Specialist Community Learning Disability Nurse

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY

The post holder carries the responsibility for a defined caseload working with adults in the Community team for people with Learning Disabilities. The caseload will include clients of all levels of ability as defined by the team criteria. The post holder will serve as an effective member of the multi-disciplinary team. The post holder will promote a consistent multi-agency approach.

The post holder will contribute to the leadership and development of the Specialist Learning Disability Health team in accordance within local and national guidance

The post holder will have the ability to work independently as specialist individual practitioner and make autonomous decisions as required. Have good clinical, management and leadership skills.

KEY RESULT AREAS:

Management

To promote positive leadership through excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

To liaise with members of the multi-agency, multi-disciplinary teams.

Support the effective management of resources and delegation as required.

Provide audit information as necessary.

Manage patient crisis and respond in a timely manner.

Contribute towards care management processes where appropriate.

Manage an individual caseload by prioritising need.

Support junior nursing staff in the implementation of their duties.

Organise and contribute to patient reviews as necessary.

To ensure that existing, relevant, agreed local district policies are known and adhered to within the nursing team.

Contribute towards screening of referrals, taking enquiries and signposting to other services.

Report untoward occurrences to Nurse Lead/Operational Team Manager and record on datix.

Professional

To be personally responsible for keeping a breadth of changes in the nursing profession in terms of clinical development, nursing education and care management.

Ensure that they receive regular clinical supervision.

Support initiatives in progressive client care that are evidence based.

To be aware of current legislation, terms and development within Learning Disability Services.

To undertake training and continued professional development as agreed with the lead nurse/operational team manager

To advise the Lead Nurse/Operational Team Manager of shortcomings of the nursing service suggesting appropriate actions.

To ensure that the policy for safe usage and storage of drugs is adhered to on Trust premises or in the community.

Provide clinical supervision and professional advice/support to all nursing staff and other appropriate disciplines.

Liaise with specialist clinics in relation to medical and patient nurse support where appropriate

Support health improvement initiatives.

Ensure that professional registration is maintained.

Personnel

Maintain staff moral and provide junior staff emotional and professional support and supervision.

Education

Support a suitable learning environment for all staff, implementation of teaching programs

and supervision of learners in accordance with requirements of the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the University curriculum.

Facilitate and undertake the training and development of staff in areas of responsibility.

Co-ordinate teaching activities for team member, student nurses, health professionals and other professionals patients and carers as appropriate.

Support and engage in pre-registrations to university teaching programmes.

Patient Care

Assessing, planning, implementing, evaluating programmes of care to meet identified needs, through close liaison with clients, carers and other professionals.

Devise specialist individual programmes of care.

Ensure interventions are based on research findings or evidence based practice.

Ensuring all nursing records are current accurate defensible and audited periodically.

Plan and prioritising care within the delegated team.

Practice health promotion advice to clients/carers/multi-agency workers during episodes of care.

Educating clients and carers during episode of care.

Assess and manage report and record risk in accordance with trust policy.

Monitor patient care and supervise junior staff to enable them to actively undertake aspects of client care and ensure that their recording is current and accurate.

Provide a high level of specialist health facilitation to individual patients or to improve practice in health or social care settings.

Evaluate assessment information for planning patient care and interventions.

Undertake Safeguarding investigators role (training will be given)

Contribute to an individuals development planning and support to families, including parents with Learning Disabilities.

Patient Support

The post holder will promote and contribute to the ongoing care of the client. This will include emotional and professional support to clients and carers during episodes of care.

Work collaboratively with housing, education, social care and community team members to participate in assessment and care management/care planning, child protection, undertake risk assessment to ensure client focus care packages are developed and implemented where appropriate

Attend appropriate residential respite care, education, child protection, panel meeting/ reviews. Establish close working links with other services.

Supporting clients to access specialist learning disability outpatients clinics, primary health care services and acute health care services ad providing reports when necessary.

