with the partners to ensure that Strawberry Hill Medical Centre continues to provide the best possible service to our patients in an ever-changing environment.

• Reports to: Practice Manager    
• Division: Senior Leadership Team
• Hours per Week: 37.5 (Full-Time)
• Status: Permanent
• Location: Strawberry Hill Medical Centre, Newbury, RG14 1JU (role not suitable for remote working)

Key Areas of Responsibility

• Performance, Data Quality, and IT
• Premises, Health and Safety, Data Protection
• HR, Recruitment, Onboarding
• Supporting and deputising for Senior Leadership Team
• Patient relations
• Training & Development

Key Relations

• Senior Leadership Team
• GP Partners
• Care Coordinator Team
• All Employees

Key Performance Indicators

• Patient and staff confidentiality upheld to highest levels at all times
• Accurate and timely production of all tasks
• Prompt resolution of queries
• Identification and work-up of areas for development or efficiency improvement
• Demonstrates aptitude for learning
• Ability to respond quickly and professionally to problems or changes in business needs
• Ability to prioritise and demonstrate flexible approach to self-organisation
• GDPR compliant at all times

Key Responsibilities

Managing Performance and Data Quality

• Using IT systems to provide accurate data on care and business performance, ensuring that targets are met, and identifying areas for improvement and innovation
• Managing teams and systems to ensure targets are achieved
• Reporting to the Senior Leadership Team and Partners on performance
• Ensuring the practice is digitally forward-thinking and inclusive

Premises, Health & Safety, Data Protection

• Ensuring the practice is compliant with Health and Safety and risk compliance requirements
• Ensuring the practice adheres to Data Protection and GDPR regulations
• Overseeing facilities management and ensuring that the building remains in good repair and is compliant with regulations
• Ensuring that emergency policies and protocols remain compliant with best practice procedures

Human Resources, Recruitment and Onboarding

• Supporting the Senior Leadership Team in recruiting, onboarding and retaining high-quality staff
• Maintaining up-to-date HR policies and ensuring best-practice HR support to all staff under direction of Practice Manager and external HR advisors
• To manage the care coordinator team as direct reports

Supporting and deputising for the Senior Leadership Team

• Supporting the finance manage to ensure that income is correctly claimed and recorded
• Working with payroll provider to ensure accurate payroll management
• Deputise for the Practice Manager or Finance Manager
• Undertake any other duties at the direction of the Senior Leadership Team

Patient Relations

• Responding to feedback from patients to improve services
• Managing complaints in collaboration with GP complaints leads
• Managing external communications through social media and the Patient Participation Group

Training and Development

• Managing staff training and ensuring that mandatory training is completed
• Identifying specific training needs and arranging appropriate internal and external trainers

About You

Competencies 

Core Competencies

Role-Specific Competencies