Health Visitor

Job description

Job responsibilities

Main Duties and Responsibilities

To work as part of a multidisciplinary team to identify the health needs of children and young people, their families and the community and contribute to developing a strategy to address individual identified needs as well as those needs within the community

To use knowledge and skills to assess, plan, implement and evaluate packages of care.

To identify health needs within a geographical corporate caseload/ community.

To clinically triage the Single Point of Access (SPA) as required in accordance with agreed procedures.

Promote local and national public health priorities.

Respond to health needs assessments by referring to other professionals (e.g. GPs, consultants, speech and language therapists), and statutory and voluntary agencies (e.g. social care, housing, HomeStart).

To work with the Locality Lead to support children, young people and families who are considered to be vulnerable or at risk. To adhere to current safeguarding procedures, and participate in child protection case conferences and case review meetings as required.

Participate in all statutory processes in respect of safeguarding including provision of witness statements, court reports and court attendance.

Undertake programmes of care in partnership with parents, foster parents and other agencies, designed to safeguard children and minimise risk.

Identify children with special educational needs and disability and facilitate support and referrals to maximise developmental potential. Act as a key worker when indicated, ensuring effective, efficient and appropriate care plans.

To provide cover for colleagues as requested by your manager.

To plan evidence-based health promotion programmes, order resources, compile teaching plans with aims, objectives and outcomes, and evaluate the sessions.

Actively promote community participation and work within a community development / capacity building framework within a multi-agency context.

To act as a health link for other agencies, e.g. Children Centres, GPs, voluntary services, public and private agencies and work closely with partner agencies to promote the health and wellbeing of children, young people and families

Demonstrate reflective and evidence-based practice and use this to influence strategy and policy development.

To be competent as a non-medical prescriber maintaining NMC registration and competencies if holds qualification.

To hold a special interest role and support other staff within the locality and service.

To link practice with local and national targets and deliver public health programmes based on current priorities and targets.

To contribute to the development of local policies and procedures relevant to their area of work.

To take responsibility for their own clinical practice including clinical supervision and to adhere to the NMC code of conduct.

To actively participate in reflective practice development through annual clinical observations.

To maintain live mentor status and contribute to a learning environment for SCPHNs, return to practice SCPHNs, new staff members and pre-registration students.

Communication

To communicate complex and sensitive information concerning the child or young persons condition to the childs parents/carers and young person. Able to communicate effectively using appropriate methods and recognising barriers to communication.

To communicate within the multi-disciplinary team and model effective team working and communication skills, supporting change within the service.

To develop links with childrens centres, schools and other agencies involved in promoting childrens well-being.

To work closely with other professional teams and key stakeholders including service users, statutory and non-statutory organisations.

To act as first line response to complaints working within national and corporate guidelines.

To contribute to the training of students of nursing and other disciplines, during community experience programmes.

Budgetary Responsibility

To maintain stock control.

To demonstrate responsible use of resources, with an awareness of budgetary restraints.

To ensure health monitoring equipment is operating to a high standard, maintained and calibrated.

Take responsibility to minimise incurred expenditure e.g. Mileage, telephone calls use of stationary etc.

People Management

To ensure appropriate delegation, allocation and supervision of work and packages of care to the skill mix team. To include caseload support, monitoring and counter signing records on completion of the allocated intervention work.

To contribute to the training of students of nursing and other disciplines, during community experience programmes.

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

To delegate work to other members of the team related to their capabilities and competencies, ensuring there is clarity regarding the feedback mechanisms.

Research & Development Activity

Contributes to clinical audit and research highlighting unmet needs within the practice population.

Contributes to the maintenance of the Health Profile of the practice population.

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.

The post holder must adhere to infection control policies and procedures.

It is a condition of your employment that you are currently registered with the NMC, and it is your responsibility to maintain your professional registration.

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

It is a condition of your employment that you are currently registered with NMC, and it is your responsibility to maintain your professional registration.

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 reflective/ clinical supervision on a regular basis.

Participate and lead caseload review within the locality.

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

To write records in a concise, accurate and timely manner in line with Cambridgeshire Community Services Record Keeping Policy.

To participate in clinical pathway developments and service improvements.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential

• Community Specialist Practitioner in Public Health Nursing (SCPHN) - Health Visitor-at Honours Degree, Diploma or Masters Level
• Registered Nurse with UK NMC (RGN/RMN/RSCN/RN-LD)
• Mentor/998 or equivalent teaching qualification (course to be undertaken within 1 year of commencement of post if no qualification)
• Registered midwife

Desirable

• Management and leadership qualification

Experience

Essential

• Working with people within clinic/home and community settings
• Partnership and interagency working
• Experience with children and their families
• Experience of working in the community
• Experience of Safeguarding

Desirable

• Leadership and management of staff
• Experience of Mentoring
• Work with different communities including minority and ethnic groups.
• Working with groups

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• High level of clinical skills, with the ability to identify, respond to and evaluate health needs.
• Knowledge and effective skills in using evidence based models of intervention to deliver successful outcomes and an ability to bring research into practice
• Current knowledge of local and national policies informing Health Visiting practice
• Ability to communicate effectively with children, parents and Early Years settings and other health organisations
• Ability to work flexibly as part of a team
• Current driving licence

Desirable

• Initiating and managing change

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust

Address

The Peacock Centre

Mill Road

Cambridge

CB1 3DF

Employer's website

https://www.cambscommunityservices.nhs.uk/careers (Opens in a new tab)