CNS for Learning Disabilities & Autism (XR06)

Job responsibilities

JOB DESCRIPTION AND PERSON SPECIFICATION

1. JOB DETAILS

Job Title: Clinical Nurse Specialist (Learning Disabilities and Autism)

Reports To: Lead Professional for Learning Disabilities and Autism

Band: 6

Unit/Department: Corporate Nursing, Learning Disabilities and Autism Team

Location : Trustwide, Based at St Jamess University Hospital

AfC Job No: 3289

2. JOB PURPOSE/SUMMARY

The Jobholder is responsible for working with all professional groups throughout the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT) and partner agencies as appropriate. They will support the management of care for people with a learning disability, autism or both. The jobholder carries continuing responsibility for the holistic assessment of care needs, the development, implementation and evaluation of programmes of care and the setting of standards of care. The jobholder will provide specialist nursing care and advice to patients with learning disabilities, autism or both, and to the professionals who support them. They will contribute to the development of the Learning Disability and Autism Service. The jobholder will ensure cost effective use of resources.

The post holder will work with the Learning Disabilities and Autism Team to develop an increased specialist provision for patients and the people who support them.

The post holder will be responsible for direct and indirect patient care, in line with Trust policies.

Along with the service lead, post holder will provide support to the Get Me Better Champions, a group of volunteers with learning disabilities, autism or both.

The post holder will work with the Learning Disabilities and Autism Team to develop the Registered Nurse Learning Disabilities workforce within the Trust, providing supervision to students/learners and junior colleagues as required.

3. ORGANISATIONAL CHART

4. PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Acts in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Code of Conduct

Able to fulfil the NMC requirements to maintain and revalidate registration

Clinical care delivery

- Provide a clinical lead and role model to nursing staff by delivering high quality care.

- Maintain a safe working environment

- Act in such a way that safeguards the health and wellbeing of children and vulnerable adults at all times. Is familiar with and adheres to, the LTHT safeguarding policies.

- Raise concerns with regards to risk, danger, malpractice or wrong doing by following the LTHT Whistleblowing policy and supporting processes.

- Undertake duties on other wards or departments as and when required by service demands or patient need.

Responsibilities for patient and client care

- Assesses, plans, implements and evaluates care and treatments using specialist clinical knowledge and skills.

- Organises own clinical workload.

- Receives supervision of clinical care and outcomes from senior colleagues.

Freedom to act

- Refer patients as appropriate to other members of the multi-disciplinary team

- Make clinical assessments and treatment decisions within clearly defined policies and protocols

Communication

- Maintains accurate clinical and other records using the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trusts documentation.

- Support patients and their families communicating sensitive condition related information and ensuring they receive required information to enable them to participate in their care delivery

- Liaise with Community Services (as appropriate) to ensure seamless provision of care delivery

Education and Training

- Provide training and education of learners and other junior staff

- Participate in own and others appraisals

- Undertake mandatory and priority training within the required time scales

- Provide education and training to patients and their carers.

- Keep up to date with developments, advances within the specialty

Leadership and management

- Investigate and respond to accidents, complaints, untoward incidents and other significant events

- Participates in the setting, monitoring and improvement of standards and the quality of patient care, including those standards defined in the National Benchmarks for Essential Care

- Promote evidence-based practice, wherever possible

- Engages users and carers views on service delivery and development

- Actively promote LTHT, citywide and national strategies

- Actively promote and use the Leeds Improvement method to improve the quality and safety of the service

- Implement policy and practice guidelines specific to the clinical specialty, proposing changes where appropriate

- Contribute to policy and protocol development for speciality area

- Exercises a personal duty of care in relation to equipment, resource and stock control utilising equipment and supplies appropriately.

Research and Audit

- Contribute to the research agenda

- Undertake audit programmes specific to client group, treatments and developments.

- Participate in clinical trials as appropriate.

practical skills or Additional Requirements

Essential

• Excellent communication skills, in a range of styles to suit the audience
• Leadership
• Excellent IT skills, including Microsoft office and clinical systems
• Ability to use research and integrate the evidence base into practice
• Complex reasoning and critical thinking skills, to inform decision making

Skills & behaviours

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Innovator
• Motivator
• Assertiveness
• Flexibility, adaptable, capable of lateral thinking

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Learning Disability Nurse Evidence of continued professional development
• Willing to undergo training as necessary

Desirable

• Trained in Total Communication methods
• Evidence of post graduate study

Experience

Essential

• Significant post registration experience at Band 5 or above (or equivalent), with experience applying knowledge to a broad range of clinically and professionally challenging situations
• Experience of clinical support to people with a Learning Disability, Autism or both as part of a multidisciplinary team (MDT).
• Experience of clinical audit and standard setting
• Experience delivering training
• Experience of service user involvement
• Robust knowledge of the MCA/ MHA frameworks and experience supporting decision making in a patients best interests
• Current issues in healthcare including health inequality
• Awareness of national and local NHS plans for people with Learning Disability, Autism or both
• Understanding of the wider health community
• Standards of professional practice
• Understanding of the local and national agendas for learning disability and autism
• Understanding of the Learning Disability and Autism Improvement Standards
• Awareness of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust guidelines and policies
• Understanding of organisational structures

Desirable

• Service development and/or change management
• Experience of management and supervision
• willingness to train as a LeDeR reviewer, to carry out mortality reviews.
• Experience working with both Adults and Children
• Service development and or 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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).