Provide for the timely efficient discharge of patients after episodes of care through agreement and supervision

Undertake continuing health needs assessments for care management in line with locality arrangements

Prepare reports as required to support patient care clinically, for reviews or fulfilling legal requirements.

Undertake the direct health facilitation role for vulnerable patients within all health and social care setting both to enhance patient care and positive practice.

Support specialist MH assessment with medical staff approved social workers or crisis resolution teams.

Provide flexible support in crisis and at unsocial times as necessary in agreement with senior staff.

Contribute towards colleagues assessments where appropriate

Provide general and signposting advice, guidance to meet patient carers needs.

Make formal professional referral to other clinical professionals or service as required by patient needs.

Assess patient continence needs and provide practical, emotional and behavioural advice and arrange the supply of continence aids and their review in line with locality arrangements

Core Competencies

The post holder will respect people as individuals and will demonstrate this in all aspects of care given. This includes the promotion of equality for all individuals by:

Ensuring the clients privacy and dignity are respected at all times.

Promoting and ensuring the protection of vulnerable individuals from abuse and exploitation by adhering to Adult Abuse and Child Protection Multi-Agency Policy and Procedure.

The promotion of anti-discriminatory practice.

Maintaining the confidentiality of information.

Promoting and supporting individuals rights, choices and development.

Acknowledging individuals personal and spiritual beliefs and identity.

Supporting individuals and referring to Advocacy Services as appropriate.

The post holder will contribute to improving the service provided. This includes:

Promoting and maintaining the health and well-being of clients at all times.

Taking an active role in research projects and attaining a high standard of clinical effectiveness.

Contributing to local continuous quality improvement (CQI) initiative, standard setting and audit (Clinical/Service Governance)

Provide information and support to managers for larger scale service improvements.

Accept and assist in implementing agreed changes required by purchasers of the service.

Responding positively to clients or their carers comments or complaints.

Accepting responsibility for self-development.

The post holder will understand their role within the team, also the roles and contribution of fellow team members. This will include:

Promoting and co-ordinating the philosophy of care in all aspects of care delivery for adults with Learning Disability.

Working in partnership with others to ensure specialist care is delivered in an effective way.

The post holder will promote a positive image of the Trust at all times. This includes:

Upholding and enhancing the good standing and reputation of the Trust.

Dealing with incidents appropriately and according to Trust policy.

Seek opportunity to promote the Trust and its service to clients and purchasers of care.

Provide accurate and timely activity information to ensure contracting and reporting data can be provided to managers.

For full details of the role please see the supporting documents attached.

Training

Essential

• Professional knowledge relevant to practise acquired by degree, diploma, specialist training and short courses.

Desirable

• Further training in areas relevant to practise eg, autism, challenging behaviour, long term conditions.

Physical Attributes

Essential

• Ability to undertake the duties and demands of the post.
• A satisfactory sickness record over the previous 2 years (subject to the need to act with fairness and equality of opportunity, particularly where the sickness is related to a disability and/or pregnancy).

Experience

Essential

• Substantial post qualifying experience in care of people with a learning disability.
• Contributed to and Worked as a member of a multi-disciplinary team.

Desirable

• Managing Care.
• Service Development.
• Working with families and carers.
• Care Management.

Special Knowledge/Skills

Essential

• Specialist Knowledge across a range of areas relevant to practise underpinned by theory.
• Current philosophy underpinning learning disability community care provision.
• Planning and organising skills.
• Health promoting/facilitation.
• Teaching practice.
• Health promoting/facilitation.

Desirable

• Knowledge and understanding of cultural and diversity issues.
• Mental Health.
• Challenging Behaviour.
• Complex health needs.

Qualifications

Essential

• RNLD.
• Teaching qualification.

Desirable

• Evidence of additional academic study at Diploma / Degree level.

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Self Motivated
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Enthusiasm.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• A current driving licence and access to a car during the working day is essential (reasonable adjustments will be considered for any applicants who are unable to drive due to a disability).

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).