Occupational Health and Wellbeing Specialist Nurse,

Job responsibilities

Post Title: Occupational Health Nurse

Pay Band: Agenda for Change Band 6

Hours: 37.5

Contract: Permanent

Location / Department: Working Well Centre Newtown Road Worcester

Accountable to: Head of OH and Wellbeing Services

Reports to: Deputy Occupational Health Nurse Manager

Key Working Relationships:

All stakeholders Other NHS Occupational Health and Wellbeing Services, Other non NHS Organisations, Clinical Commissioning Groups.

Risk Assessment: Working with VDUs, some manual handling/repetitive tasks. Potential exposure to distressed and or verbally aggressive individuals. The role can be emotionally challenging at times.

Job Purpose:

To support and contribute to the effective provision of a high quality Occupational Health and Wellbeing Service to the Trust and other public sector and private organisations.

To promote and maintain a systematic, holistic approach to occupational health and wellbeing provision, its implementation and evaluation.

To participate in identifying and maintaining a safe working environment and preventing ill health that may be associated with work.

The post holder would be able to gain experience and contribute by participating in the management of the service alongside more senior staff.

To contribute to an atmosphere conducive to learning, audit and the use of research based/best practice guidelines.

Key Duties:

Work autonomously and independently and where appropriate seek support and guidance in relation to more complex issues. Will be required to work alone as well as within the team.

Maintain and safeguard accurate confidential clinical records including the recording of clinical outcomes and observations, tests results, and the secure storage of patient identifiable information on the OH management system Cority in in accordance with Data Protection Act and Caldicott Principles, information governance and relevant legislation.

Undertake assessments and provide health at work advice to managers and staff following a referral during their employment. To inform managers of the findings within the defined department timescales and in line with confidentiality and consent requirements.

Support individuals in the workplace and support managers to promote health at work, protection of the employees health at work, and supporting employees with specific needs. Respond to Management referrals by providing clear concise written reports advising on fitness to work, rehabilitation and phased return to work programmes, ensuring that appropriate information is provided regarding the Disability aspect of the Equality Act 2010 including advice on reasonable adjustments to the workplace. Where appropriate refer cases to other specialists when required i.e. Physiotherapy, Occupational Health Physician, staff psychology team as per OH protocol and procedure.

Assess the need for, and undertake periodic health surveillance while maintaining a high standard of professional expertise and raise any areas of concern where appropriate.

Utilise counselling skills to support staff and managers and determine when further referral to external networks would be appropriate.

Delivery of immunisation programmes including venepuncture.

To regularly undertake the role of the Duty Nurse, providing telephone advice to all staff/managers on any Occupational Health concern, which may include self referrals, pre-employment health issues, fitness to work, blood and body fluid exposure incidents.

Assist with the management of infection control issues including the contact tracing and screening of exposed staff according to the Trust Infection Control Policy.

Use skills to interpret results and take appropriate action in line with Department of Health guidelines, legislation and Trust policies.

Ability to acknowledge limitations to own level of competence and exercise professional clinical judgment in complex clinical cases where the support of the OH Manager or Occupational Health Physician may be required; particularly for non-routine more complex issues.

Advise staff and managers of the health and safety regulations, duties and responsibilities as appropriate working closely with the Trusts Health and Safety Team.

To support colleagues in the co-ordination of projects relating to health and well-being promotion activities.

To attend meetings as OH representative, where appropriate.

To be fully aware of the workplace and its risks to health, visit areas as and when required and send appropriate reports to Managers.

To participate in clinical audit.

Develop own knowledge and skills and contribute to the development of others. To act as a preceptor to junior staff and participate in teaching and attend mandatory training days.

To monitor, audit and evaluate occupational health practices and interventions and develop options for improvement where necessary.

General Duties:

• Ensure workload is prioritised in accordance with the needs of the service.
• To be actively involved in the Trusts annual flu campaign.
• To assist with OH policy development.
• Assist colleagues in the induction process of new occupational health staff, training where necessary.
• Participate in occupational health team meetings.
• Maintain the health, safety and welfare of occupational health staff, employees and visitors by ensuring a safe working environment.
• Ensure occupational health stock levels and supplies are maintained appropriately in accordance with the needs of the service ensuring value for money and mindful of budgetary requirements.
• Ensure specialist equipment is secure, in good working order and is routinely calibrated according to the manufacturers recommendation and report appropriately when defective.
• Day to day responsibility for preparation and carrying out your own clinics.

To discharge all duties in a professional manner to ensure:

• Ethical standards are established and maintained as set by NMC (Nursing Midwifery Council).
• Confidentiality of records and other information
• Correct storage of medicines and drugs in the Service
• The provisions of accurate documentation
• High hygienic standards within the clinical areas

Undertake any other similar duties in line with the key purpose of the job.

Training and Development

• Continually update and maintain own self-development.
• Maintain clinical practice and registration in accordance with NMC Codes.
• To have an annual appraisal in line with department and Trust objectives.
• To attend study days and mandatory training courses.
• To attend Departmental Team Meetings and clinical supervision sessions.

personal qualities

Essential

• Ability to energise and engage self and others
• Evidence of practicing the WAHT Values and Behaviours

Experience

Essential

• Substantial post registration experience in general nursing
• Substantial Occupational Health experience
• Supervision of junior staff
• Experience of coordinating clinics and service requirements

Desirable

• NHS Occupational Health experience

Skills and knowledge

Essential

• Up to date knowledge of current clinical and professional issues including NHS /DH /HSE legislation
• Knowledge of evidence based practice
• Awareness of changes within the Occupational Health speciality
• Ability to assess clients presenting to Occupational Health, plan and provide specialist advice dependent upon their particular health care need and work related issues
• Experience of undertaking audit or nursing research
• Supervisory experience of junior members of a team
• Knowledge of the health and Wellbeing agenda
• Ability to be able to decide how best to achieve expected results, whilst acting within clearly defined policies/ procedures and codes of conduct.
• Willingness to travel and work across site as required.
• Ability to carry out CPR
• Excellent IT skills: Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint

Desirable

• Presentation skills
• Venepuncture skills
• Immunisation skills
• Spirometry skills

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered nurse NMC Sub part 3 BSc SCPHN OH
• Diploma in OH nursing
• NEBOSH qualification
• Relevant teaching qualification
• Relevant health promotion qualification
• Relevant management qualification

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).