Associate Health Advisor

Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust

This job is now closed

Job summary

Interviews will run week commencing 15th January 2024

We are looking for a motivated and enthusiastic Registered Nurse with a strong team-working ethic to join our team in Great Yarmouth as Associate Sexual Health Advisor.

This role is a progressive training post, therefore the successful candidate will be appointed on condition that they successfully complete the agreed learning sets within the expected timescales to obtain the required knowledge and competencies.

Completion of identified learning sets and competencies is essential to continued employment prior to moving into a Band 6 Sexual Health Advisor role.

The successful applicant will need to demonstrate knowledge of Sexual Health & Contraception services and ideally have an understanding and awareness of sexual health advising. The successful candidate will work as a member of the clinical team during the week, with some evening and weekend service provision.

The applicant will work within the Sexual Health Advising team in Norfolk, working to deliver patient care in the Great Yarmouth based iCaSH service, working closely with the Norwich and Kings Lynn based clinics.

The post holder will be expected to liaise with secondary care, General Practitioners and other partner agencies and must be willing to travel to other iCaSH and CCS premises where required.

Please note that should we receive a high number of applications, we reserve the right to close the advert earlier than advertised.

Main duties of the job

To provide advice, information, education, treatment and counselling to patients diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea, herpes, HIV, syphilis and hepatitis.

To participate in the management of the results of tests undertaken within the service and carry out partner notification, ensuring the attendance and treatment of contacts, with support of the Sexual Health Advisor.

Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust provides Integrated Contraception & Sexual Health (iCaSH) across Bedford, Cambridgeshire, Milton Keynes, Norfolk, Peterborough and Suffolk.

The service delivers care specifically to meet the needs of its diverse population. The Norfolk service is community based with three main clinics in Norwich, Great Yarmouth and Kings Lynn, providing contraception, sexual health and HIV care and treatment.

About us

Rated 'Outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission, we are proud to provide high quality innovative services across most of the east of England that enable people to receive care closer to home and live healthier lives.

There's one reason why our services are outstanding - and that's our amazing staff - who, for the seventh year running, rated us incredibly highly in the national staff survey.

If you share our passion for innovative and high-quality care delivery, then please submit your application and join us on our exciting journey as a leading-edge specialist community provider. All are welcome to apply and our promise to you is a culture which prioritises staff engagement and development.

Date posted

14 December 2023

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£28,407 to £34,581 a year per annum, pro-rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

448-AMB-5911667

Job locations

Breydon Clinic

Northgate Hospital, Northgate Street

Great Yarmouth

NR30 1BU

Job description

Job responsibilities

To participate in provision of a vaccination and recall programme for all eligible patients in relation to Sexual Health (where appropriately trained).

To safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

To participate in providing a safe environment whereby patients can discuss their concerns and ask questions.

Under supervision and with support from the Sexual Health Advisors, provide information and health education for patients diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections, providing support and onward referral and/or signposting as required.

To participate in the process of partner notification/management for patients, in order to encourage with index case consent, the attendance of all potentially infected sexual contacts to a sexual health clinic.

Participate in the assessment of factors which might negatively affect a patients sexual health and refer and/or signpost to appropriate specialist services e.g. psychology/ psychiatry, alcohol and drug services.

Ensure at all times that the patients identify and the confidential nature of the information obtained is respected in accordance with the sexually transmitted disease regulations and NHS and Trust policy.

Participate in the recall of clients with untreated infections or those in need of follow-up and/or test of cure by letter, telephone or text. To exchange relevant information about clients and contacts with other sexual health clinics as necessary.

To be competent in the management of under 18 year olds and vulnerable adults working within Fraser Guidelines and liaising with and referring to the multi-disciplinary team & safeguarding services as appropriate

With support from the Sexual Health Advisors, take sexual histories from patients as appropriate and refer on to relevant individuals in the multi-disciplinary team.

With support from the Sexual Health Advisors, provide pre HIV test discussion for high risk patients as appropriate.

To supply treatments and/or vaccinations to patients as prescribed after appropriate training and competency sign off.

To perform phlebotomy as required in accordance with Trust and Departmental guidelines or undertake phlebotomy training.

Maintain accurate patient records, ensuring all entries are dated, signed and designation recorded as in accordance with the Trusts policies and procedures. Participate in submission of clinical data as required, to enable accurate reporting to meet internal local, national and commissioned requirements.

To work alongside the HIV specialist team, providing clinician and patient support (where commissioned).

To work within SSHA guidance e.g. Code of Ethics, Code of Conduct, Guidelines for Good Practice, PN Policy.

Support the management of patient complaints, concerns and incidents as necessary and ensure the correct procedures are followed under guidance from the Clinical Nurse Manager and Sexual Health Advisors.

Ensure any risks or incidents are reported promptly, accurately and via the Trust electronic incident reporting system.

Be involved in any quality assurance initiatives within the clinic and ensure that all actions are carried out within the Trusts policies and procedures.

To continue professional development and training by attendance and contribution at relevant clinic/ Trust/ regional/ national meetings, seminars, workshops and conference, sharing knowledge gained, at clinic level.

To be aware of the ethical, professional and legal frameworks that underpins practice.

To attend departmental and Sexual Health Advisor team meetings.

To work within the competency framework and agreed timescales for the progressive training post of Associate Sexual Health Advisor.

To work within the Society of Sexual Health Advisors (SSHA) guidance.

Communication

Being regularly exposed to sensitive, confidential information, it is imperative to ensure that this is dealt with in line with organisational policies and information governance policy and procedure.

Ensure that all organisational-wide communication is accessed and adhered to accordingly via NHS mail. This also applies to communication sent via internal or external mail, fax or memo and CCS Intranet.

Be conversant with the roles of all the staff within the service and occasionally with other colleagues internal or external to the organisation.

Key working relationships

The general public including patients and their families if appropriate
Head of iCaSH Services
iCaSH Service Manager
Service Support Lead
Clinical Nurse Manager
Administration Lead
iCaSH Locality Team
iCaSH Clinical Team
iCaSH Medical Team
Other Cambridgeshire Community Services employees
iCaSH/CCS Sub Contracted Services
External/Third party organsiations

Budgetary Responsibility

Contribute to the financial delivery of the department objectives

Support with stock control as required.

People Management

Maintain own professional development and requirement to take part in appraisal and KSF process

Participate in Clinical Audit, service development and appropriate research projects with support from the Sexual Health Advisors.

Clinical and Practice Governance

Observe and maintain strict confidentiality with regards to any patient/family/staff/records and information in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act.

Any data that is taken/shared as part of a phone call or transported, faxed or transferred electronically must be undertaken with regard to the Trust Information Governance and Information Security policies.

The post holder must adhere to the Trust risk assessment and risk management processes.

To be aware of Clinical Governance and participate in appropriate governance meetings.

The post holder must adhere to Trust Infection Prevention and Control policies and procedures.

If you are registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council, it is your responsibility to maintain your professional registration and revalidation.

Undertake mandatory training and any other training relevant to the role as required by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust.

The post holder must participate in clinical and safeguarding audits as required.

Provide patients and their families /carers with information on standards they should expect from the team.

Participate in clinical and management supervision on a regular basis.

The post holder is required to participate in relevant emergency preparedness process for their team.