Band 8a Lead Nurse, Learning Disabilities & Autism

Job Summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and autonomous senior practitioner to join the Trust as the Lead Nurse for the Learning Disability & Autism Team. We are looking for a visionary and empathetic nurse with a deep understanding of the complexities and challenges that people with learning disabilities and autistic people face in an acute hospital environment.

Applications are invited from Learning Disability Registered Nurses, who have current significant experience of working with people with learning disabilities and extensive experience of working at Band 7 level or above in an acute healthcare environment.

The successful applicant will be responsible for improving the quality of care received by individuals with a learning disability and autistic people within the acute hospital setting and act as a role model and clinical expert within the specialty of learning disability and autism nursing across all areas of the Trust, supporting clinical staff in the management of care planning for patients.

We are looking for someone who has excellent leadership skills, effective organisational skills, highly developed communication skills and the ability to interact with people from a wide variety of professional backgrounds. As a key member of our leadership team, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the care and experience of patients with learning disabilities and autistic people within our Trust.

Main Duties of the Job

This post has been designed to lead on the continued development of high quality nursing services to meet the holistic needs of patients with Learning Disabilities (LD) & Autism. The post holder provides professional and clinical leadership for adults, children and young people with Learning Disabilities and Autism across Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospital NHS Trust (BHRUT) and lead the Trust's Learning Disabilities & Autism Team for children and adult services.

About Us

We're an organisation that is getting better and better and our improvements are driven by a determination to deliver care we're proud of and our patients are happy with. We're no longer in special measures; we've opened two new theatres at our Elective Surgical Hub in King George Hospital (KGH); and Matthew Trainer, our Chief Executive, has been named the top CEO by the Health Service Journal.

We operate from two main sites - KGH in Goodmayes and Queen's Hospital in Romford. We have two busy emergency departments with more than 330,000 people visiting them last year. We're campaigning to secure the £35m we need to transform the A&E at Queen's and get rid of corridor care.

Our patients are benefitting from our Women's Health Hub in Ilford; an Ageing Well Centre in Hornchurch; and Community Diagnostic Centres (CDC) at Barking Community Hospital and at St George's Health and Wellbeing Hub in Hornchurch.

These CDCs are open 12 hours a day, 7 days a week and are providing an extra 88,000 scans a year.

The majority of our 8,000 staff - who come from 146 different countries - live in the three diverse London boroughs we serve and are from black, Asian and minority ethnic groups. Many can work flexibly and more than 400 of them are on our Ofsted accredited apprenticeship programmes. We're proud to be a London Living Wage employer.

We're looking forward to introducing an electronic patient record that will be transformative for our staff and beneficial for our patients.

Date Posted: 17 February 2025

Pay Scheme: Agenda for Change

Band: Band 8a

Salary: £59,490 to £66,239 a year per annum inclusive

Contract: Permanent

Working Pattern: Full-time

Reference Number: 162-6829-AV

Job Locations: Queen's Hospital, Rom Valley Way, Romford, RM7 0AG

Job Responsibilities

For further information on this role, please see the attached detailed Job Description and Person Specification.

The person specification listed below is not the full specification requirements for the role. Please ensure you review the full specification on the job description prior to submitting your application.

Applicants are advised to read all the information on the advert and the supporting information before completing and submitting an application. As you complete your application please ensure you clearly demonstrate how you meet the criteria in the person specification for this post by adequately completing the supporting information section of the application form.

All new staff appointed at the Trust are subject to a probationary period.

Applications should be made online, however, queries regarding the application process, assistance with completion of the application form or if you require any adjustments (for applicants with a disability) please contact Awosika Paul, Recruitment Advisor, on 01708 435000 ext. 5989. Further details regarding the post may be obtained by contacting the manager as per the contact details above.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications

• Registered Learning Disability Nurse
• First degree in relevant subject

Desirable

• Educated to or working towards Master's degree

Experience/Knowledge

• Proven experience in an acute environment at Band 7 level related to Safeguarding or Learning Disabilities

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.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer Details

Employer Name: Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust

Address: Queen's Hospital, Rom Valley Way, Romford, RM7 0AG

Employer's Website: https://www.bhrhospitals.nhs.uk/