InductionPack

Index

  • Welcome
  • Beacon Medical Group
  • About Us
  • Our Services
  • Induction
  • Our Commitment to You
  • Educational Philosophy
  • Teaching Time
  • Clinical Governance
  • Our Working Day
  • Surgeries
  • Home Visits
  • Other learning Opportunities
  • Supervision
  • Work Place Based Assessments
  • Be Organised
  • Security
  • Complaints
  • Whistleblowing
  • Child and Adult Protection
  • Useful Contacts

Welcome

Welcome to the Beacon Medical Group!

General Practice has some challenging times ahead and is fast becoming an exciting an innovative career choice for those who want to make a real difference in the communities they serve. Beacon intend to lead the way and to that end we have reshaped our clinical teams – by developing new and exciting skill mixes which not only diversify our workforce but allow us to provide a better care package for our patients. We encourage staff to continually strive to develop and diversify their skills seeking out their special interests and encourage new ideas. This also applies to our students. You can make a difference to General Practice just by being here so tell us your ideas! We would love to listen!

In the last year we have been developing a new career pathway for our nurses and healthcare workers, introducing our ‘No Waiting Room ‘concept which is our Urgent Care Team at our Plympton site and invested heavily in Community Pharmacy initiatives.Our Care Home Project has just started providing a different approach to patient care in the setting of a care home, combining pharmacy and GP expertise and we look forward to seeing the results of the Pilot! We are also one of the UK wide ‘Pilot Test Sites’ for Primary Care Home!

Being a competitive bunch, we have been shortlisted for a number of awards for our patient care with GP of the Year, HEE and the BMJ to name but a few!

But are we any good at training? As the largest GP training provider in the area we support among the best emerging talent across all disciplines including Trainee Doctors, Med Students, Postgraduate and Undergraduate Paramedics, Trainee Nurses, Physician Associates and the Special Study Unit at Plymouth Med School for their management modules, amongst others. We think we have developed a real flair for training and our trainers undertake continual professional development to ensure the best possible guidance advice and training is delivered. So you can see you made the right choice!

We want you to hit the ground running! To enable you to get the most from your time here with us our induction pack should provide you with all the information you will need to get started. We hope you enjoy your time with us!

Best wishes

The team at Beacon.

Beacon Medical Group

How Beacon Medical Group came about

We are a 20 partner PMS practice with a practice population of around 33,000 patients.

Beacon Medical Group is the result of 3 existing and well respected practices coming together with the same shared vision, Ivybridge Medical Practice, Ridgeway Practice and PlymRiver Practice to create the Beacon Medical Group.

We are the second largest practice in Devon and Cornwall. Our Practices have each been training for more than 20 years and this vast experience and knowledge underpins ourcurrent training. We encourage a culture of continuous development throughout the Group and we intend to be a leader amongst training providers.

The scope of General Practice is expanding and our patients are able to have more choices about their treatment and where these are carried out. In Plympton we have developed our ‘No waiting Room’ concept which encompasses our Urgent Care Team increasing capacity for on the day appointments. We have launched WebGP to give patients GP access through our website to signposting, information and a GP consult if required. Our onsite Pharmacist has helped shape our investment in Clinical Pharmacists who now operate across the Group on all site.Chaddlewood deliver our minor ops clinic and our walk in Minor Injuries Team can be found in Ivybridge. Plans are in place for an exciting new purpose built facility in Ivybridge which will enable us to deliver new and exciting services for our patients and bring in more secondary care services. We are continually championing ways of more inclusive healthcare. As a Group we have a fantastic relationship with our Patient Participation Groups (PPG’s) who can help guide the services needed in the communities we serve.

This is just one of the reasons we have been chosen as one of 15 test sites across the UK to design and deliver the new Primary Care Home initiative. This is a fascinating project which will help ‘join up’ healthcare at the local level and enable better options and signposting for patients (put simply). You can check out the Primary Care Home Website here:

About us

Currently;

  • We operate out of three practices based in Plympton Medical Practice, Chaddlewood Medical Practice and Ivybridge Medical Practice. We have branch surgeries in Wotter and Cornwood. We also provide a weekly clinic at Dame Hannah Rogers School.
  • We have 24 doctors, of which 7 are trainers.
  • 20 partners, 4 salaried GP’s, Nurse Practitioners, Advanced Paramedic Practitioners, Clinical Pharmacists.
  • A large team of Practice Nurses,HCA’s and Phlebotomists.
  • A comprehensive Practice Management Team.
  • A full complement of practice administrators and receptionists
  • We have a wide range of resident or visiting attached community staff including; Physiotherapists, Community nursing team, Health visitors, Midwives, School nurses, Podiatrist, Speech Therapist, CBT, Counsellor, Sonographer and Audiologist.
  • Along with some Consultant Clinics such as Rheumatology, MSK and Dermatology.

