Specialist Nurse CASH

The CASH nurse is a member of a multi-disciplinary team employed to provide an excellent clinical and counselling service to male and female clients of all ages, on all aspects of sexual and reproductive health.

The post holder will assess, plan, implement and evaluate care. The post holder will be required to deliver care in a variety of settings, including outreach venues and non-traditional settings e.g. schools, colleges.

The post holder will demonstrate a high level of skill in clinical practice, supported by specialist knowledge:

• To provide contraception and sexual health services to service users attending the main clinic and outreach settings.
• To promote and support access by looked after young people to mainstream contraceptive and sexual health services.
• To ensure that sexual health needs are addressed including targeting the most vulnerable with complex needs and/or are difficult to reach.

This nurse will work in line with the national strategies for sexual health and our local strategy of working towards reducing the incidence of unwanted pregnancies and rate of sexually transmitted infections.

Main duties of the job

• To linemanage Band 5 Trainee nurses and Band 3 Health Support Workers.
• To ensure smooth running of clinics, including nurse in charge and triaging roles.
• To be responsible for infection control within the clinical settings, management of pharmacy, ordering of clinical equipment, results and auditing.
• To be an effective role model for all junior members of staff.
• Provide a welcoming, non-judgmental confidential service to all clients.
• Make an assessment of the client, take an accurate and relevant medical sexual and social history and reassess at follow up visits.
• Recognise the rights of young people especially in the under 16 age group to a confidential service adhering to the Fraser Guidelines. Be fully aware of, and act in accordance with, child protection policies and guidelines.
• Teach student nurses and post-registration nurses the fundamentals of Sexual & Reproductive Health. Organise a clinical programme of learning in conjunction with the student.
• Be responsible for mentorship and preceptorship of students and staff as required.
• To act as a mentor to students, taking responsibility for completing any learning documentation and assessing their competence to practice.
• Support and advise young people following diagnosis of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.
• To work with young people who have physical and learning disabilities.
• Covering an extra clinic, often at short notice, in order to meet service needs.

About us

Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children's centres, schools and people's homes.

We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.

Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:

• We're Kind
• We're Respectful
• We Listen
• We Care

Job responsibilities

• To enable the client to make informed choices, provide accurate information on all contraceptive methods.
• Teach each method ensuring adaptation of teaching methods to meet individual clients needs.
• Monitor the clients health on a chosen method ensuring the method has been understood and is being used correctly.
• Supply and administer hormonal contraceptives to patients using Patient Group Directions (following appropriate training) audit as and when required.
• Undertake non-medical prescribing training in line with service needs and personal development assessment.
• Perform pregnancy testing. Advise counsel or refer as necessary. Use appropriate care pathway for both wanted and unwanted pregnancies.
• Administer injectable contraception as required.
• Working within departmental guidelines, perform speculum examinations to take smears and swabs. Maintain audit of smears taken and results, following appropriate training.
• Working within the department guidelines performing contraceptive implant insertion and removal (LARC).
• Assist the doctor at fittings of IUD, Implants and chaperone as required.
• Discuss menopausal health issues, including self-help hormone replacement and alternative therapies. Refer as necessary. Monitor the clients health on HRT.
• Record all specimens, taking full responsibility for this task, even if delegated to a non-nursing team member, record and inform patients of results as appropriate.
• Provide health promotion and health education (including pre-conceptual health, breast awareness, cytology, continence and testicular cancer).
• Discuss sexual health and discuss with regard to testing and treatment.
• Prepare and clear away after each clinical session.
• Maintain and control the storage of equipment and materials to ensure the safety of clients and colleagues.
• Assist in audit activity as detailed by Lead nurse.
• Maintain records in line with professional and departmental standards using the Vision IT system.
• Work in accordance with NMC codes and professional standards.
• Be responsible for both professional and organisational knowledge and operate within Trust and Departmental policies and standards.

Person Specification

Education

• Diplomate Assessment of the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (DFSRH / NDFSRH) or Recognised contraception course and/or Recognised sexual health course / GUM qualification

Experience and Qualifications

• Evidence of on-going professional development in relevant area of speciality
• Knowledge and experience of clinical governance issues
• Degree in appropriate health or social science subject
• Non-Medical Prescriber or willing to train
• Experience of working with PGD's

Experience

• 1 year post-registration experience in relevant service

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.