The Clinical Coordinator Role
Clinical Coordinator (CC) shifts are diverse and rewarding. You will work closely with clinical and operational colleagues and encounter a wide range of clinical presentations and problems.
CC shifts involve:
- Proactive approach to engaging with the clinical team on shift, to ensure that all colleagues feel able to approach the CC when support is needed
- Supporting out of hours, System CAS and Weekday Professional Line clinical colleagues’ clinical decision-making, holding uncertainty and clinical risk when required, or when advice and support is sought
- Close working with the operational team, particularly the Shift Manager, to enable joined up operational and clinical leadership on shift
- Supporting the flow of patients through the IUC service, including reviewing face to face appointment and visits put through by triaging clinicians
- Clinical oversight and management of cases in the Follow Up queue, which includes cases requiring follow up/ review after an earlier assessment in IUC
- When capacity allows, the CC will also telephone consult with patients and / or Healthcare Professionals on the IUC Advice queue. This may include CAS, System CAS and medical admission/ admission avoidance cases on weekdays, and CAS and Professional Line cases at the weekends.
- Clinical Coordinators who are also approved Clinical Supervisors can supervise/ train GP trainees during times of lower service pressure (e.g. weekday evenings).
- Using the local health economy in the most efficient way at the same time as making the right choices for patients (right time, right place, right clinician, right treatment), usually in the lowest acuity setting which can safely manage the patient’s need(s).
This clearly depends on understanding how it should work and how it actually works, and making the right pragmatic decisions. Where there is doubt, always discuss with other clinicians or with the relevant service(s) concerned.