Forensic Healthcare Professional - York

PHL Group are looking for a Healthcare Professional working in custody suite covering Scarborough, working alongside police officers to assess and treat individuals detained in Police Custody. Full training will be provided.

Could you identify if a detainee is suffering from a mental health condition? If they are uncooperative or lacking diabetes medication? If they are a substance misuser or suffering from a head injury? Our Forensic HCPS are responsible for assessing and addressing the health needs of detained persons, as well as conducting forensic medical examinations gathering evidence for use in the criminal justice system.

You will be conducting clinical assessments, identifying and implementing appropriate interventions, and collecting forensic samples. Providing advice and guidance to ensure appropriate care is maintained and keeping detailed and accurate records to ensure the health, safety and welfare of detained persons held in police custody.

We encourage you to contact us for an informal visit to the custody suite in order to see for yourself how varied and challenging this role can be.

Hours: 37.5 to 42 hours per week

Main duties of the job

Forensic Healthcare Professional Skills and Experience:

• Effectively deliver the requirements of the forensic practitioner service following the Codes of Practice of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and locally agreed protocols.
• Keep accurate, complete and contemporaneous notes of work carried out, including the recording of injuries. Ensure all activities are logged using the systems in use.
• Provide advice and support to Custody Officers in determining the health care needs of detainees and the priorities of care. Seek telephone advice and refer cases to the Consultant FME when required.
• Provide a professional, responsive and caring service to detained persons in the custody environment to support the Custody Sergeant and Officers in assessing the healthcare needs of detained persons and an effective care pathway throughout their time in custody.
• Determine an individual's fitness to be detained, fitness to be released, fitness to be interviewed, and competence to understand charge.
• Assessment of alcohol and drug intoxication and withdrawal.

Job responsibilities

As a Health Care Professional, you will be joining our team of clinicians who are on hand 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to assess and address the health needs of detained persons, as well as conducting forensic medical examinations gathering evidence for use in the criminal justice system. The role will involve conducting clinical assessments, identifying and implementing appropriate interventions, collecting forensic samples, providing advice and guidance, and maintaining detailed and accurate records to ensure the health, safety and welfare of detained persons held in police custody.

CARING

• Provide a professional, responsive and caring service to detained persons in the custody environment to support the Custody Sergeant and Custody Officers in assessing the healthcare needs of detained persons and an effective care pathway throughout their time in custody.
• Carry out forensic sampling.
• Determine an individual's fitness to be detained, fitness to be released, fitness to be interviewed, and competence to understand charge.
• Assessment of alcohol and drug intoxication and withdrawal and retrieval of blood samples under the Road Traffic Act.
• Provide advice and support to Custody Officers in determining the health care needs of detainees and the priorities of care. Seek telephone advice and refer cases to the Consultant FME when required.

EFFICIENT

• Effectively deliver the requirements of the forensic practitioner service following the Codes of Practice of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and locally agreed protocols.
• Abide by the NMC/HCPC code of conduct, maintain professional development through training and experience, and use opportunities to promote the role of nurses and paramedics in the custody setting.
• Keep accurate, complete and contemporaneous notes of work carried out, including the recording of injuries. Ensure all activities are logged using the systems in use.
• Participate in the collection of data for service audits and other mechanisms for achieving continuous service improvement.
• Keep up to date on current internal and external procedures and regulations.

RESPECT

• Develop positive working relationships with Consultant FMEs and doctors, custody staff, police officers, local healthcare providers, drug referral workers, and other organisations which can contribute to service excellence.

TEAMWORK

• Work with other members of the team to ensure that a high quality service is provided at all times.
• Work cooperatively and productively, openly exchanging information and supporting colleagues to achieve team goals.
• Assist in the training of new team members.

ACCOUNTABILITY

• Be accountable for decisions made based upon a strict interpretation of rules, regulations and procedures.

FUN

• Be a positive, committed team member, who partakes in the more light-hearted interactions with clinical and custody colleagues, in what can be a challenging environment.

Person Specification

Experience

• Registered Nurse or Paramedic with minimum of 3 years post-qualification service.
• Have been continuously resident in the UK for at least 3 years.
• A full UK driving licence.
• Registered as RGN or Paramedic.
• Competent in oral and written English.
• Full membership of the NMC/HCPC.

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.