Lead Nurse

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Summary:

The post holder will have a key role in the continued development of the Learning Disability Community Nursing Service, and work closely with managers, other community team members, in-patients and other key stakeholders to support individuals who require a specialist community service response, aiming to maintain the individual within their community setting.

The post holder will provide a vital role in assessing the care needs and risks of referred individuals who require a specialist Learning Disability Community Service, ensuring that treatment plans are developed, implemented, and evaluated with a person-centred focus. This will include working with people with a learning disability who also have complex communication difficulties, complex health needs, mental health problems and behaviours that are difficult to manage.

The post holder will employ a wide range of skills, building on an developing their expertise and actively seeking advice and collaboration with issues which may not be readily within their sphere of competence.

The post holder will work in collaboration across multi agency boundaries to provide a specialist nursing service to people with learning disabilities with the aim of maximising service users health and well-being whilst ensuring that a holistic approach to care delivery is achieved.

The post holder must be able to demonstrate leadership and analytical skills to support team supervision, auditing and ensure care standards are safe, supportive, and responsive.

The post holder will be enthusiastic and engage in new opportunities including supporting changes and service development.

As a registered practitioner the post holder will be professional and legally accountable under the NMC code of professional practice.

Key Duties/Responsibilities:

Patient Care:

To work as an effective member of the Community Support Team undertaking a range of specialist assessments appropriate to the sphere of work.

To hold and organise a designated patient caseload.

To assess, plan, coordinate, implement and evaluate direct care and to manage a defined caseload with supervision from the Clinical Operational Manager.

Ensure that care plans and risks assessments are completed and evaluated using SMART Goals to reflect individual needs and risk.

Utilise evidence-based practice and National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance to demonstrate the knowledge and skills required to support a patients mental social and physical wellbeing in a community setting taking into account capacity and consent.

To provide education and advice in a consultancy capacity to a range of professionals paid and unpaid carers to ensure effective interventions are implemented.

To advocate on service users behalf in order to facilitate their use of Universal services and indirectly and directly work to influence the ability of Universal services to respond to the physical and mental health needs of people with learning disabilities.

To support the development of Capable Environments through close working with families, carers, and private providers

Undertake a person-centred approach to meeting the health needs of people with a learning disability and understand how social needs may impact on their health presentation.

Have an awareness of and ability to act upon safeguarding concerns and be part of the multi-disciplinary process required to manage safeguarding.

Have a clear understanding of the Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act, DOL and VARM processes.

Understand forensic and mental health issues that patients with a learning disability may experience and how this can impact on multi agency working and risk assessment processes.

To attend meetings and contribute to patient care within a multi-agency framework.

To be able to implement positive behavioural support approaches when working with individuals in varying environments.

To overcome barriers to communication using a range of communication methods, e.g., Makaton. To adapt information into a format that is accessible for people with a learning disability.

To understand the Transforming Care for People with a Learning Disability agenda and how this will impact on the community teams to provide the support required by these individuals with often complex needs.

Ability to work in the episode of care model including formulating discharge summaries that reflect reason for referral, intervention and outcomes.

Leadership

To deputise for the Clinical Operational Manager where appropriate.

To undertake managerial duties in support/as delegated by the Clinical Operational Manager, to include: -

o Attendance concerns/matters

o Mandatory training

o Appraisals

o Supervision

To ensure the community team coordinates a high quality effective, safe and responsive approach to appropriate referrals.

To be part of the triage of new referrals entering the service and take part in the single point of access referral meeting, contributing to clinical decision making.

To contribute to health and safety within the Community Team and undertake relevant clinical and operational risk assessments to ensure the safety of the patients and team are met.

To influence and implement changes to clinical practices and participate in projects where relevant.

To comment upon and contribute to the development of relevant new policies.

To Chair and participate in a variety of meetings relevant to individuals, team developments and service developments.

To work collaboratively with all relevant parties to promote effective team working.

To manage clinical and non-clinical risk within own area.

Ensure record keeping standards are in line with Policy and to participate clinical audit systems in place locally within LD Services and the Trust.

To act as a positive role model and participate in supporting new or less experienced staff and student nurses.

To always act professional and be a positive representative of the team.

To know when to escalate clinical or operational issues to direct line manager.

Strategy and Service Development

Adhere to Trust policies, procedures and NMC policies relating to professional conduct and standards.

To demonstrate a sound understanding of the clinical governance framework to ensure a high standard of clinical care.

Be appraised of national drivers and how these will influence service development and practice.

Be involved in developing policies and procedures and attend service development meetings.

Financial Resources/Management

Be able to self-manage time/work demands and those of supervised team members.

Effective time management and organisational skills.

Ability to manage competing demands.

Information Resources/Information Systems

To keep accurate and up-to-date records of in accordance with the Trust Record keeping standards and national standards.

Effectively communicate through both electronic and written form.

Effectively to use electronic systems as per organisational requirements.

Assist with Clinical Records Audit/ Caseload Audit as required.

Autonomy and Scope

To make clinical decisions based on available information/presenting situations, whilst recognising own limitations and escalating as required.

To develop practise and service delivery

To be an autonomous practitioner who has the communication skills to quantify decisions and confidence to discuss with others in situations that may require difficult conversations.

Education

To attend mandatory training courses and relevant training as required to meet individual needs. This includes specialist training relevant to the role identified through an annual appraisal or the teams Training Needs Analysis.

Facilitate the learning of other team members by sharing knowledge and own training experiences.

Develop and encourage a culture of life long learning and commit to on going training.

Person Specification

Education, qualifications and training

Essential

• Registered Nurse RNLD or RNMH
• Two years post registration experience
• Experience of community working

Desirable

• Nurse Assessor Training
• Training / Experience in Positive Behaviour Support

Experience and knowledge

Essential

• Experience of working with individuals with a learning disability who have additional mental health needs and / or challenging behaviour.
• Ability to lead independent caseloads and undertake clinical assessment/report writing.
• Ability to work as part of a team including multi-agency working.

Desirable

• Understanding of Mental Health disorders and treatment models including understanding the Mental Health Act.

Skills and attributes

Essential

• Good communication skills
• Ability to work autonomously and managing changing priorities.
• Supervision skills including providing case load supervision 1:1 and clinical supervision

Desirable

• Experience of change management

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

Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Address

St Andrew's House

Derby

DE1 2SX

Employer's website

http://www.derbyshirehealthcareft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)