Dementia Team Lead

Job responsibilities

Main Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate the operational management and delivery of the dementia service.
• Complete holistic assessments for patients referred to the service, contributing to care plans, symptom management and onward referrals to result in positive outcomes for the patient.
• Provide clinical oversight of groups, events and activities facilitated within the hospice for those living with dementia.
• Coordinate clinical caseload management of patients known to service, using effective triaging to provide needs-based care for patients.
• Work alongside the Head of Community Services to identify opportunities for growth of the service, set objectives and deliver change in line with the clinical strategy.
• Engage and network with external health and social care services and professionals across the locality; identifying new referral pathways and signposting opportunities for patients, whilst building relationships with stakeholders.
• Collate feedback from stakeholders that can inform service development and evidence safe and effective practice, including feedback from those with lived experience.

Clinical Responsibilities

• Lead triage and assessment for patients referred to dementia service, providing clinical interventions to support at end of life.
• Provide person-centred palliative care, allowing patients to be involved in the planning of their care and considering the wishes of their patient when they are no longer able to articulate needs themselves.
• Initiate conversations about end of life care and decision making, supporting patients and engaging carers in the development of advanced care plans.
• Empower patients to make choices about their care and future, enabling them to identify what is important to them.
• Advocate for the needs of patients and carers to support patients to receive care and die in their preferred place of care and of death.
• Work closely with other teams from community services such as therapy, family support and wellbeing services, facilitating internal referrals where required.
• Observe clinical changes within patients, noting changes to phase of illness and liaising with other community to meet changing needs and support individuals to be cared for in a place of choice at the end of life.
• Ensure service is culturally sensitive to meet the needs of patients across the locality and work to address the needs of those under-represented within the caseload.
• Maintain accurate records, ensuring that they are clear, concise and legible, and are in accordance with the NMC Standards for Record and Record Keeping, using the EMIS database.
• Undertake audits of clinical practice and effectiveness to evidence quality and assurance of services.
• Ensure representation from dementia service at relevant clinical meetings both internally and externally.
• Have a sound knowledge of Mental Capacity Act and Best Interest decision making and its application for those living with dementia.
• To demonstrate effective advanced communication skills in all interactions with patients, carers and colleagues alike.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Collaborate and draw on the skills and knowledge of other clinical leads across the hospice, ensuring consistent communication between services and the development of integrated working.
• Contribute to Clinical Leadership and Clinical Quality and Standards to support operational management and ensure compliance with CQC standards and legislation.
• Lead and contribute to service development, quality improvement and patient experience projects.
• Support team members by leading safety huddles and handovers, regular 1-1and annual PDRs.
• Contribute to development of relevant documentation; e.g. Internal processes and pathways, relevant policies and service literature.
• Monitor KPIs and data captured within the service, working with the Head of Community Services to utilise the data in the evaluation and future planning of Dementia services.
• To contribute to local and regional steering groups to implement best practice in both the pathways implemented and the care provided across the locality at all stages of dementia.
• Work with the Clinical Educator to develop and facilitate both internal and external training and teaching on dementia and related topics.

Organisational Responsibilities

• Demonstrate and display hospice values throughout work; Compassionate, Accountable, Respectful and Excellent
• Ensure a safe environment at all times by adhering to health and safety standards, contributing to risk assessments, and reporting all identified hazards, incidents, near misses and concerns using Vantage incident reporting system.
• Follow safeguarding reporting and recording processes to ensure safety of patients, visitors, staff and volunteers.
• To adhere to mandatory training as specified by role and work within Hospice guidance, policy and procedure.

Additional Notes

1. This document is a guideline to the general scope of duties involved and will be reviewed at regular intervals. It is not intended as a rigid inflexible specification.
2. The employer shares with the employee the dual responsibility for suggestions to alter the scope and content of this document in order to improve the working situation.
3. There is a duty to be aware and adhere to all professional governing body rules and any particular `Acts' or statutory requirements, which may vary from time to time.
4. To attend mandatory training relevant to the post.
5. Willow Wood Hospice operates a no smoking policy.
6. This post requires a satisfactory standard disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Other Requirements

Essential

• - Committed to continual professional development
• - A flexible approach to working patterns
• - Good attendance and punctuality record
• - Reliable and trustworthy with a sound understanding of professional boundaries

Qualifications

Essential

• - RGN level 1 trained nurse
• - Current NMC registration
• - Palliative care courses/study days

Desirable

• - Registered mental health nurse
• - Palliative Care Qualification
• - Advanced communication skills
• - ENB 998/Preparation for mentorship or equivalent qualification
• - Specialist dementia qualification
• - Best interest assessor

Experience

Essential

• - Experience of nursing within a wider MDT
• - Leadership and management of staff, volunteers and/or services

Desirable

• - Experience of working within a hospice and/or community setting

Skills/Abilities

Essential

• - Palliative care knowledge
• - Ability to assess patients and deliver care to meet complex needs
• - Positive attitude to change
• - Range of effective communication skills
• - Good time management and prioritisation skills
• - Experience of caseload management and allocation
• - Ability to work as part of a diverse MDT
• - Autonomous practitioner

Desirable

• - Knowledge of dementia services within hospice settings
• - Experience of contributing to locality level discussions to influence pathways
• - Understanding of palliative care emergencies
• - Counselling skills

Knowledge

Essential

• - Understanding of comprehensive holistic assessments and can demonstrate effective care plans from these
• - Understands the complexity of caring for patients with advancing dementia
• - Understanding of the hospice position in wider health and social care landscape
• - Up to date knowledge of current palliative care issues
• - Understand the important of developing following policies and protocols
• - Understanding and support of the benefit of clinical supervision and reflective practice

Desirable

• - Advance care planning and/or initiating conversations about death and dying
• - Experience of using EMIS or alternative electronic patient record system

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This 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).