Specialist Ageing Well Practitioner

Job description

Job responsibilities

Expert Clinical Practice:

Identify older adults who would benefit from proactive Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) within the borough of Lewisham;

Provide a level of enhanced and comprehensive geriatric assessment, based on a specialist body of knowledge. To appropriately assess, examine, investigate, diagnose and treat patients, resulting in safe management and appropriate referral

Order and interpret investigations and act on results with appropriate supervision

Manage patients within own case load and present care plans to Older Adult Clinical Programme Manager/Advanced Clinical Practitioner or Geriatric Consultant for approval.

Carry out comprehensive medication reviews and initiate medications (if in possession of prescribing qualification)

Take the lead in advance care planning conversations, ensuring that patients and their families understand their options, uncover their goals and work with the patient and family towards achieving them.

Provide education and support to patients, families, and caregivers about managing conditions associated with ageing and availability of community resources in the local area.

To contribute to the development and improvement of systems and processes that facilitates patient flow

To improve the quality of the patient experience by identifying and meeting the individual clinical needs of patients

To rigorously review all aspects of the patients care plan and identify and address issues that may result in a sub-standard service

Contribute to the review and development of integrated care pathways and clinical guidelines to ensure a standardised approach

Practice with confidence and competence within your professional guidelines and code of conduct (NMC/HCPC/GPhC)

Maintain own clinical development by keeping abreast of new treatments and technologies within frailty and elderly care

To ensure that accurate documentation and records of patient care are kept.

Ability to adapt specialist clinical knowledge and skills to different clinical settings and influence service delivery and patient care

Actively participate in effective systems and processes for infection control management and relevant audit within the clinical area

Utilise and demonstrate highly sensitive communication styles, to ensure patients are fully informed and consent to treatment.

Communicate patients conditions verbally and in writing to other members of the health care team and contribute to the decision-making processes in patient management. Act as an advocate for patients and colleagues.

Ensure awareness of sources of support and guidance e.g., patient liaison service, and provide information in an accurate format to all patients.

Be able to anticipate barriers to effective communication and take action to improve communication.

Management and Leadership:

Participate in the development of the PAWS team and act and facilitate change with an innovative and adaptable approach

To contribute to evidence-based policies and procedures specifically required by the PAWS team

Maintain effective communication with the multidisciplinary team to ensure high standards of care

To work collaboratively with representatives of other clinical areas, disciplines and services to provide a seamless pathway of care

To be conversant with all Trust policies and procedures to represent the Trust at specialist forums.

Adhere to confidentiality at all times with sensitive personal data

Prioritise, organise and manage frailty workload.

Education and Practice Development:

To help identify, plan and implement goals for clinical development of staff working within the PAWS team

To reflect and discuss areas of practice with senior service lead and Community Geriatrician.

To participate in teaching programmes for nursing, medical and allied health professional staff of all grades.

To maintain close links with higher education and to participate in the development and delivery of new and established specialist Older Adult practice programmes.

To exhibit a personal commitment to clinical education and development.

Participates in shared learning across the division and wider organisation.

Service Improvement and Performance:

In collaboration with the MDT participate in PAWS service developments and projects

To work with administrative and clinical staff to achieve sustained improvements, including in the following areas: clinical quality, patient satisfaction and meeting local and national targets

Participate in service improvement initiatives and associated work streams to support specific patient pathways

To ensure that the services meet pathway targets

Audit and Research:

Contribute and assist in the development of multidisciplinary research and clinical audit in a frailty setting

Participate and contribute to any on-going regional and national research to evaluate the effectiveness of care strategies related to the patient experience

To share best practice; through publications and attendance/presentation opportunities at conference level

Resource Management

• To apply sound financial evaluation to proposed service developments.

• Maintain accurate records in relation to equipment used and maintained by .

Risk Management

To ensure that the systems are in place to manage, reduce and prevent clinical risk to self and others.

To monitor incidents highlighted by members of the team and communicate to appropriate areas to address risk issues.

Promote best practice in health and safety, in line with Trust policy.

Person Specification

Training & Qualifications

Essential

• Registered healthcare professional (NMC registered nurse, HCPC registered therapist or Pharmacist).
• Education to Masters level or equivalent experience.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.

Desirable

• Leadership qualification Teaching qualification
• Advanced Assessment Qualification;
• Independent Prescriber
• Care of the older adult qualification.

Experience

Essential

• Significant Experience of working in frailty or with older adults
• Experience of completing Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment;
• Experience in Advance Care Planning with a compassionate and patient centred approach
• Experience of teaching in clinical practice
• Experience of using appropriate clinical assessment tools.
• Evidence of innovative practice.

Desirable

• Experience of working in a community setting.
• Participation in Audit

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

• Excellent organisational skills and ability to prioritise and work to deadlines
• Understanding of the issues pertaining to clinical risk management.
• Engaging effectively across boundaries, while operating in partnership with stakeholders.
• IT skills

Desirable

• Experience of community IT systems - RiO

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust

Address

University Hospital Lewisham

High Street, Lewisham London, SE13 6LH

London

SE13 6LH

Employer's website

https://www.lewishamandgreenwich.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)