Safeguarding Lead (Maternity Cover)

Job responsibilities

Key Duties

To update and monitor the Practice's safeguarding policies and procedures.

To ensure each staff member has access to, and understands, the Practice's safeguarding policies and procedures.

To attend / dial in to child protection and vulnerable adult safeguarding conferences and complete the necessary paperwork associated with this.

To respond to safeguarding related queries raised by staff members in a timely manner and support them in safeguarding duties as indicated.

To ensure the Practice is CQC compliant in relation to safeguarding at all times.

To deliver in house safeguarding training to staff members (particularly new starters) when required to do so.

To attend MDT & Safeguarding Lead meetings to discuss vulnerable patients and liaise with other health professionals to help support these vulnerable patients.

To follow up MASH, SWAST and Police referrals to ensure risks and concerns are appropriately assessed, recorded and acted upon.

To complete reports for patients being heard at MARAC and record outcomes of the decisions.

To represent the Practice at MASH, RCPC, ICPC, CIN and core group meetings.

To ensure learning from safeguarding cases is identified and shared across the Practice.

To ensure patient confidentiality, respect, and dignity is adhered to at all times.

Other Duties

To liaise with external organisations and professionals such as the Police, Social Workers, Looked After Child (LAC) team, midwives, health visitors, CCG etc. (where appropriate).

To ensure practice is safe and effective and remains within boundaries of competence, and to acknowledge limitations

To utilise Ardens templates where appropriate and ensure all safeguarding consultations are recorded with accuracy and due diligence.

To save and discard patients appropriately (not to leave patient records open when unattended).

To add any additional information about patient into the patient's medical record such as contact details, next of kin details etc.

To act with professionalism and ensuring that ethical conduct is adhered to at all times.

To ensure infection control policies and procedures are maintained.

To keep the working area clean, tidy and professional whilst adhering to GDPR regulations.

To assist with training for new staff.

To assist with the gathering of statistics and information when required by the Practice and the CCG.

To work across different practices on an ad-hoc/when required basis.

It will be necessary to attend and contribute to various practice meetings as requested.

This Job Description is neither exhaustive nor exclusive and will be reviewed periodically in conjunction with the post holder. The post holder is required to carry out any duties that may reasonably be requested by the Partners or Management Team.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of managing child and adult safeguarding issues within a healthcare environment
• Experience of attending / dialling in to safeguarding conferences and meetings
• Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team
• Experience of handling large amounts of sensitive data and upholding the principles of confidentiality

Desirable

• Experience of providing training, guidance and support to others
• Experience working in General Practice or Primary Care
• Experience of being a Safeguarding Lead (adult or child or both)

Skills

Essential

• Competent and confident in using IT & computers
• Ability to communicate and listen effectively to all internal and external stakeholders
• Able to establish and build good collaborative networks and working relationships with staff and other stakeholders
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise own work
• To hold excellent record keeping skills and attention to detail, in order to produce reports, take minutes of meetings, and document safeguarding concerns
• Ability to work on own initiative

Desirable

• Ability to lead and coordinate on projects and policies related to safeguarding

Qualifications

Essential

• Holds a professional health or social care related qualification
• Registered with a professional body (e.g. NMC, GMC, HCPC etc.)
• Child and adult level 3 safeguarding training completed as a minimum - must be able to evident this

Qualities

Essential

• Ability to multitask
• Fast learner
• Adaptable to change
• Flexible working approach to demand
• Calm and professional disposition

Knowledge

Essential

• Demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the English language to communicate effectively with staff and patients
• Microsoft windows applications Word
• Excellent knowledge of the safeguarding legal framework
• Awareness of local and national agencies that provide support for children and their families

Desirable

• Microsoft windows applications Excel
• Microsoft windows applications Outlook
• Clinical computer systems SystmOne (TPP)

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).