Frailty Practitioner

Job summaryWhitstable Medical Practice has an exciting opportunity for a Frailty Practitioner to join our General Practice Older Persons (GPOP) Team, who
has a passion for frailty and older peoples care.The post
holder will be a registered healthcare professional working at Band 6 level,
providing specialist clinical input to the assessment and ongoing care of older
people living with frailty, or at risk of frailty-related decline. They work
autonomously within their professional scope and are accountable for their own
clinical decisions and conduct.The role
centres on holistic assessment, early identification of frailty, prevention of
deterioration, personalised care planning, coordination of multidisciplinary
care, and timely escalation of clinical concerns. The post holder works as a
member of the GP Older Persons Team and as an integral part of the practice team. As a member of this
team the post holder will be expected to work independently, with clinical
supervision available from an Advanced Clinical Practitioner to support
decision making where needed.The GP
Older Persons Team are responsible for the day to day medical support to the
residential and nursing homes in Whitstable, provide specialist assessment to
older people living at home with frailty.Main duties of the jobCarry out clinical consultations, within their competence, with older people living with frailty. Undertake structured frailty assessments and holistic clinical reviews.Identify patients who may be living with, or at risk of, frailty.Assess common frailty syndromes and their impact on function, independence, and quality of life.Identify the clinical, functional, psychological, social, and environmental factors contributing to frailty or decline.Assess mobility, falls risk, nutrition, cognition, and continence Contribute to personalised care planning based on what matters most to the patient including completing RESPECT forms.Recognise signs of acute deterioration and escalate promptly.Support proactive management of patients at risk of avoidable hospital admission.Coordinate care with the wider multidisciplinary team and liaise with community and secondary care services.Support patients and carers to understand their condition, care plan, and available support.Provide safety-netting and appropriate follow-up.Recognise the limits of their own competence and escalate or seek advice when needed.Maintain accurate, up-to-date clinical records.Contribute to audit, quality improvement, and service development relating to frailty.Recognise a deteriorating patient approaching end of life and provide support to patients, families and care home staff within their scopeAbout usWhitstable Medical Practice is a forward thinking single Primary Care Network (PCN), GP Practice based across three sites in Whitstable, Kent looking after 45,500 patients.Feel valued, supported and have the opportunity to shape the future.Be apart of the only GP practice named in the NHS 10-year Health Plan for its innovation and care.This is an exciting opportunity to join a progressive and ambitious practice where your ideas, professional development and well-being are genuinely valued.Support from our experienced clinical teams, including;Pharmacists to help with medication changes /issuesHome Visiting Team ParamedicsVery Helpful Nursing and HCA teamsSupportive management and administrative teamsExceptional secretary support, including referrals.Our state-of-the-art buildings provide access to a wide range of services and facilities, including:In-house phlebotomyX-rayUltrasoundDVT diagnosis and treatmentMinor Injury UnitDermatology including our award-winning QiC Team of the YearEchocardiographyOphthalmologyGynaecologyLSIMinor surgeryAnd many, many more ...As is typical across the country, we are experiencing an increasing elderly population which is placing additional pressures on the local health economy. There are 10 care and nursing homes in the area all of whom are registered with the practice.DetailsDate posted25 September 2026Pay schemeOtherSalary
Depending on experience
- equivalent to Band 6
ContractPermanentWorking pattern

