Senior Community Nurse (Learning Disability)

NHS; Preston; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job description

Senior Community Nurse (Learning Disability)

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

The Intensive Support Team is a service designed to support individuals with a learning disability who are struggling with mental health crisis and/or behavioural distress which is placing them at risk of admission to hospital. The team is expected to meet the holistic needs of service users and carers, avoiding hospital admission where possible.

We are looking for a senior nurse with the passion and clinical skills to join our innovative Intensive Support Team. The consultant nurse leads the team of dedicated practitioners to supporting a team caseload of people needing intensive support. There are three locality arms of the team (Spokes) who work in partnership with local service users and key agencies providing vital support in helping people remain safe in the community.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be responsible for providing day to day clinical and operational leadership to an all-age intensive support team. The post requires that an enhanced model of support is delivered daily throughout the year, serving the most vulnerable people in the community, at risk of an admission to a mental health hospital.

The team also offers in-reach to those admitted to hospital working in conjunction with other learning disability teams, leading on formulation, training, and reasonable adjustments that the person might require during their stay. The post holder will work as part of a leadership multi-disciplinary group of senior nurses and allied health professionals, to reduce avoidable admissions to hospital, breakdown of community care, and provide support for those in hospital. The post holder will utilise sound clinical and leadership skills to ensure an evidenced based approach to delivering specialised clinical interventions that include positive behavioural support, specialised adapted mental health assessments and interventions, and robust risk management approaches.

An ability to meet travel requirements of the role is essential, and applicants must be willing to undergo an enhanced CRB check.

About us

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including secondary mental health care across this area. Specialist provision comprises inpatient child and adolescent mental health services, perinatal mental health and forensic services including low and medium secure care.

The Trust also provides a range of physical health and well-being services in the community alongside a range of partners in the Lancashire, Cumbria and Sefton area.

Lancashire & South Cumbria Foundation Trust encourages flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as; term time, part time, compressed hours, flexi-time and career breaks. We encourage applicants to state clearly on their application forms this request and discuss these options at interview.

Job responsibilities

Please see attached the job description and person specification for more information about this role.

Person Specification

Education / Qualification

• Registered nurse Learning Disability Nurse with the appropriate professional body (NMC registered).
• Accredited behavioural qualification at level 5 or above.

Knowledge & Skills

• A sound understanding of the principles and practices of PBS, and the impact of challenging behaviour.
• High level of communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive, abusive or hostile.
• Comprehensive assessment and intervention of challenging behaviour including physical aggression, verbal aggression, self-injurious behaviour and comprehensive assessment and intervention of toileting, feeding and sleeping concerns.
• Knowledge of current models of service for people with Learning disabilities, autism or both.

Experience

• Significant experience of working clinically with people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities and / or an autistic spectrum disorder including the application of Applied Behaviour Analysis and / or Positive Behaviour Support.
• Experience of teaching and training others, using a variety of multi-media materials.
• Experience of partnership working across a range of agencies and professional boundaries.

Personal

• Ability to ensure compliance with CQC requirements.

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.