You will find us a friendly bunch and we are committed to having open, productive and transparent relationships within the group and with those who we are involved with our patient care. We trust you will find us approachable and supportive as an organisation.

Our Services

  • We use SystmOne clinical system – you will be issued with access passwords and a new email address within your first week provided you bring photographic ID and two forms of address with you on your first day.
  • Our practices offer the full range of primary care services and enhanced services including a minor injury service, and an in-house Dermatology and MSK service.
  • We achieve Consistently high QOF results
  • We train F2 doctors and are involved in training for PMS students, Practice Nurses, Student Nurses, Paramedics, Physicians Associates and Primary Care Pharmacists. In association with Plymouth University Peninsula Medical School we deliver the SSU unit for undergraduates. We also have links with UCL and Warwick University.
  • Our highly experienced nursing team have implemented a system for chronic disease management
  • Once a weekwe hold a clinical / educational meeting at lunchtime, you are welcome to attend all meetings, though sometimes sensitive issues are discussed so we ask for confidentiality to be respected.
  • We are active and respected members of N. E. W. Devon Clinical Commissioning Group and one of our partners is local chair for the LMC. We work in partnership with Livewell, Derriford Hospital, Community Pharmacy and other stakeholders in order to influence and help shape policy in Primary Care.

Induction

Your first weeks in the practice will enable us to get to know you and give you time to find out all about us. This will involve an induction meeting initially with HR to get the housekeeping out the way and then you will be advised of your on-going timetable. Practical guidance such as using Systmone, meeting other key colleagues and a period of observed practice will be timetabled in for you during your first few weeks. This involves you ‘sitting in’ with different GP’s and clinicians. The induction process will be tailored to your needs and will be flexible enough to allow for some variation when taking into account your particular learning needs. To that end you will have your own personal induction timetable tailored for you.

Our Commitment to You

We are delighted you chose Beacon Medical Group and aim to be an enthusiastic, well-organised practice providing good quality teaching with consistent learning opportunities whilst assuring our commitment to patient care. This requires commitment from the whole team and we hope you can join with us in that philosophy. To that end we are developing our Student pages which can be found on the web under please check this page regularly for student information and helpful tips.

Educational Philosophy

We value your time here and “we aim to create a supportive learning environment providing you with learning opportunitieswhich will form the basis of your practice, enablingyou to reach your full potential"

Teaching Time

We run on a Thursday pm at our Ivybridge Medical Practice a dedicated afternoon teaching session. This will be run and organised by Dr Richard Perrett and Dr Jill Knowles. It is important to attend these sessions as these will be the sessions you are assessed in by Dr Perrett and Dr Knowles. Whilst you are on either our Ivybridge or Plympton site you will be put with a GP or other professional clinician to aid your learning and understanding of Primary Care Practice.

During your time here you will be seeing around 3 patients in the morning clinics and attend a GP visit over lunch and an observed nominated clinic in the afternoon. During your morning clinic you will see patients who are booked in with the Duty Team before your supervising GP. You will have access to the patient’s notes and be expected to take a full history and suggest a treatment plan to your supervising GP. You will not be able to write into the patient record.

Don’t forget to consider offering chaperones to patients for examinations where appropriate. Practice staff (usually practice nurses, health care practitioners and trained reception staff) are always available. This service provides comfort not only for patients but for you too.

An example of your day may be:

Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday
Morning / With Duty GP including student seeing 3 patients in separate room. / With Duty GP including student seeing 3 patients in separate room. / With GP including student seeing 3 patients in separate room. / With GP including student seeing 3 patients in separate room. / ACADEMIC DAY
STUDENTS NOT IN PRACTICE
Lunchtime / GP visits / GP visits / GP visits / GP visits
Afternoon / With Practice nurse / Pharmacist / With Practice nurse / Pharmacist / STUDENTS NOT IN PRACTICE / Clinical Reasoning and in vivo competency. Both students at same site – Ivybridge Medical Practice

If you have any queries or are unable to attend on any day please in the first instance raise this with HR –

Clinical Governance Sessions

Are a key part of GP Practice and a great way to bond with the wider team. We would very much welcome you to our sessions these take place twice a year and the dates for this year are:

Thursday 8th September 2016

Thursday 10th November 2016

We would love you to join us.

