Job summary
The Safeguarding Specialist role is an exciting opportunity to develop your professional practice, and leadership skills
This role will support the adults safeguarding agenda but the ethos of our Safeguarding Team is that all specialists cross-cover in the absence of colleagues, so you should expect to develop a working knowledge of other safeguarding sub-specialities.
Main duties of the job
- To be a clinician for safeguarding in the Trust working in collaboration with the safeguarding team
- Provide visible, accessible clinical safeguarding support in all areas of the Trust where adults are patients.
- Support the team in the Provision data to clinical divisions on a monthly basis to guide their clinical practice and inform management decisions.
- Provide Trust wide advice and consultation on all aspects of safeguarding including Mental Capacity and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards
- Coordinate with other safeguarding specialists
- Produce chronologies for all Serious Adult Reviews, Multi-Agency Reviews and serious incidents and co-produce chronologies for Domestic Homicide Reviews with Safeguarding Specialist in Domestic Abuse.
- Conduct oneself in a professional manner and be a role model to less experienced/ non registered and new staff at all times
About us
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) provides a full range of general acute, outpatient and diagnostic services at The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, the Herts and Essex Hospital in Bishop's Stortford, and St Margaret's Hospital in Epping.
We employ 3,500 staff and serve a local population of around 350,000 people living in west Essex and east Hertfordshire, centred on the M11 corridor and the towns of Harlow, Bishop's Stortford and Epping. Our extended catchment area incorporates a population of up to 500,000 and includes the areas of Hoddesdon, Cheshunt and Broxbourne in Hertfordshire.
Our Values
The Princess Alexandra Promise to our patients as identified by our 3 values which will contribute to improving our patient experiences:
Patient at heart - Always holding the patient and their wellbeing at the centre of our thoughts and efforts
Everyday excellence - Sharing and celebrating our successes, being honest when we get it wrong, giving us the ability to learn from both
Creative collaboration - Knowing strength comes from diversity, we combine our experiences, skills and talents, working together to find new and better ways to care
The Trust believes in investing in all our staff and rewarding high standards of care whilst building for excellence and in return we expect our staff to uphold the Trust values to the highest level.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Duties and responsibilities
Patient care
- Demonstrate and promote a Think Family style of safeguarding practice.
- Model and promote compassionate persistence and professional curiosity in all interactions with staff, patients and professionals from other agencies.
- Monitor and develop standards of MCA assessment through the support of practice, clinical audit and adoption of evidence-based practice.
- Participate in Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) meetings where mental capacity concerns have been raised to aid effective patient care planning, which will include taking an active role in team meetings, case conferences and specialist interest group meetings.
- Either working alone or as part of the multi-disciplinary team, make recommendations for appropriate and timely discharge/transfer from hospital
- Communicate effectively with patients and carers highly complex, sensitive or distressing information, with an emphasis on giving each individual patient as much choice and control over decisions about their life as possible
- Maintain clear, accurate and concise records in line with departmental and professional standards and include relevant outcome measures.
- Provide specialised advice to ensure high quality standards of patient care and patient safety
- Maintain patient and staff confidentiality at all times
Professional practice
- Develop and maintain close interagency working with all partner agencies, both statutory and voluntary.
- Use all relevant Trust IT systems competently; including the electronic patient record, email, and specialist secure safeguarding databases.
- Maintain regular use of emails to keep abreast of information disseminated in the Trust
- Adhere to the NMC/HCPC code of practice at all times and operate within the NMC/HCPC scope of professional practice.
- Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of accountability, responsibility and Duty of Care and work towards the provision of support and education for less experienced and nonregistered staff on the implications for practice.
Leadership and management
- Monitor Trust wide activity relating to safeguarding adults including MCA assessment and DoLs applications, reporting trends and actions taken in response
- Deputise for the Safeguarding Adult Nurse
- Comply with Trust and Departmental policies and procedures e.g. Health and Safety at Work Act (1974), Manual Handling, clinical equipment competency, risk management, Data Protection Acts and patient confidentiality at all times.
This will include demonstrating compliance with the terms of all safeguarding policies and processes relevant to the safeguarding of adults and children in the care of Princess Alexandra Hospital and to undergo regular mandatory training concerned with safeguarding matters.
- Report near misses and untoward incidents, complaints injuries as detailed in the departmental and Trust protocols. Assist lead staff in investigating incidents as required.
- Quality Account Maintain and contribute to the development of standards of MCA practice, conduct or decision making in conjunction with lead staff.
- Delivery of service in line with the allocated financial budget
- Ensure a smart, professional image that enhances the public perception of the Trust and the professionalism of its staff is portrayed.
Education and training
- Support the delivery of safeguarding training across the organisation ensure Trust is compliant with statutory guidance.
- Participate in the supervision, case monitoring and clinical education of staff across the Trust.
- Supervise, mentor, support and educate less experienced safeguarding staff in the practice setting.
- Undertake all mandatory training
- Demonstrate a commitment to research based practice and clinical excellence and play and active part in the introduction of research-based change to improve patient centred care.
- In conjunction with the Head of Safeguarding, identify training needs and maintain personal development
Improving quality and developing practice
- Comply with requirements to register with the NMC/HCPC and identify own learning needs and ensuring own professional development is maintained by keeping up to date with practice developments.
- Support the audit and research projects related to safeguarding practice, to further own and teams clinical practice. Make recommendations for changes to practice and procedures for the relevant clinical area and oversee the implementation of these changes.
- Contribute to the Clinical Governance and Quality agenda by active participation in service initiatives, health and safety and risk management.
- Develop and share own clinical knowledge with other members of the wider clinical team both locally and regionally.
- Identify own development needs, aligning these to service requirements and personal aspirations. Proactively develop and improve own practice using all available resources
- Develop, implement, monitor and evaluate policies/ protocols/ guidelines relevant to Safeguarding practice.
- Openly question and challenge practice in a constructive way so that standards of patient care are continually evaluated and improved.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Duties and responsibilities
Patient care
- Demonstrate and promote a Think Family style of safeguarding practice.
- Model and promote compassionate persistence and professional curiosity in all interactions with staff, patients and professionals from other agencies.
- Monitor and develop standards of MCA assessment through the support of practice, clinical audit and adoption of evidence-based practice.
- Participate in Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) meetings where mental capacity concerns have been raised to aid effective patient care planning, which will include taking an active role in team meetings, case conferences and specialist interest group meetings.
- Either working alone or as part of the multi-disciplinary team, make recommendations for appropriate and timely discharge/transfer from hospital
- Communicate effectively with patients and carers highly complex, sensitive or distressing information, with an emphasis on giving each individual patient as much choice and control over decisions about their life as possible
- Maintain clear, accurate and concise records in line with departmental and professional standards and include relevant outcome measures.
- Provide specialised advice to ensure high quality standards of patient care and patient safety
- Maintain patient and staff confidentiality at all times
Professional practice
- Develop and maintain close interagency working with all partner agencies, both statutory and voluntary.
- Use all relevant Trust IT systems competently; including the electronic patient record, email, and specialist secure safeguarding databases.
- Maintain regular use of emails to keep abreast of information disseminated in the Trust
- Adhere to the NMC/HCPC code of practice at all times and operate within the NMC/HCPC scope of professional practice.
- Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of accountability, responsibility and Duty of Care and work towards the provision of support and education for less experienced and nonregistered staff on the implications for practice.
Leadership and management
- Monitor Trust wide activity relating to safeguarding adults including MCA assessment and DoLs applications, reporting trends and actions taken in response
- Deputise for the Safeguarding Adult Nurse
- Comply with Trust and Departmental policies and procedures e.g. Health and Safety at Work Act (1974), Manual Handling, clinical equipment competency, risk management, Data Protection Acts and patient confidentiality at all times.
This will include demonstrating compliance with the terms of all safeguarding policies and processes relevant to the safeguarding of adults and children in the care of Princess Alexandra Hospital and to undergo regular mandatory training concerned with safeguarding matters.
- Report near misses and untoward incidents, complaints injuries as detailed in the departmental and Trust protocols. Assist lead staff in investigating incidents as required.
- Quality Account Maintain and contribute to the development of standards of MCA practice, conduct or decision making in conjunction with lead staff.
- Delivery of service in line with the allocated financial budget
- Ensure a smart, professional image that enhances the public perception of the Trust and the professionalism of its staff is portrayed.
Education and training
- Support the delivery of safeguarding training across the organisation ensure Trust is compliant with statutory guidance.
- Participate in the supervision, case monitoring and clinical education of staff across the Trust.
- Supervise, mentor, support and educate less experienced safeguarding staff in the practice setting.
- Undertake all mandatory training
- Demonstrate a commitment to research based practice and clinical excellence and play and active part in the introduction of research-based change to improve patient centred care.
- In conjunction with the Head of Safeguarding, identify training needs and maintain personal development
Improving quality and developing practice
- Comply with requirements to register with the NMC/HCPC and identify own learning needs and ensuring own professional development is maintained by keeping up to date with practice developments.
- Support the audit and research projects related to safeguarding practice, to further own and teams clinical practice. Make recommendations for changes to practice and procedures for the relevant clinical area and oversee the implementation of these changes.
- Contribute to the Clinical Governance and Quality agenda by active participation in service initiatives, health and safety and risk management.
