Specialist Health Visitor

Job responsibilities

To have continuous responsibility and professional accountability for the management and prioritisation of a defined caseload including delegation of tasks to other members of the team, in consultation with the Childrens Assessment Service team leader making the best use of knowledge and skills within the team.

Works as an autonomous practitioner assessing, planning and organising day to day caseload/workload using Trust recognised assessment and caseload management tools.

To assess children under 5 years for Autism as part of a multidisciplinary assessment pathway following the NICE guidelines using assessment tools across, a variety of environments including clinic, patient home, school/nurseries and other community settings.

To act as named Keyworker for each family during their childs Autism assessment, assessing health needs for children, families and communities whilst being responsive to their diverse needs.

To lead, plan, implement and evaluate health enhancing activities, to facilitate access to preventative services and facilitate client participation through home visiting, community development, workshops, support groups and parenting programmes, working across agencies when necessary.

To identify children and families in need of additional support through the Early Help Assessment guidelines. Initiating and taking the lead on family support meetings if required.

To be able to identify the complex needs of Looked After Children, completing health needs assessment as Trust protocol.

To act in accordance with current Dudley Safeguarding People Partnership Board and trust guidelines/policies to protect children and vulnerable adults at risk of harm.

To be able to frequently undertake tasks that require prolonged concentration skills, compiling critically factual reports and presenting this information which is often contentious in a formal situation e.g. case conference or court hearings, with potential for cross examination.

To be able to deal with frequent exposure to highly distressing and emotional situations, bereavement of child/parent, postnatal depression, mental health issues, domestic abuse, substance/alcohol misuse, complex family situations and child protection issues, sudden infant/unexplained death of a child.

To offer support and supervision to other team members to whom work may be delegated.

To develop systems and processes that engage users of the service ensuring services are developed to meet need.

To participate, fully, as a team member, attending team meetings, forums and utilising opportunities to share and develop specialist interest that contribute to service delivery and quality improvements.

To provide specialised skills to clients within a variety of settings, using their ability to analyse, interpret and address the outcome e.g. the use of appropriate level of counselling skills.

To work collaboratively with additional needs services to ensure relatives/carers are confident in carrying out care/treatment for children with additional needs.

To develop and maintain effective communication networks with other health professionals, statutory and voluntary agencies.

To develop a workload and community profile in consultation with the Team Leader, team and public health colleagues, identifying those groups with specific health needs and implement and evaluate programmes of care to target groups.

Ability to understand, explain and carry out interpretation of complex facts in relation to a clients condition. Taking appropriate action and giving advice in a professional manner to team members, family and other carers in such a way that protects and preserves their dignity. Including breaking bad news.

To be responsible for ensuring that all data and contacts relating to their own Childrens Assessment Service activity is recorded accurately and timely. This includes electronic recording via RiO and/or other clinical systems specified by the Trust.

To demonstrate a reasonable understanding and knowledge of a range of Microsoft applications.

To demonstrate an awareness of budget management, commissioning and key performance indicators ensuring full participation and involvement in meeting specified targets and effective resource management.

Compliance with Trust management and others in meeting statutory and local requirements of the Health and Safety Policy whilst taking reasonable care for the health and safety of self and others who may be affected by own actions or behaviours. Identifying issues in the workplace that may put health and safety at risk and having responsibility for timely action and accident / incident reporting.

To participate in the recruitment of staff where indicated and to highlight to colleagues, the Team and the Trust the benefits of new ways of working whilst participating in the setting of team objectives.

Education and Qualifications

Essential

• First Level Registered Nurse or Midwife
• Specialist Community Public Health Qualification
• Registered Health Visitor
• Educated to Degree/Diploma Level

Desirable

• Community Practitioner Nurse Prescriber
• ADOS or ADIR trained

Experience

Essential

• Previous experience of assessing and supporting children with Autism and their family.
• Evidence of continued professional development
• Teaching and mentorship qualification or experience
• Ability to communicate highly complex information where there may be barriers to understanding.
• Evidence of leadership and management qualities.

Knowledge

Essential

• In depth knowledge of child development
• Understanding of Autism, the diagnostic criteria and differential diagnosis.
• Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Evidence of collaborative working with multi-professional colleagues.
• Ability to facilitate groups
• Ability to provide supervision and support to staff
• Must be able to demonstrate an understanding of equal opportunities and meeting the needs of diverse communities
• Must be able to demonstrate an understanding of the need for confidentiality in all aspects of the work of the department
• Good IT skills and an ability to utilize Microsoft applications and electronic clinical systems
• Demonstrates commitment to the safeguarding agenda for children and vulnerable adults

Desirable

• Knowledge of budget management.
• Up to date knowledge regarding key local and national policy drivers

Skills and personal qualities

Essential

• Can work on your own initiative
• Manage a busy caseload, prioritising what is important
• Can work as part of a team
• Effective communicator
• Excellent record keeping skills and abilities
• Enable yourself and others to act with confidence and authority in order to achieve the best outcome for everyone
• Act with transparency and honesty; respect and value others to do the right thing at the right time for everyone.

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).