Our Working Day

Surgeries

The working day begins with morning surgeries beginning at 8.30am and the day generally finishes at 6pm, all doctors offer appointments up to 6pm on 1-2 days of the week. We also operate extended hours but you would not be expected to attend until 8pm. You will be expected to be at the surgery between 9.00am and 5pm whilst you are on placement, however there will be flexibility in the times you are here.

Home Visits

Due to our semi-rural locality visits can sometimes take up a significant amount of our time. We will endeavour to ensure that you have the time to make accompanied visits with our GP’s however this may or may not be possible due to the GP’s working day and whether the patient consents to a student being part of the visit.

Other learning opportunities

Include:

Shadowing other health professionals e.g. MW/HV

Minor surgery

GPwSI clinics

IUD’s and contraceptive implants well woman clinic

Macmillan nurse/district nurses/community matrons

Dame Hannah Roger’s School clinic

Extended Opening Hours sessions

Duty Doctor sessions

Urgent Care Team

If you were interested in a particular area of learning please speak with Dr Perrett or Dr Knowles at one of your training sessions and they can then assist you in establishing the suitability of your request.

Supervision

Your supervising GPs will review all patients you see and although you will be granted access to patients notes this will be on a read only basis. The supervising GP will add the patients detail and the planned treatment to the notes in their consultation.

We expect you to ask questions. Lots of them!

Work Place Based Assessment

As an adult learner you have responsibility for getting your assessments done and for demonstrating your competences. Our practice staff are experienced in helping with these and they we will endeavour to assist you in any way.

You will also need to take time out in order to look after yourself, continue with leisure pursuits and learn to manage your own stress levels. If you are struggling you can seek help from the University or speak to HR for the signposting that is available or just to have a chat. This can be accessed at

Use your colleagues and don’t be afraid to ask for help. You can approach any GP at any time in confidence or speak with one of the other members of Beacon Medical Group.

We are all committed to getting you through your placement!!

Be Organised!

Coming into a busy practice can be daunting and it is important that you learn your way around and get to grips with the practice. Think about what you would want to gain from the placement while you are here and ask about learning opportunities you would like. Be proactive about your time in practice.

Document Security

We take information governance seriously, and no material that identifies or is in relation to a patient should go into the waste paper bin in your room, it should be disposed of in burn bags or by shredding. We routinely carry out checks to ensure that all of our staff areadhering to this policy and encourage you to get into ‘good habits’!

Personal Security

We take the security of all our staff very seriously. Please refer to our Lone Working Policy for the most up to date information. In addition we supply panic buttons in your room which are triggered by pressing both recessed buttons simultaneously; be sure you know where these are located in your room. Alternatively pressing ctrl/shift/return (usually marked with red dots) in your keyboard simultaneously will trigger a SystmOne alert across the organisation. We also carry out a Violence Awareness Course and Checklist on all our sites. Although we are lucky enough to have some lovely patients unfortunately we are aware that increasingly our colleagues in other healthcare settings are suffering from violence and abuse. If you have any concerns or feel threatened whilst with a patient please use the panic buttons or report the incident to reception.

Please also bear in mind it is sensible not to leave valuables on show in your consulting room or unattended. Remember not to leave your room unlocked for any length of time.

We realise that this is a lot of information for you to take on board and don’t expect you to now know everything there is to know! We anticipate you having lots of questions and encourage you to speak with your trainer and /or any of our colleagues. Make use of us! You will also find our nurses, reception and administrative staff a useful source of information.

Complaints

The Practice operates a fully NHS compliant complaints procedure but obviously we would try to avoid complaints and if you feel a patient has a concern it would be helpful if you flagged this up to the Assistant Operations Manager on site so that appropriate action may be taken.

We live in an age of patients expectations often exceeding the level of service that can be offered practically on the ground and these low level complaints are usually dealt with by our reception teams. However on occasion a patient may raise a clinical complaint against you or another of our clinical team. Our Assistant Operations Managers may ask you for some assistance in getting to the bottom of the patients complaint. Often complaints arise from a simple misunderstanding or a circumstance beyond our control. Those complaints that are identified as ‘learning points’ for the clinicians or wider team are circulated at the appropriate meetings. We would encourage you to attend the lunchtime meetings in order to take part in that learning.

Whistleblowing

We have an open and transparent culture when dealing with complaints. This also extends to our Whistleblowing Policy / Procedure. If you have a concern about a colleague then please raise this initially with your Trainer. If you feel the matter has not been dealt with satisfactorily then please raise this with the HR and Training Manager. We hope to have our Whistleblowing Guardians in place in the next year and this will also be an avenue you can choose for advice before raising a concern. If you would like to review the Complaints or Whistleblowing Policy these polices can be found on the Beacon Drive: