Team Lead - Hospice at Home

Job responsibilities

Post: Team Lead Hospice at Home

Accountable to: Designated Lead within Community Services

Job Purpose and Summary:

To work as a proactive member of the Phyllis Tuckwell (PT) multidisciplinary community team, Hospice at Home. The Team Lead is responsible for providing clinical leadership and for monitoring the delivery of high quality and effective nursing care to patients in the community requiring palliative and end of life nursing care. They will work alongside all community partners and with the Phyllis Tuckwell multi-professional team to ensure that the patients experience is seamless.

The Team Lead will line manage staff members of the Community Ward. They will work with other team leads on a rota, to ensure that there is accessible and visible leadership and effective day-to-day operational management of the team seven days / week including a planned night service staffed by Healthcare Assistants. Working as an autonomous practitioner, they will have professional curiosity and be able to make decisive decisions. The role will share in the co-ordination function as part of their role, clinically prioritising referrals and allocating resources according to clinical need.

As Team Leads, each will have an allocated locality which mirrors other external community services. They will also be responsible for, and lead on, areas of practice, quality improvement, risk management and people management. The role will also ensure that they work effectively with other team leads to ensure that there is continuous improvement, good information sharing and continuity for patients and for clinical colleagues within Hospice at Home, focused on the Community Ward.

Responsibilities

1.0 Clinical

1.1 To assess, plan, co-ordinate, implement and evaluate palliative care interventions based on an agreed plan of care that supports quality and timely care delivered to the patient and family or carer. Assessing the patients changing needs and liaising with other PT specialists or external partners.

1.2 To ensure that care is centred around the person, family and their carer and that effectiveness, clinical safety and a joint approach with community nursing colleagues underpins PT practice.

1.3 To liaise with patients, families, and external partners using highly effective and sensitive communication skills to manage service delivery expectation.

1.4 To act as a resource and support to palliative care colleagues through giving advice, information, support, and education.

1.5 To ensure that clear and concise reports of clinical and other activity are maintained and monitors record keeping standards in accordance with NMC guidelines, community and PT policy.

1.6 To record clinical activity as required by the organisation and practice with due regard to confidentiality and data protection.

1.7 To work with colleagues to assess their clinical competencies as appropriate, providing training and support.

2.0 Professional

2.1 To work in accordance with NMC Code and within the NMC standards.

2.2 To contribute to team cohesion, through ongoing supportive relationships and consideration of colleagues.

2.3 To make autonomous decisions that prioritise the patient's best interests whilst practicing safely within professional and personal limitations.

2.4 To identify and work to mitigate risks, and report accidents or incidents in a timely way, ensuring appropriate action and the optimum safety and wellbeing of patients, their families and colleagues.

2.5 To communicate effectively with team members to support workload planning and care delivery.

2.6 To develop and maintain effective relationships with members of the Primary Health Care Team and all other agencies involved in delivering care in the community.

2.7 To understand and work within the Care Quality Commission Key Lines of Enquiry, community standards for best practice, the PT business plan and the PT philosophy.

2.8 To liaise with professionalism and respect towards all members of the multidisciplinary team who contribute towards the Hospice at Home Service and the wider team supporting the patient and their family at home.

2.9 To represent Phyllis Tuckwell in the public arena and occasionally give educational talks ensuring that the reputation of PT is maintained and enhanced.

3.0 Managerial

3.1 To be familiar with guidelines and regulations relevant to the role and care setting, particularly those relating to clinical and information governance, health and safety at work, and ensure they are met

3.2 To work as a duty manager for Hospice at Home which will involve leading on the day-to-day operational management of the team responding to urgent or emerging and attending meetings as needed.

3.3 To provide supervision and management of the registered nurses and health care assistants ensuring individual 1:1 meetings, induction of new staff, peer observation in practice, appraisals, absence monitoring and ensuring training requirements are met. Support others with line management responsibilities.

3.4 To make clinical decisions about allocation of workload, prioritising referrals based on need and current available resources, to enable the greatest number of patients/carers to receive the service. Working in liaison with the PT community Hub being prepared to adapt quickly to provide appropriate response to rapidly changing clinical situations or altered arrangements.

