Lead Nurse of the Child and Adolescent Epilepsy Service

Job responsibilities

• Maintain clinical experience and provide expertise in the specialist area of Paediatric Epilepsy care to patients, families and professionals.
• Liaise with Leicestershire Education and Effectiveness Partnership (LEEP 1) to coordinate training for schools in CYP epilepsy including use of emergency medications and support development of epilepsy champions in schools.
• To provide a nurse-led review clinic to offer additional support to families/carers and consultant team.
• To lead the development of a working partnership with the Learning disability and Autism (LDA) collaborative of LLR ICB and plan for 6 joint clinics (alternate months) per year with specialist LD nurses.
• In collaboration with paediatric education leads, develop dedicated training specific to the Network and ensure a development training programme is in place for nurses and other professionals who may care for children requiring Paediatric Epilepsy Services.
• Develop dedicated guidance, SOPs and protocols in the Paediatric Epilepsy Service as relevant to the development of the Network.
• In conjunction with the wider Epilepsy Nurse Specialist team, work to ensure that transitions in care, for example, between childrens and adult services, are as seamless as possible and that information to support the experience of the whole transition process is accurate and readily available.
• Provide support to patients, their families and professionals around end of life care and unexpected death, working closely with the childrens and adult palliative care services. In particular, work to ensure a consistency of approach and management of expectations for this sometimes very unwell patient group.
• Work with parent/patient representatives and other health personnel to improve patients and families experience throughout their journey.
• Provide advice and clinical support during investigations into specific patient complaints where appropriate.
• Independently prescribe clinically relevant medication for therapeutic effectiveness, appropriate to patient needs and in accordance with evidence- based practice, national and practice protocols and within scope of practice to optimise treatment.
• Work with Data Analysts to coordinate the provision of local information, data and intelligence to support performance monitoring and the strategic development of the service e.g. key performance and quality indicators (Epilepsy 12 National Audit & Core20PLUS5)
• Work collaboratively to help lead the development and practice of audit, research and evidence-based paediatric nursing.
• Work with provider organisations to ensure that best-practice models of care are embedded.
• Advocate on behalf of parents and other service users to ensure high quality care is available and accessible to those who need it across the network.
• Take a whole system approach to ensure the delivery of safe and effective services across the patient pathway.
• Ensure the delivery, monitoring and future planning of Paediatric Epilepsy services are in line with National Standards, NICE guidance, and other relevant service specifications
• With the Epilepsy service Lead Clinician and Managers, develop a risk register to support risk management across the Network
• Support the management of robust clinical governance arrangements for the Network
• Support the development and implementation of Network protocols and standard operating procedures for Paediatric Epilepsy services. Work with shared-care organisations to ensure that best practice models of care are embedded
• Support the development and delivery of an annual audit programme.
• Support the reporting of incidents to the Network and sharing learning between and across organisations. To act as a champion for parent and carer representatives to understand system issues and develop improvement plans, embedding parents and public involvement in policy development and decision making across the Network(s)
• Support investigations into specific patient issues when appropriate.
• Work collaboratively with Paediatric Lead Nurses and Epilepsy Lead Nurses and other regional multi-disciplinary team to
• Achieve national goals and to share learning between Networks.
• Work with Managers and Lead Clinicians to ensure that patient safety is at the centre of patient service
• Ensure that within the service area, governance and risk management are seen to be everyones
• Support systems to record and monitor governance and risk information.
• Help make the case for resources where necessary for submission to the host Trust Management team and local specialist commissioners.
• Contribute to the production of an annual Governance Plan, including relevant clinical audit activity.
• Work with Data Analysts to promote clinical information for benchmarking and audit to improve the patient experience
• Be responsible for management leadership alongside the Lead Clinician, delivering the relevant standards through collaborative working with provider organisations and commissioners.
• Build strong relationships with key stakeholders in all centres across the Network.
• Support the General/Service Manager in producing:A communications strategy to include; engagement with relevant Strategic Clinical Networks, Academic Health Science Networks, charitable organisations, parent/family representatives and members of the public
• A strategy for engagement with children and young people, parents and carers. Provide regular monitoring and reporting on the implementation of a service user engagement strategy. Focus on improving cross-organisations multi-professional clinical engagement and patient/carer engagement to improve pathways of care
• Support the shared-care Trusts to deliver Paediatric Epilepsy Services through the sharing of information and the bringing together of people and ideas in order to effect improvements to the patient pathway.
• Enable the development of consistent provider guidance and improved service standards, in order to ensure a consistent patient/family experience.
• Work collaboratively with clinicians to ensure that patient pathways provide optimal use of limited epilepsy capacity
• Actively seek to participate in Network Educational events.
• Support the development of a Network Educational Strategy.
• Take responsibility for ensuring self and all staff comply with mandatory training and NMC professional re-registration requirements.
• Teach and assist others to develop professionally, reaching their full potential. Encourage professional accountability in others.
• Actively promote and participate in clinical supervision / mentorship or equivalent support mechanisms.
• Collaborate at an international and national level with paediatric and adolescent Epilepsy research and audit.
• The Epilepsy lead nurse will facilitate the involvement of all Epilepyt Specialist Nurses in audit and research relevant to their individual area of expertise and competence

