Job responsibilities
1. To assess, plan, implement and evaluate healthcare for CIC, formulating a holistic health care plan for school aged CIC, post 16 young people and care leavers.
2. To support CIC and their carers with the appropriate health advice, information, signposting and referral.
3. To support social work colleagues in ensuring that any health needs identified at childrens initial or review health assessments are promptly addressed with ongoing follow up and reviews.
4. To attend new into care planning meetings and assist with the compilation of information to inform the completion of quality Initial health assessments.
5. To attend and /or provide a written report for any statutory CIC health reviews/care planning meetings or CSE/ Missing from care strategy discussions for CIC
6. To ensure that all CIC are up to date with their immunisations and to organise/and or administer outstanding immunisations in line with the Department of Health guidelines.
7. To establish a drop-in facility in childrens homes
8. To monitor emotional health and stability by interpreting the strengths and difficulties questionnaire scores (SDQs) liaising with the Lead CIC specialist nurse/childs social worker.
9. To attend meetings on behalf of the band 7 CIC specialist nurse in periods of her absence.
10. To Work in conjunction with the Lead Specialist nurse for CIC participating in the delivery of CIC training and the ongoing professional development of health professionals, social workers and foster carers.
Leadership
1. Provides professional leadership and health advice and support to health professionals including health visitors and school nurses and social workers within health and social care settings.
2. Works with a legal, professional and ethical framework established by relevant bodies. e.g. Department of Health, Nursing and Midwifery Council and local health trust policies.
3. To assist and participate in any audits for improving the quality standards for health services for CIC.
4. To Participate in regional and local strategic planning groups within CIC nursing.
5. To Support and encourage community involvement in decision / policy making including the involvement of children/young people and carers.
Clinical Practice
1. To work autonomously within own practice, Responsible for managing a caseload of children and young people in care (school aged, 16+ Not in Education Employment or training (NEET), and Unaccompanied Asylum Seekers (UASC) )
2. To undertake comprehensive health assessments on CIC both in borough and those CIC placed within Bridgewater from Other local authorities in line with good practice and reciprocal working arrangements.
3. To make clinical decisions to satisfy the expectations and demands of the role, supported by relevant evidence based practical theories.
4. To adopt a flexible approach to working which may include travelling out of borough on occasions, or working evenings or weekends, in order to engage with young people and facilitate their access to health services.
5. To be responsible for the recording of personally generated clinical observations and the maintenance of relevant nursing records and reports.
6. To exercise independent prescribing rights in accordance with relevant legislation.
7. To work in conjunction with targeted and universal childrens services to provide health promotion and advice to looked after children and young people, including those not accessing mainstream education
8. To work alongside the lead specialist nurse and named nurse for CIC to support the development, implementation, review and updating of CIC processes and procedures.
Training and Education
1. Professional knowledge acquired through state registration, continuing professional development, specialist knowledge and experience.
2. Ensures own compliance and compliance of others with regard to mandatory training and PREP requirements.
3. Ensures the maintenance of clinical excellence by commitment to the ongoing development and enhancement of own advanced specialist skills within the service area.
4. Utilises computer literacy skills to manage information systems and to enhance presentational skills.
5. Provides specific health related training to other services as directed by the Named Nurse or Lead Specialist nurse for Children in Care
6. Offers clinical support, supervision and shadowing opportunities to health professionals.
Research and Audit
1. Develops a personal development and academic profile.
2. Undertakes clinical audit and development programmes within own specialist area as directed by the Named Nurse and Lead Specialist Nurse for Children in Care
Communication
1. To establish effective networks with health, social care providers and private care providers and voluntary agencies.
2. Uses developed communication skills to involve children and young people, carers and staff within the development of CIC services.
3. To communicate sensitive information to children and carers that enables joint care decisions to be made.
4. To initiate discussion of complex information when planning care management.
Standard Information to be included in all job specifications.
Information Governance
Employees of the Trust must comply with the provisions of the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA).
- The postholder must not; either during the course of their employment, or following termination of their employment, disclose any personal information relating to service users or employees, or of the lawful business practices, of the organisation.
- The postholder must comply with Trust policies that protect the personal data of service users and employees from unauthorised disclosure, modification, destruction, inappropriate access or use and must pay due regard to the requirements of the NHS Confidentiality Code of Practice.
- The postholder will be responsible for maintaining the clinical and or corporate records that fall within the remit of this role to the standards in the Trust records management policies, and data quality processes and standards.
- Postholders with elevated access to IT systems are held accountable to the highest standards of use.
Health & Safety
Compliance with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 the post-holder is required to fulfil a proactive role towards the management of risk in all of their actions. This entails the risk assessment of all situations, the taking of appropriate actions and reporting of all incidents, near misses and hazards, and a statutory duty of care for their own personal safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions.
Mental Capacity Act 2005
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 applies to all Trust staff. It is the responsibility of every person to ensure that they keep up to date with the Act and that the delivery of patient care/services is conducted in line with local and national policy and the MCA Code of Practice.
Safeguarding is Everyones Business
The Trust has a responsibility to ensure that all children / young people and adults are adequately safeguarded and protected. As a consequence, all Trust employees are required to adhere to national and local safeguarding policies / procedures and to act upon any concerns in accordance with them.
Infection Control
It is Trust policy to reduce the risk of Healthcare Associated Infection by having in place Infection Prevention and Control Policies. These policies must be adhered to by all staff to ensure patients are cared for in a clean environment and receive the highest standards of clinical care.
Smoke Free NHS
The NHS is Smoke - Free. Smoking is not permitted on any of our premises or the surrounding land including car parking facilities.
Training
The post-holder must attend any training that is identified as mandatory to their role.
The range of duties and responsibilities outlined above are indicative only and are intended to give an overview of the range and type of duties that will be allocated. They are subject to modification in the light of changing service demands and the development requirements of the post-holder.
Equality and Diversity
It is the responsibility of every person to act in ways that support equality and diversity and work within the spirit and detail of legislation including the Equality Act 2010 and the Human Rights Act 1998.
The Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer and aims to challenge discrimination, promote equality and respect human rights.