Job summary
Clozapine is an atypical anti-psychotic medication used for the treatment of refractive psychosis. There are very dangerous, even fatal side effects that must be strictly monitored and managed in a specialist environment.
The Tower Hamlets Clozapine Clinic is an outpatient service that provides direct care to a current caseload of 205 Service Users. The Clinic works with all Consultants, NMHT's, Wards, HTT and GP's across the borough and outside.
The mainstay of care is carried out in the Clozapine Clinic but home visiting also frequently occurs. The Clinic is responsible for ensuring high standards of care for this Service User group. In order to provide the highest standards and safest care for this client group care is standardised and centralised in order to ensure that all care is managed within a proactive specialist environment.
Within the Clinic environment the following is carried out:
Cardiovascular and weight observation, Side effect monitoring, healthy living advice, close diabetes monitoring, ECG, referral to primary care/ tertiary providers, venepuncture and issuing of medications.
Main duties of the job
To manage and provide a dynamic, supportive service with emphasis on education and training with a view to working collaboratively with service users and carers in the management of their medication The team has established and maintains strong working relationships with statutory and non-statutory community services. Therefore, good communication and negotiation skills will be required as well as an understanding of the meaning of partnership.
The post holder will be an active member of the multidisciplinary team providing care and support to people with severe and enduring mental health needs who require treatment with Clozapine. To have clinical, managerial and budgetary responsibility for the borough wide clinic for service users who are prescribed clozapine.
About us
Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive - so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Kindly refer to the job description and person specification that is attached to the vacancy profile.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Kindly refer to the job description and person specification that is attached to the vacancy profile.
Person Specification
Other
Desirable
- oTo be a qualified independent nurse prescriber or willing to undertake this course
Education/Qualification/Training
Essential
- Registered Nurse (Mental Health Diploma, Degree, Post Graduate Diploma).
- Evidence of continued professional development
Desirable
- Certificate of competence in Phlebotomy
- PocHi-100i training provided by Sysmex UK or a willingness to undertake
- Mentorship qualification (Supporting and assessing learning in practice settings or equivalent) or willingness to complete.
Experience
Essential
- Working with people with mental health and physical health problems.
- Working within a multidisciplinary team environment.
- oManaging challenging and aggressive behaviour. The Clozapine Clinic can frequently be a high pressure environment where verbal violence, physical threats and assault can occur on an ongoing basis. You will have excellent communication, negotiation and de-escalation skills
- oYou will have developed highly specialised physical/mental health care skills and knowledge.
Desirable
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- To have clinical, managerial and budgetary responsibility for the borough wide clinic for service users who are prescribed clozapine
- Good verbal and written communication skills appropriate to the needs of the patient group and clinical speciality
- To take a leading role in the above particularly for those with complex needs
- To promote evidence based practice in the use of Clozapine and other anti-psychotic medication
- To assist in the producing of and promote guidelines around safe usage of Clozapine. In addition, assisting in the provision of physical observation monitoring in line with current health promotion practices
Desirable
- To provide the phlebotomy service to Clozapine service users attending the Clinic
- To provide leadership in good clinical practice in venepuncture carried out at the Clinic
Person Specification
Other
Desirable
- oTo be a qualified independent nurse prescriber or willing to undertake this course
Education/Qualification/Training
Essential
- Registered Nurse (Mental Health Diploma, Degree, Post Graduate Diploma).
- Evidence of continued professional development
Desirable
- Certificate of competence in Phlebotomy
- PocHi-100i training provided by Sysmex UK or a willingness to undertake
- Mentorship qualification (Supporting and assessing learning in practice settings or equivalent) or willingness to complete.
Experience
Essential
- Working with people with mental health and physical health problems.
- Working within a multidisciplinary team environment.
- oManaging challenging and aggressive behaviour. The Clozapine Clinic can frequently be a high pressure environment where verbal violence, physical threats and assault can occur on an ongoing basis. You will have excellent communication, negotiation and de-escalation skills
- oYou will have developed highly specialised physical/mental health care skills and knowledge.
Desirable
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- To have clinical, managerial and budgetary responsibility for the borough wide clinic for service users who are prescribed clozapine
- Good verbal and written communication skills appropriate to the needs of the patient group and clinical speciality
- To take a leading role in the above particularly for those with complex needs
- To promote evidence based practice in the use of Clozapine and other anti-psychotic medication
- To assist in the producing of and promote guidelines around safe usage of Clozapine. In addition, assisting in the provision of physical observation monitoring in line with current health promotion practices
Desirable
- To provide the phlebotomy service to Clozapine service users attending the Clinic
- To provide leadership in good clinical practice in venepuncture carried out at the Clinic
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