- Develop and share own clinical knowledge with other members of the wider clinical team both locally and regionally.
- Identify own development needs, aligning these to service requirements and personal aspirations. Proactively develop and improve own practice using all available resources
- Develop, implement, monitor and evaluate policies/ protocols/ guidelines relevant to Safeguarding practice.
- Openly question and challenge practice in a constructive way so that standards of patient care are continually evaluated and improved.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Active registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) or Health Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- United Kingdom recognised Degree in a healthcare profession
- Evidence of ongoing professional development through maintenance of professional portfolio and registration revalidation
Experience
Essential
- Extensive experience (through placement or employment) of working in an acute clinical environment
Desirable
- Previous training in MCA and DoLS (over and above mandatory training)
- Previous experience of safeguarding
Skills
Essential
- Able to prioritise own workload and that of others as appropriate
- Personally resilient and able to manage complexity and work in an ambiguous or changing environment.
- Excellent presentational, communication and interpersonal skills
- Able to maintain and develop standards of practice, conduct or decision making in conjunction with team and Head of Safeguarding
- Able to use clinical reasoning skills and techniques to assess patients considered to lack capacity, investigate fully and establish whether DoLs justified
- Acts as a role model and are able to lead by example to ensure the Trust's values and behaviours are reinforced throughout their area of practice.
- Able to supervise non-registered and less experienced staff to ensure effective Safeguarding practice
- Able to effectively and appropriately respond to escalation of concerns to reduce risk and promote patient safety
- Tenacity to pursue goals energetically and succeed despite resistance
- Strong, professional leadership qualities, assertive and self-confident individual
- Ability to lead, manage and motivate all staff within sphere of responsibility
- Self-motivated and able to work under own initiative and prioritise workload
Desirable
- Up to date with professional issues that influence healthcare-based MCA practice.
- Able to develop, implement, monitor and evaluate policies/protocols/guidelines relevant to MCA, DoLS and safeguarding
- Able to question and challenge MCA practice in a constructive way so that standards of patient care are continually evaluated and improved
personal Qualities
Essential
- Enthusiastic and self-aware
- Creative and Flexible approach to working
- Resilient under pressure
- Team focused
- Reliable, Adaptable and Dependable
Trust Values
Essential
- Patient at heart - Always holding the patient and their wellbeing at the centre of our thoughts and efforts
- Everyday excellence - Sharing and celebrating our successes, being honest when we get it wrong, giving us the ability to learn from both
- Creative collaboration - Knowing strength comes from diversity, we combine our experiences, skills and talents, working together to find new and better ways to care
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Active registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) or Health Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- United Kingdom recognised Degree in a healthcare profession
- Evidence of ongoing professional development through maintenance of professional portfolio and registration revalidation
Experience
Essential
- Extensive experience (through placement or employment) of working in an acute clinical environment
Desirable
- Previous training in MCA and DoLS (over and above mandatory training)
- Previous experience of safeguarding
Skills
Essential
- Able to prioritise own workload and that of others as appropriate
- Personally resilient and able to manage complexity and work in an ambiguous or changing environment.
- Excellent presentational, communication and interpersonal skills
- Able to maintain and develop standards of practice, conduct or decision making in conjunction with team and Head of Safeguarding
- Able to use clinical reasoning skills and techniques to assess patients considered to lack capacity, investigate fully and establish whether DoLs justified
- Acts as a role model and are able to lead by example to ensure the Trust's values and behaviours are reinforced throughout their area of practice.
- Able to supervise non-registered and less experienced staff to ensure effective Safeguarding practice
- Able to effectively and appropriately respond to escalation of concerns to reduce risk and promote patient safety
- Tenacity to pursue goals energetically and succeed despite resistance
- Strong, professional leadership qualities, assertive and self-confident individual
- Ability to lead, manage and motivate all staff within sphere of responsibility
- Self-motivated and able to work under own initiative and prioritise workload
Desirable
- Up to date with professional issues that influence healthcare-based MCA practice.
- Able to develop, implement, monitor and evaluate policies/protocols/guidelines relevant to MCA, DoLS and safeguarding
- Able to question and challenge MCA practice in a constructive way so that standards of patient care are continually evaluated and improved
personal Qualities
Essential
- Enthusiastic and self-aware
- Creative and Flexible approach to working
- Resilient under pressure
- Team focused
- Reliable, Adaptable and Dependable
Trust Values
Essential
- Patient at heart - Always holding the patient and their wellbeing at the centre of our thoughts and efforts
- Everyday excellence - Sharing and celebrating our successes, being honest when we get it wrong, giving us the ability to learn from both
- Creative collaboration - Knowing strength comes from diversity, we combine our experiences, skills and talents, working together to find new and better ways to care
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).
Additional information
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