3.5 To adhere to all Phyllis Tuckwell Policies and Procedures and promote this with the wider team.

3.6 To be aware of the security of the Phyllis Tuckwell (PT) buildings in and out of office hours and report any concerns to the on-call Maintenance Team or on call manager.

3.7 To contribute towards ensuring that exposure to risk is minimised through safe practice and awareness of health and safety and infection prevention and control.

3.8 To report any feedback, concerns and complaints from patients, their relatives, or others acting on their behalf, to the line manager.

3.9 To investigate any incidents or accidents, managing these via the reporting system. Escalating these as appropriate.

3.10 To work with the governance team in preparing, developing and implementing the patient safety agenda for Hospice at Home

3.11 To ensure communication between members of the Hospice at Home team is effective so the care needs to patients are easily transferred to the person or persons assuming continuity of care at shift changeovers.

3.12 To ensure rostering of staff providing equitable coverage.

3.13 To support Managers with the implementation of any service developments.

4.0 Training and Development

a) Team

4.1 To provide clinical and personal support to the other members of the team, thereby promoting and maintaining effective relationships and team working.

4.2 To support a team approach through being proactive and positive.

4.3 To undertake to arrange the orientation programmes of new staff and identify the training and information needs of the Hospice at Home Team [HCAs, RNs and SRNs.]

4.4 To act as a role model for the team and as an assessor and mentor to new staff including student nurses who need to develop skills and acquire experience in the field of palliative care.

B) Personal

4.5 To identify, develop and maintain own knowledge and skills through continual professional development, discussion with an assessor, and through PT Annual Appraisal Process.

5.0 Research

5.1 To participate in research and audit within PT participating where appropriate.

5.2 To take responsibility for specific audits ensuring audits are completed in a timely manner, results communicated to the team, and actions put in place for ongoing improvements in practice.

5.3 To ensure evidence-based practice.

6.0 Safeguarding, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Role holders are required to understand their responsibilities in the safeguarding context, ensuring that Phyllis Tuckwell reduces the risk of harm or abuse of adults and children at risk.

You are required to:

• adhere to Phyllis Tuckwells Safeguarding Policy (held on the NEST), which supports the local authoritys multi agency safeguarding policy, the law (Care Act 2014) and Mental Capacity Act 2005 (including Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards).
• inform the appropriate Phyllis Tuckwell professional where there is concern that an adult or child may be at risk of harm, abuse, or neglect.

Phyllis Tuckwell is committed to an Equal Opportunities approach, valuing, and respecting everyone as individuals, with diverse opinions, cultures, lifestyles, and circumstances.

This job description is underpinned by Phyllis Tuckwells philosophy, culture, and core values, which actively embrace diversity and inclusion and promotes total team spirit.

This job description is current and subject to yearly review in consultation with the jobholder. It is liable to reflect and anticipate necessary changes to support the PT strategy.

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse with current NMC registration in adult or general nursing
• Educated to diploma/degree level or equivalent
• Has Essentials in Palliative Care Course and or palliative care module at degree level, / or is willing to undertake
• Evidence of relevant continuous professional development
• Mentorship qualification/Practice Assessor

Experience

Essential

• Has a range of relevant post registration nursing experience (transferable skills)
• Palliative Care / Oncology / Chronic disease experience / Community
• Insight and experience into the complexities of care in the community
• Can demonstrate relevant competencies and an ability to make autonomous decisions and evidence of leading on specific areas of practice
• Proven leadership experience as a senior nurse / in charge of clinical service area
• Experience of line management and leading others through supervision and appraisal

Desirable

• Experience of change management
• Experience of managing challenging behaviours

Other

Essential

• Motivated and Enthusiastic
• Flexible
• Confident decision maker
• Computer literate - Microsoft office and other applications
• Awareness of resources and ability to operate within parameters
• A full UK driving license and access to a vehicle with Business Insurance
• Ability to work, days, weekends and public holidays

Skills & Knowledge

Essential

• Excellent clinical and assessment skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• High self-awareness and coping strategies
• Ability to work under pressure
• Ability to work on own/under the guidance of colleague.
• Sound knowledge of current issues in nursing, developments
• Ability to work within a multidisciplinary team
• Good prioritisation, organisational and time management skills
• Caseload management
• Good understanding of palliative care and symptom management
• Ability to teach / assist the learning of others
• Knowledge of clinical governance and risk management

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).