Learning Disability Health Screening Practitioner

Job responsibilities

MAIN DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Assess, plan, implement and evaluate treatment safely and effectively, in partnership with medical team and nurses, service user and carers, using evidence-based practice.

To ensure comprehensive risk assessment of patients and risk management plans are in place and clearly documented in accordance with the Trusts Policy.

Manage and assess risk within the areas of responsibility, ensuring adequate measures are in place to protect self, colleagues, and patients.

Monitor work areas and practices to ensure they are safe and free from hazards and conform to health, safety and security legislation, policies, procedures, and guidelines.

Act as a specialist advisor/professional leader in healthcare issues related to the care of the patient with learning disability which can often be complex and urgent.

Prioritise health problems and intervene appropriately to assist the patient in complex, urgent or emergency situations, including initiation of effective emergency care.

As part of the team provide regular updates, feedback, and reports to senior management on progress and share any identified barriers that may need to be addressed in order to meet plans and targets Undertake risk assessments and escalate in line with Trust Policies and guidelines.

Report any observed changes in a patients condition or behaviour, or any other cause for concern, to an appropriate clinician as a key health and wellbeing responsibility.

Refer to colleagues or other agencies as appropriate, this will include any identified concerns around risks, health inequalities and safeguarding.

Responsibility for People Management

Provide line management and caseload supervision to other members of team where appropriate.

Maintain professional registration.

To participate in regular supervision and performance management development and appraisal processes.

To participate in regular clinical supervision sessions in order to received professional support and time to reflect upon practice.

Act as a mentor to students and colleagues, participating in induction programmes, guiding practice, and assessing competence to develop staff.

Provide teaching sessions within the team and across the Devon ISC as appropriate on relevant topic relating to screening and learning disabilities.

Deliver specialist training for Primary health care and community staff in new skills related to health screening uptake in patients with a learning disability.

To participate in regular clinical supervision sessions to receive professional support and time to reflect upon practice.

Take responsibility for own development, learning and performance including participating in clinical supervision and training as necessary to update skills and knowledge and maintaining a record of own personal development.

Responsibility for financial and/or physical resources

To understand budgetary constraints and support the Team manager to achieve any Cost Improvement plan and to stay within the identified budget.

To ensure effective and economic use of resources available

Duty of care of equipment used.

Responsibility for administration

To ensure that workload is prioritised accordingly.

To ensure records are up to date in line with policy.

To autonomously plan diary to ensure that can cover duties.

Responsibility for people who use our services

Provide advice and highly specialist support to all healthcare professionals who are providing care to individuals with a learning disability, ensuring reasonable adjustments are made to facilitate access to both primary, secondary and community care.

Working with local learning disability groups to understand language barriers and undertake collaborative works to identify and overcome any identified barriers that may be contributing to health inequalities and uptake of health screening.

Working collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team, this will include proactive engagement with the 5 identified National screening programmes. You will be able to communicate effectively with both clinical and non-clinical colleagues to ensure the smooth running of the service.

You will be able to communicate effectively with patients and carers and utilise alternative methods of communication whenever this is needed.

Consistently demonstrate sensitive communication styles to ensure service users have enough information, in the right format, at the right place and time, to make informed decisions.

When required, you will need to be able to communicate difficult, unpleasant, or sensitive information in a way that is supportive and understanding.

Act as an advocate when representing patients and colleagues, including engaging and networking with stakeholders.

Hold good knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act and the concept and guidance around best interests.

Support the validation of learning disability registers held by practices across Devon and access the lists held by local authorities to authenticate the number of health checks completed for people with a learning disability across Devon. Ensure close working relationship with those managing annual health checks, the primary care commissioning and contracting team.

Support the delivery of personalised health screening awareness.

Undertake community engagement to raise the profile of health screening and screening pathways.

Organise and/or run initiatives, including contacting patients, to improve uptake of screening, vaccinations or other services and support the achievement of targets (e.g., under the Quality and Outcomes Framework).

Advocacy for health screening across the learning disability population including high levels of preparedness to undertake visits in an individuals own home or residential setting.

Responsibility for implementation of policy and/or service developments

To work with other providers to develop, design and implement health screening pathways and processes that support the multidisciplinary team in the care of people with Learning disabilities in the community setting.

Participate in research and support processes that translate research into current practice improving care delivery

• Evaluate and audit the quality and effectiveness of learning outcomes, programmes and activities

To Act as a resource in the development of evidence-based practice standards and care delivery

To lead in evidence-based practice by presenting at seminars and study days.

Undertake audits as required, to evaluate areas where change has been made, implement further change or plans for sustainability as required following audit.

Ensure staff are aware of new research & evidence to support best practice.

Participate in data analysis/clinical audits as required.

Ensure that all centrally held documentation relating to these works is reviewed and updated this includes the risk register and lessons learned documents.

Contribute to a reporting schedule to present to key stakeholders to ensure that the work is on track and to discuss any identified variance and challenges.

Other Responsibilities

Act in ways that recognise the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with procedures.

Respect the privacy, dignity and beliefs of patients, carers, visitors, and co-workers. They must be treated equally, irrespective of gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, etc.

Ensure that reports are carried out yearly in line with screening programmes to report on update of annual health checks and screenings in line with service specification.

Regular check-in as agreed with screening lead within the ICB.

Attend regional meetings as appropriate i.e Regional LD Practitioner Screening Network.

COMMUNICATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS

The post holder will be required to maintain good relationships across Devon, communicating with other screening practitioners, PCNs, PCLN teams as well as the MDT. They will be required to showcase screening programmes to increase the uptake.

They will be required to report to the ICB yearly the outcomes of the role and communicate this effectively.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB

The post holder will be required to use a computer for large amounts of time. There will be some driving across the county of Devon.

The Full Job Description can be found within the supporting documents section.

Knowledge

Essential

• Relevant post qualification experience within specialist healthcare.
• Knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act, Consent & Best interest process and practice.
• Good understanding of current research identifying health inequalities for people with an LD.

Desirable

• Specialist knowledge of policy and practice for breast, cervical and bowel cancer screening as well as Abdominal Aortic and Aneurysm (AAA) screening.

Specific Skills

Essential

• Ability to work independently and autonomously, prioritising own workload.
• Effective communication skills with clients and carers, colleagues, other statutory, private and voluntary agencies using a wide range of communication methods including written, verbal and electronic formats.
• Ability to apply screening policy to practice.
• Comprehensive IT skills.
• Drive across county of Devon.

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree level qualification in relevant area supplemented by specialist training.
• Professional registration.
• Evidence of maintaining a portfolio.
• Knowledge of current, legislation, policies and best practice for people with learning disabilities and implications.

Desirable

• Post-graduate qualification in a relevant area.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working with people with health inequalities for example (LD, MH, substance misuse, homelessness etc).
• Experience in developing and delivering training.
• Effective report writing skills, you will need to write clear, factual and accurate reports to provide specialist information.
• Experience relevant to community working, working as part of a multi-disciplinary team and with other agencies.

Desirable

• Experience of working with people with LD.
• Experience of working within screening services.
• Experience of developing accessible resources.
• Experience running small group workshops with service users or focus groups.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).