Advanced Surgical Care Practitioner, Band 8a- Vascular

Job description

Job responsibilities

The post of Lead Surgical Care Practitioner main purpose:

- Lead the current team of practitioners in the provision of outpatient clinic-based review of patients with suitable vascular conditions

- Provide independent opinion within the above environment

- Independent delivery of venous intervention, including training of SCP's/clinical members of staff

- The support of surgical activity within theatre, including the development of other SCPs

- Management of timetables to ensure comprehensive and equitable cover of the service

- To have an enhanced level of clinical expertise, supervision and education of trainees

- Responsible for the supervision and maintenance of numerous data bases, supporting the successful achievement of both local and national key performance indicators.

- Participate in, and influence practice and vascular decision making at Divisional, Regional and National level.

- Enable the Surgical care practitioners to achieve a high standard of clinical practice through support and education

Main tasks

The post holder is expected to demonstrate an advanced degree of knowledge, skill, manual dexterity and understanding in Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, providing a competent and efficient service.

To act as a first or second assistant in the operating theatre.

Clinical skills:

Pre and post operative visits

Consenting patients

Providing assistance in the operating theatre

Open and close wounds

Assist with haemostasis

Camera operate for minimally invasive procedures

Assist in IR theatre during endovascular procedures

Act as a formal link between surgical team and theatre personnel for co-ordination of theatre usage and effectiveness, on multiple sites.

Work autonomously examining and assessing peripheral vascular disease, making decisions about treatment, investigations and admission, follow up and discharge, referring on to vascular consultant colleagues when reached limit of own expertise.

Within appropriate guidelines, protocols and competence, practice venous intervention autonomously, referring on to vascular consultant colleagues when reached limit of expertise.

Overseeing of SCP training and development and mentorship within the vascular unit.

Management of Independent SCP/Hot clinics

To oversee and manage databases and audits, including: National Vascular Register, Mortality and Morbidity, local operative data base, HES, EVAR, to ensure relevant, up to date and prompt information is in-putted in a timely fashion and shared amongst the wider team facilitating governance of the service.

Leadership and management

Responsibility for the management and development of surgical care practitioners to ensure advanced level of service is maintained across the service

To work, influence and challenge across professional and multi-professional boundaries in order to ensure best practice and empowerment of patient and their carers.

Lead and support team in quality improvement initiatives, service evaluation and research initiatives and disseminate evidence into routine practice.

Education and training

Contribute and improve policy and practice by developing partnerships and networks on a strategic level in order to deliver local and, regional and national NHS objectives.

Participate in the recruitment, selection and retention of staff if necessary.

Promote a learning environment within the clinical area of responsibility in which individuals take ownership of their personal development. Take an active role in staff training needs analysis as appropriate.

Provide training, assessment, supervision within the clinical area for pre-registration and qualified staff.

Contribute to specialist area research, audits and develop programmes or activities within the framework of clinical governance at a local level, in order to advance and contribute to existing knowledge.

Manage and oversee data collection for databases as already outlined

Improving quality and developing practice

Demonstrate an advanced degree of knowledge, skill, manual dexterity and understanding in the relevant field of surgery, providing a competent and efficient service.

Demonstrate advanced level of clinical reasoning and judgement, and ability to make decisions in the absence of evidence or when the data conflicting.

Knowledge and ability to read and interpret results and act on these accordingly

Frequently communicating with patients, carers and healthcare professionals using a variety of communication skills in order to disseminate often complex clinical information, which can be distressing, emotional, sensitive or contentious in nature.

At the forefront of practice innovation to ensure to ensure delivery of highly specialised and safe care within a challenging and changing clinical environment by creating precedents using innovative solutions, appropriate equipment and resources.

Physical, Mental & Emotional Effort & Working Conditions

Will be exposed to bodily fluids and sharps and offensive or unpleasant smells including diathermy smoke plume, blood, gangrene on a frequent basis.

The post holder will be expected to stand for long periods in a restricted position, often wearing radiological protection, whilst assisting during major surgery on a regular basis.

Will be expected to frequently manoeuvre patients/objects over 15kg using appropriate aids, often in confined spaces.

Working for more than one organisation (i.e. Trust and universities)

Working within a multidisciplinary team

Managing own time effectively to ensure workload is completed during contracted hours, especially when workload maybe unpredictable, and to remain focused throughout.

Flexibility to works across multiple hospital sites Cheltenham, Gloucester and Swindon hospitals.

Breaking bad news and highly sensitive information to patients and relatives on a frequent basis.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience Required

Registered Health Care Practitioner with extensive years post registration experience within Vascular Surgery.

Educated to, or working towards, MSc level or above: Evidence of Advanced theoretical and Practical knowledge within the Vascular speciality.

Independent delivery of percutaneous intervention for superficial venous incompetence.

Advanced level of dexterity needed for carrying out invasive surgical procedures.

Qualified Independent Prescriber.

Proven and well-established expertise of advanced practice.

Proven ability to give independent opinion on a wide variety of vascular conditions.

Proven knowledge of research and audit to an advanced level.

Evidence of the ability to contribute to the development of nursing practice at local and national level within speciality.

Advise and support colleagues to enable maintenance and improvement of professional competence and development.

Excellent communication/interpersonal/presentation skills.

Senior leadership/motivational and change management skills.

Excellent independent and team working skills.

Innovator and ability to improve healthcare practice.

Enhanced IT and analytical skills to manage and interpret databases, such as National Vascular Registry and Hospital Episode Statistics.

Expert knowledge of equipment required in theatre and clinic in order to support the patient safely through their hospital stay

Demonstrate an understanding of ethics, UK law, European Human Rights Act, Code of Profession conduct specifically pertaining to advocacy.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Active registration with NMC or HCPC
• UK recognised Degree in Healthcare / Nursing
• Masters Level Study
• Qualified Independent Prescriber

Experience

Essential

• Experience working in an acute environment
• Extensive recent experience working as a surgical care practitioner in vascular speciality

Knowledge/ Skills

Essential

• Strong professional leadership qualities, assertive, self-confident individual
• Personally resilient and able to manage complexity and work in an ambiguous or changing environment
• Demonstrates ability to question and challenge practice in a constructive way so that standards of patient care are continually evaluated and improved
• Demonstrates ability to keep up to date with professional issues that influence nursing practice relating to area of clinical practice, management, education and research.
• Able to supervise non-registered and less experienced staff to ensure effective service and care delivery.

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Trustwide

Gloucestershire

GL1 3NN

Employer's website

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