Training and qualification

Essential

• Registration on relevant part of the register with the NMC or HCPC with no restrictions on practice
• Master's level education meeting the requirements of the national framework for Advanced Level Practice
• Knowledge relevant to paediatric epilepsy
• Recognised Teaching & Assessing Qualification
• Mentor qualification
• Research module as part of Master's
• Independent Non-Medical Prescribing (V300) if permitted within professional group

Desirable

• Post graduate management / leadership qualification or willingness to undertake
• IT qualification
• Counselling qualification
• Research qualification

Advanced clinical skills

Essential

• Evidence of developing advanced skills in history taking and physical examination skills within speciality area
• Highly developed communication skills
• Ability to assess, diagnose and action under pressurised environments
• Demonstrates expertise in complex decision making
• Autonomous management of own patient load (ward based or clinic environment)
• Autonomously assess, diagnose and develop management plans for urgently referred patients

Desirable

• Evidence of extensive application of learning in practice
• BLS Parent cascade trainer

Experience

Essential

• Reputation for professional excellence with a track record of advanced theoretical and practical specialist knowledge across the range of paediatric epilepsy, underpinned by theoretical knowledge and relevant practical experience
• Experience of prescribing practice in the last 12 months
• Evidence of involvement in policy and protocol development and implementation and ability to influence service changes
• Significant experience in specialist or practitioner post at Band 7 with knowledge and skills that can be accredited or mapped against the essential criteria of this role
• Experience managing own caseload of patients and autonomous practice
• Experience of teaching, assessing and mentoring of learners
• Experience in audit, research and development
• Evidence of managing/ leading a team.

Desirable

• Experience of leading complex projects to redesign and improve clinical services.
• Experience of working in a strategic role as a senior nurse leader
• Evidence of working with national organisations
• Experience of using data and information in planning and providing services
• Lead in Audit or Research projects
• Evidence of developing nurse or therapy led services and clinics in collaboration or independently of medical consultants
• Evidence of autonomous practice
• Experience of service development

Communication and relationship skills

Essential

• Excellent communication skills (verbal and written).
• Leadership style which promotes collaboration and open two-way communication.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team
• Approachable, reliable, decisive, tactful, respectful and supportive
• Self-motivated and ability to motivate others
• Able to facilitate change.
• Capacity to work with colleagues across all disciplines and at every level within the organisation

Analytical and Judgement skills

Essential

• Understanding of clinical governance and risk management concepts and techniques
• Be able to work as an independent practitioner
• Able to present and receive complex information from the MDT

Desirable

• Able to independently prioritise work and use critical judgement to draw on paediatrician, regional paediatric epilepsy lead and MDT support, as required
• Able to design, execute and evaluate audits (i.e. Epilepsy12)

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Essential

• Able to demonstrate a commitment to and understanding of the importance of treating all individuals with dignity and respect appropriate to their individual needs.
• All staff are expected to engage in compassionate and inclusive leadership in the provision of high quality care and interactions with others

Other

Essential

• A team player with a flexible approach
• Open to new learning opportunities
• Takes responsibility for own personal development
• Able to travel across the network independently (car owner)

Desirable

• Will be able to take lead role in conjunction with Lead Paediatrician for national audit - Epilepsy 12

Skills

Essential

• In-depth specialist knowledge of Paediatric Nursing Care of chronic long-term conditions
• Understanding of Networks
• Patient and carer centred approach to care
• Demonstrate personal and professional pride in nursing and the NHS
• Advocate for patient groups
• Be willing to be adaptable and flexible to meet service requirements.

Desirable

• Experience in clinical research
• Understanding of critical appraisal techniques

Planning and organisation skills

Essential

• Able to articulate advanced practice and professional accountability
• Ability to work on own initiative
• Vision to develop the service and the role of the AP
• Awareness of the national Framework
• Ability to formulate long term strategic plans to develop service across the organisation
• Evidence of management development and leadership development
• Track record of delivering high standards of care
• Ongoing personal and professional development
• Take the lead on identifying the need for change, implementing and evaluating new ways of working

Desirable

• Formulate longterm, strategic plans which involve uncertainty and which may impact across the whole organisation
• Organise relevant teaching for all members of the MDT.

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).