LD Acute Liaison Specialist Nurse

Job description

Job responsibilities

CLINICAL:

Under the supervision of the Team Manager be accountable and responsible for a defined clinical caseload that reflects the priorities of the local service by ensuring the assessment of therapy needs, particularly in relation to:

• Using specialist knowledge to independently undertake assessments and evaluate interventions with clients with diverse environmental, social, physical and mental health needs; adapting approach to the varying level of learning disability.
• Close working with other services aiming to reduce health inequalities and improve access to universal services.
• Opportunities to support access to mainstream health services for adults with learning disabilities.
• The provision of timely intervention aimed at promoting and maintaining the health of adults with a learning disability. This will be achieved through individual and group therapy and where necessary the implementation of therapeutic interventions.

To work in partnership with identified Primary/Acute Health/Social Care teams, GP Practices and learning disability teams to ensure that the health needs of people with learning disabilities are being met effectively and to influence pathways of care to ensure reasonable adjustments are implemented to reduce health inequalities.

Where required undertake transitional work with children services to ensure continuity of care between Acute, Primary and Secondary Care services.

To assist the wider CLDHT to support people with learning disabilities and their carers to navigate the wider NHS, either through direct support or advocacy at health appointments.

When required provide specialist support on a 1:1 basis to ensure understanding and implementation of consultant recommendations.

• Complete an initial assessment of the physical health needs for people with learning disabilities who may have complex physical, psychological, behavioural or mental health needs.
• Provide advice to other professionals on complex and/or sensitive care needs. This will principally be required in cases where there is no other Community Nurse involvement.
• To promote the benefit and use of health action plans and deliver these to locally defined
• Develop the use of personal health records as an effective communication aid to facilitate improved healthcare delivery and outcomes, including comprehensive discharge/aftercare planning in mainstream hospital services.

To liaise with and offer advice/ information to other members of the multi-disciplinary team, other professionals, clients and their families/carers to facilitate safe and effective care.

Demonstrate the clear and effective use of outcome measures for all clients to ensure that optimum physical and mental health needs are met / maintained.

Establish and sustain links with primary care settings and non-statutory agencies facilitating access to universal services for adults with learning disabilities.

Where appropriate contribute to assessments of adults with learning disabilities eligible for Continuing Healthcare funding using the Decision Support Tool and contribute to the coordination of support packages ensuring person centeredness, high quality standards and value for money to meet the desired clinical outcomes.

To motivate others through effective communication and be able to gain co-operation for treatment where there may be significant barriers to understanding.

Work face to face with individuals who might display physical aggression and who are in psychological distress.

Deliver services in a sensitive, respectful and person centred way adapting systems of communication to meet service users cognitive ability.

Keep abreast of developments in current best practice, trends, issues and research in learning disabilities and related topics in line with the Trust, Directorate and Team objectives, and NICE guidelines for providing services for people with a learning disability.

To take responsibility for own Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and revalidation requirements and facilitate and encourage CPD for those staff for whom they are responsible.

Maintain up to date and accurate individual client records in line with Trust policy and the procedures of the Community Learning Disability Health Team using the agreed IT systems to produce high quality reports as appropriate and to maintain the highest standard of care.

To ensure that all policies, procedures and guidelines are followed, reporting any deviations to senior staff.

Ensure that there is efficient transfer of clients between team members and/or other services in accordance with Trust policy.

To set professional standards of care and to monitor measure and audit the effectiveness of services provided.

To undertake any other duties commensurate with the post as directed by the relevant managers and as identified as service priority.

PLANNING AND ORGANISING:

Plan and organise work according to identified need and in line with the direction of the Lead Health Facilitation Nurse and Team Manager.

To work as a member of the integrated multiple professional teams, participating constructively and attending clinical/departmental and team meetings and contributing positively to overall service development.

To participate in teaching, training and support of colleagues in mainstream services to improve access to acute health services for people with learning disabilities.

To support the development of multi-professional admission and discharge pathways for clients on the LD caseload with complex needs, either within an acute care setting.

To provide specialist knowledge about health of people with learning disabilities to all other professionals involved, for example on the effect of one chronic condition on another; the risk of further deterioration and the possibility of future acute episodes due to learning disability.

Provide efficient handover to the CLDHT to ensure appropriate support by the CLDHT along with mainstream support.

To develop and maintain joint working arrangements with colleagues in learning disability residential, respite, day services, social care, primary care, the acute sector and the voluntary sector facilitating the coordination and comprehensive delivery of services.

Meet with the Team Manager for caseload and managerial supervision to review caseload outcomes, performance and professional development.

Undertake the assessment and supervision of students on placement within the service as agreed with the Team Manager.

To be involved in the selection and recruitment of staff in conjunction with senior staff as appropriate.

To participate in the induction of new staff.

To provide statistical returns as required by the Trust and Team Manager.

PARTNERSHIP WORK

Improve the understanding and confidence of mainstream health professionals. Support hospital, care staff, GP practices, families and carers to receive training and information relating to the health of people with learning disability, health inequalities, and good practice.

Work in partnership with North Staffordshire Primary Healthcare Facilitation Service to develop and provide education packages within the Stoke-on-Trent area and the Acute Sector (RSUH).

Act as the main point of contact between acute health services and the CLDHT.

Through the work of the CLDHT continue to work collaboratively with social care colleagues to provide joint protocols to support the health needs of people with learning disabilities to ensure effective outcomes.

Develop a referral process / pathway to link with the RAID service and ensure that referrals are responded to by the Acute Liaison Nurse.

Raise the awareness of the health needs of people with a learning disability as a fundamental part of the Acute Liaison Nurse role.

Support the RSUH with their development and promotion of fair and equal access to acute services including support for people with complex needs who need to access these services.

Support the improvement of pathways for people admitted to and discharged from RSUH to reduce inequalities and unwarranted variation.

To liaise with health, social, voluntary and private sector services to ensure continued health and social care needs of clients are met.

Work in collaboration with the RSUH and other provider services to reduce the incidence of frequent flyers within the local learning disabled population.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse Learning Disabilities Educated to Degree level or equivalent

Experience

Essential

• Hold a broad range of experiences at band 5 / junior level including evidence of supporting people with learning disabilities to access mainstream services. Ability to work single-handedly without direct supervision

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

North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare Trust

Address

Broom Street

Stoke-on-Trent

ST1 2EW

Employer's website

https://www.combined.nhs.uk/working-together/join-our-team/ (Opens in a new tab)