Specialist Practitioner - ADHD

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical Practice

• Work autonomously with accountability for professional decisions, actions, and caseload

• Undertake comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments using advanced clinical judgment

• Gather sufficient information to accurately determine whether ADHD diagnostic criteria are met

• Formulate differential diagnoses where ADHD is not identified, considering physical and mental health conditions

• Apply clinical guidelines, protocols, and decision-support tools to inform decision-making

• Liaise with the multidisciplinary team (MDT) where there is complexity, uncertainty, or scope limitations

• Deliver high-quality, evidence-based care in complex and unpredictable situations

• Develop, implement, and review holistic treatment plans, including medication initiation, monitoring, follow-up, discharge, and onward referral

• Review physical observations and take appropriate action when results fall outside expected parameters

• Provide clear, tailored information, support, and signposting to patients and carers

• Promote self-care, coping strategies, and a person-centred, holistic approach

• Ensure informed decision-making and that the patients voice and preferences are central to care

• Obtain patient or representative consent for information sharing, except where safeguarding dictates otherwise

• Advocate for patients who are unable to represent their own best interests

• Identify when input from external agencies is required and make appropriate referrals

• Identify, assess, and respond to safeguarding concerns for adults and children in line with policy

• Undertake risk assessments for harm to self or others and act to ensure safety

• Collaborate with health and social care professionals, including attending internal and external meetings

• Contribute specialist opinion and information sharing within MDT meetings

• Support shared care arrangements by engaging with primary care colleagues

• Participate in clinical duty functions, responding to ad hoc patient and service requests

• Maintain accurate, timely, and comprehensive clinical documentation

• Prescribe independently and safely within clinical competence for ADHD management

• Initiate, titrate, and review ADHD pharmacotherapy as appropriate

• Apply in-depth pharmacological knowledge, including efficacy, side effects, and interactions

• Base prescribing decisions on evidence and guidance (e.g. NICE, BNF, formulary, protocols)

• Identify and arrange required physical monitoring (including ECGs) and interpret results

• Incorporate patient preferences into all prescribing decisions

• Escalate complex prescribing decisions to the MDT or external services when required

• Identify and manage risks of substance misuse, diversion, or unsafe use

• Prescribe only for ADHD management, ensuring alignment with external clinicians treatment plans

• Provide evidence-based advice and appropriately signpost where advice is outside scope

• Address non-adherence or unsafe medication use to maintain patient safety

  Governance & Quality

  • Contribute to clinical governance, quality, and service strategy within a multidisciplinary team

  • Meet service performance targets to ensure safe and efficient patient flow

  • Participate in supervision, performance review, and appraisal

  • Support incident, complaint, and accident investigations

  • Provide mentorship and support to clinical and non-clinical colleagues as required

  • Communicate service delivery issues to management and contribute to improvement initiatives

  • Participate in audits, research, policy development, and learning from incidents

  • Attend service and clinical governance meetings

  • Support training and education initiatives to improve ADHD understanding across the organisation

  • Identify areas for service improvement and contribute to quality initiatives

  • Understand and support business continuity planning

• Practice in accordance with professional codes of conduct and ethical standards

• Comply with relevant legislation, guidelines, and organisational policies

• Maintain and develop professional knowledge and competence to support evidence-based practice

• Meet registration, revalidation, and mandatory training requirements

• Undertake additional training in line with service needs

• Complete responsibilities in a timely manner to ensure effective patient care

• Deliver a professional, courteous, and efficient service aligned with organisational values

• Maintain a professional environment with attention to privacy, confidentiality, and information governance

• Demonstrate compassion, empathy, tact, and patience in all interactions

• Practice inclusively, respectfully, and without judgement across diverse populations

• Foster effective partnership working with external organisations

• Promote a supportive, respectful, and positive team environment

• Undertake additional reasonable duties as directed by the business

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Full registration with the NMC as a Registered Nurse (Mental Health/Adult/Learning Disabilities)
• No restrictions to practice or cautions on registration
• Level 7 Physical Assessment & History Taking qualification (or equivalent)
• Level 7 Diagnostic Assessment & Decision Making qualification (or equivalent)
• Independent (Non-Medical) Prescribing qualification
• Must be able to demonstrate and meet competencies of all mandatory training as required within the policies of the organisation
• Proactively maintains knowledge and training of current developments in
• clinical practice
• Must be able to clear an enhanced DBS check
• Must possess a valid UK work permit (if appropriate)

Desirable

• Completion of UKAAN course(s)
• Additional ADHD-specific training and education
• Additional clinical qualification or training relevant to position

Experience

Essential

• Minimum of 5 years post-registration
• Minimum 2 years experience in independent ADHD diagnostic assessments
• Minimum 2 years experience as an Independent Prescriber for ADHD treatment
• Significant experience of initiating, titrating, and reviewing ADHD medication regimes independently
• Excellent knowledge of ADHD across the lifespan
• Sound knowledge of a variety of mental health conditions
• Sound general physical health knowledge
• Sound understanding of relevant ADHD-related guidance & quality standards (including NICE NG87, QS39, QS140), related evidence base, and legislation
• Experience of working in a multi- disciplinary team including mentoring of junior staff

Desirable

• Experience of working within a neurodevelopmental service
• Experience of assessing, diagnosing and treating ADHD in adults
• Knowledge of local area health and social care services
• Experience of remote clinical consultations and assessment
• Experience of the Electronic Prescribing System
• Experience of using SystmOne

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Partnering Health Ltd

Address

Onyx,

12 Little Park Farm Road

Fareham

Hampshire

PO15 5TD

Employer's website

https://www.phlgroup.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)