HIV Specialist Support Worker

Job summary

The Department of Sexual Health at Cardiff Royal Infirmary provides HIV care for around 600 people living with HIV across Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan as well as other areas of Wales. Whilst the medical management of HIV has been transformational over the last 30 years, leading to normalised life expectancy and stable virological suppression for the majority of our patients, there is a need for us to reach those individuals who may benefit from enhanced support to cope with a new HIV diagnosis, to access monitoring and antiretroviral therapy and to achieve and maintain a good quality of life and wellbeing.

The HIV Support Worker will enable us to provide enhanced support for individuals who require it, including outreach work, working as an integral member of the multidisciplinary team. The post holder will also work with our partners and community, supporting joined-up clinical pathways and increasing engagement with the service, leading to improved clinical care for individuals and facilitating ongoing co-production and innovation.

This post is a fixed term/secondment for 12 months to meet the needs of the service. 22.5 hours per week

If you are interested in applying for the secondment position, you must obtain permission from your current line manager prior to applying for this post.

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply.

Main duties of the job

• Maintaining a visible presence in DoSH during the planned sessions or virtual sessions if necessary, including attendance at the monthly HIV MDT meetings.
• Close liaison with DoSH clinicians and operational staff to identify and then support identified patients
• Provide 1:1 intervention with HIV patients to promote self-care and wellbeing; this may take place within or outside of the clinic.
• Practical orientation and support to some of the newly diagnosed HIV patients:
  • Signposting to local services/resources/support groups/and encouraging/supporting participation where there are barriers and empowering patients to maintain and improve their own wellbeing
• Referrals to appropriate local resources, services and community providers
• Supporting patients to register with local GPs, opticians and dentists in a timely fashion
• Creating and maintaining links with local resources, services and community providers in order to interface seamlessly with existing provision
• Support patients in negotiating the welfare and immigration system such as form filling etc.
• Provide advocacy and support for individuals during interactions with other agencies e.g. welfare, employment, immigration, drug and alcohol services.
• Proactive engagement and support for individuals for whom there are barriers to successful engagement with care.

About us

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is one of the largest Integrated Health Boards in the UK, employing over 15,000 staff, providing over 100 specialist services. Working across 6 hospital sites, we have a diverse range of career opportunities to offer. Serving around 500,000 people living in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, we are focussed on the health and care needs of our local population whilst working with our partners to develop regional services.

Our mission is "Caring for People, Keeping People Well",and our vision is that every person's chance of leading a healthy life should be equal. As an organisation we are unashamedly ambitious for our population's health, rising to the challenges of today and tomorrow through our 10-year strategy, Shaping our Future Wellbeing. We are contributing to a healthier Wales with great emphasis placed on innovation and improvement, learning from around the world and leading the way in clinical research. Partnership working is strong at Cardiff and Vale, and we work closely with our staff and our community.

Cardiff, the thriving Welsh capital, is a fantastic city to live and work in with an abundance of sports, arts and cultural attractions. Situated to the west of Cardiff, the Vale of Glamorgan offers a combination of beautiful Welsh countryside and a dramatic natural coastline. Whether city life or rural living, Cardiff and the Vale offers the best of both worlds.