Full-time,

Part-time

Reference numberA Job locationsEstuary View Medical CentreBoorman WayWhitstableKentCT5 3SEUnited KingdomJob descriptionJob responsibilitiesCare
homes and community-based careThe post
holder will support older people in care homes and the community, reviewing
patients after a change in health, supporting falls prevention and care
planning, liaising with care home staff and families, and helping to reduce
avoidable emergency attendances or admissions.Frailty
assessmentThe post holder will:Identify patients with mild,
moderate, or severe frailty.Review relevant medical,
functional, and social information.Assess functional ability
and any change from the patient's normal baseline.Identify recent or recurrent
falls, and mobility or balance difficulties.Recognise possible cognitive
impairment or delirium, and escalating where needed.Identify nutritional
concerns, weight loss, or poor appetite.Consider continence and
toileting difficulties and making appropriate referralsIdentify potential medication-related
contributors to decline.Consider social isolation,
carer strain, and the home environment and making appropriate referrals.Recognise red flags that
need urgent medical review.Communicate findings clearly
to the wider team.Holistic
clinical assessmentWithin
their professional scope, the post holder will:
take a
clinical history;review
medical records, diagnoses, and recent hospital or community contacts;assess
changes from baseline and consider functional status, multimorbidity, and
safeguarding concerns.Identify
possible infection, dehydration, malnutrition, delirium, or falls as causes of
decline, and recognise when further investigation or medical assessment is
required.Managing
frailty syndromes
The post
holder helps identify and manage common frailty syndromes, including falls,
reduced mobility, functional decline, cognitive impairment, delirium,
nutritional decline, continence problems, dizziness, polypharmacy, social
isolation, and carer stress.They
identify appropriate interventions within their scope and coordinate referrals
to other services, such as GPs, community nursing, physiotherapy, occupational
therapy, dietetics, pharmacy, falls services, specialist frailty or memory
services, social care, and palliative care where appropriate.Clinical
decision-making
The post
holder demonstrates sound clinical reasoning appropriate to Band 6 level,
making independent decisions within their scope, recognising significant
deterioration, and balancing clinical evidence with the patient's circumstances
and preferences.The post holder would identify the limits of their own knowledge or experience, seek advice from
senior clinicians, GPs or specialists when needed, escalate promptly where
safety may be at risk, and document their reasoning clearly.Multidisciplinary
workingThe post
holder works closely with GPs, practice nurses, pharmacists, advanced
practitioners, community nurses, allied health professionals, social workers,
care coordinators, care homes, and specialist or secondary care services,
contributing relevant clinical information to MDT discussions for patients with
complex needs.SafeguardingThe post
holder recognises and responds appropriately to safeguarding concerns involving
older people, including neglect, abuse, carer breakdown, and unsafe living
circumstances, following practice and local safeguarding procedures.Supervision
and governanceThe post
holder has access to a named senior clinician and GP support, takes part in
regular clinical supervision, reflective practice, and audit, and maintains
appropriate professional indemnity. They work within relevant professional
standards and the practice's clinical governance policies.Continuing
professional developmentThe post
holder maintains ongoing development relevant to frailty, falls, delirium,
dementia, nutrition, multimorbidity, medicines awareness, safeguarding, mental
capacity, and end-of-life care, identifying learning needs through supervision,
appraisal, and clinical practice.Quality
improvementThe post
holder contributes to safe and effective frailty services through audit,
service evaluation, review of falls and hospital admissions, development of
care pathways, and MDT learning, supporting a culture of continuous improvement
and patient safety.
Job description
Job responsibilitiesCare
homes and community-based careThe post
holder will support older people in care homes and the community, reviewing
patients after a change in health, supporting falls prevention and care
planning, liaising with care home staff and families, and helping to reduce
avoidable emergency attendances or admissions.Frailty
assessmentThe post holder will:Identify patients with mild,
moderate, or severe frailty.Review relevant medical,
functional, and social information.Assess functional ability
and any change from the patient's normal baseline.Identify recent or recurrent
falls, and mobility or balance difficulties.Recognise possible cognitive
impairment or delirium, and escalating where needed.Identify nutritional
concerns, weight loss, or poor appetite.Consider continence and
toileting difficulties and making appropriate referralsIdentify potential medication-related
contributors to decline.Consider social isolation,
carer strain, and the home environment and making appropriate referrals.Recognise red flags that
need urgent medical review.Communicate findings clearly
to the wider team.Holistic
clinical assessmentWithin
their professional scope, the post holder will:
take a
clinical history;review
medical records, diagnoses, and recent hospital or community contacts;assess
changes from baseline and consider functional status, multimorbidity, and
safeguarding concerns.Identify
possible infection, dehydration, malnutrition, delirium, or falls as causes of
decline, and recognise when further investigation or medical assessment is
required.Managing
frailty syndromes
The post
holder helps identify and manage common frailty syndromes, including falls,
reduced mobility, functional decline, cognitive impairment, delirium,
nutritional decline, continence problems, dizziness, polypharmacy, social
isolation, and carer stress.They
identify appropriate interventions within their scope and coordinate referrals
to other services, such as GPs, community nursing, physiotherapy, occupational
therapy, dietetics, pharmacy, falls services, specialist frailty or memory
services, social care, and palliative care where appropriate.Clinical
decision-making
The post
holder demonstrates sound clinical reasoning appropriate to Band 6 level,
making independent decisions within their scope, recognising significant
deterioration, and balancing clinical evidence with the patient's circumstances
and preferences.The post holder would identify the limits of their own knowledge or experience, seek advice from
senior clinicians, GPs or specialists when needed, escalate promptly where
safety may be at risk, and document their reasoning clearly.Multidisciplinary
workingThe post
holder works closely with GPs, practice nurses, pharmacists, advanced
practitioners, community nurses, allied health professionals, social workers,
care coordinators, care homes, and specialist or secondary care services,
contributing relevant clinical information to MDT discussions for patients with
complex needs.SafeguardingThe post
holder recognises and responds appropriately to safeguarding concerns involving
older people, including neglect, abuse, carer breakdown, and unsafe living
circumstances, following practice and local safeguarding procedures.Supervision
and governanceThe post
holder has access to a named senior clinician and GP support, takes part in
regular clinical supervision, reflective practice, and audit, and maintains
appropriate professional indemnity. They work within relevant professional
standards and the practice's clinical governance policies.Continuing
professional developmentThe post
holder maintains ongoing development relevant to frailty, falls, delirium,
dementia, nutrition, multimorbidity, medicines awareness, safeguarding, mental
capacity, and end-of-life care, identifying learning needs through supervision,
appraisal, and clinical practice.Quality
improvementThe post
holder contributes to safe and effective frailty services through audit,
service evaluation, review of falls and hospital admissions, development of
care pathways, and MDT learning, supporting a culture of continuous improvement
and patient safety.Person Specification
Experience
EssentialPost registration experience gained by undertaking on-going personal development and training. Experience of working with patients with frailty, including being able to identify different levels of frailty and how that effects the patient.Experience in clinically assessing patients independently, arranging investigations, considering differential diagnoses and implementing management plans. Experience of working with long-term conditions. Good understanding of current health care issues.DesirableInvolvement in the implementation and management of change. Experience underpinned by knowledge of working with and understanding the complex needs of patients in a primary care/community setting.
Skills and Abilities
EssentialExcellent communication and interpersonal skills.Ability to holistically and independently assess a frail patient.Ability to advocate patient issues.Ability to demonstrate leadership skills.Excellent organisation skills including the ability to make decisions and prioritise. A degree of autonomy, analytical skills and multidisciplinary knowledge in caring for patients.Decision making skills and problem solving skills. Ability to understand and interpret information/evidence based care and apply to practice. Ability to work within your scope and escalate safely and appropriately when required.Critical thinking. Good IT skills. Assertive, adaptable and flexible. Empathy and compassion.DesirableExperience of completing Comprehensive Geriatric Assessments.
Qualifications
EssentialExperience and fully qualified Healthcare professional.Registered Practitioner holding current registration with NMC or HCPC.DesirableFrailty or End of Life Care modules/qualifications. Clinical assessment module if not included in your registration qualification.
Person Specification

Experience
EssentialPost registration experience gained by undertaking on-going personal development and training. Experience of working with patients with frailty, including being able to identify different levels of frailty and how that effects the patient.Experience in clinically assessing patients independently, arranging investigations, considering differential diagnoses and implementing management plans. Experience of working with long-term conditions. Good understanding of current health care issues.DesirableInvolvement in the implementation and management of change. Experience underpinned by knowledge of working with and understanding the complex needs of patients in a primary care/community setting.
Skills and Abilities
EssentialExcellent communication and interpersonal skills.Ability to holistically and independently assess a frail patient.Ability to advocate patient issues.Ability to demonstrate leadership skills.Excellent organisation skills including the ability to make decisions and prioritise. A degree of autonomy, analytical skills and multidisciplinary knowledge in caring for patients.Decision making skills and problem solving skills. Ability to understand and interpret information/evidence based care and apply to practice. Ability to work within your scope and escalate safely and appropriately when required.Critical thinking. Good IT skills. Assertive, adaptable and flexible. Empathy and compassion.DesirableExperience of completing Comprehensive Geriatric Assessments.
Qualifications
EssentialExperience and fully qualified Healthcare professional.Registered Practitioner holding current registration with NMC or HCPC.DesirableFrailty or End of Life Care modules/qualifications. Clinical assessment module if not included in your registration qualification.Disclosure and Barring Service CheckThis 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).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service CheckThis 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).Employer detailsEmployer nameWhitstable Medical PracticeAddressEstuary View Medical CentreBoorman WayWhitstableKentCT5 3SEUnited KingdomEmployer's websiteEmployer detailsEmployer nameWhitstable Medical PracticeAddressEstuary View Medical CentreBoorman WayWhitstableKentCT5 3SEUnited KingdomEmployer's website