Virtual Ward Senior Practitioner

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust; Bletchley; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000

Job description

Job Overview

We are looking for experienced Registered Nurses/Advanced Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Clinical Practitioner/Paramedics to join the team on a fixed term contract as a Virtual Ward Senior Practitioner.

The Virtual Ward is a new and innovative integrated service with the aim to support people to receive the care they need at home, rather than in hospital. There is a growing evidence base that demonstrates patient, system and public benefits to the Virtual Ward model.

Within Milton Keynes the focus has initially been on Frailty, but there are now Respiratory and Cardiology wards open, with higher level pathways in development. The model is a Hospital at Home focus with the main bulk of clinical assessment completed face to face using technology such as Point of Care testing, ECGs and other interventions to enable patients to be assessed and managed safely at home.

The successful applicant will provide high level patient care using advanced assessment skills working in partnership with the acute hospital. They will need to be dynamic, flexible and adaptable to ensure the provision of high quality, holistic evidence based care for patients on ward.

Applicants must have a full UK drivers licence and access to a car.

Main duties of the job

The Registered Nurse / Advanced Clinical Practitioner / Advanced Nurse Practitioner / Paramedic will provide a high level of expertise with regard to advanced triage assessment skills, expert clinical care and nursing/paramedic knowledge, and will provide support and advice to patients and health care professionals. The post holder will determine an appropriate patient pathway and provide care for acutely ill patients in the community and across virtual wards to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions and support with early discharge from the acute hospital.

The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.

Working for our organisation

We can offer regular 1:1 formal and informal supervision, a comprehensive induction and be able to participate in self directed learning, completion of competencies, training opportunities, collaborative working across Milton Keynes Community Health Services and QI project work.

You will have access to a laptop, mobile phone, uniform and have your mileage expenses paid for.

And if you thought there was something more you were looking for, then CNWL can offer:

• Flexible working
• Buying and selling annual leave
• An attractive pension scheme (including a tax-free lump sum on retirement and family benefits from dependents, ill health retirement benefits and life assurance cover of twice your annual pay)
• Employee assistance programme: a free and confidential service to help with personal life
• Staying well at work service for tailored employment related support to staff
• Staff wellbeing zone for free and confidential online health and wellbeing programmes
• The Recovery College offers a range of health and wellbeing courses for staff
• A range of staff networks: The PRIDE@CNWL Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and other sexual and gender minorities (LGBT+) network
• Disabled employee’s network
• Lived Experience of Mental Health staff network
• Carers at Work network

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

• Undertake advanced clinical assessment of patients on the Virtual Ward and develop, implement and evaluate care and treatment plans.
• Ensure the day to day operational delivery of high-quality care for those patients admitted to the virtual ward. This role will include working across the wider health system to ensure the delivery of proactive management of this group of patients.
• Confidently lead, and work with, a variety of MDT’s and across the health system to help create clinical management plans to support patients to remain at home. This will include the development of clinical pathways with Milton Keynes University Hospital (MKUH) and the new SDEC centre (Same Day Emergency Care).
• Support the development and delivery of new national initiatives in relation to virtual ward.
• Work as a coordinator for the patient pathways within the Virtual Ward, recognising individuals’ specialisms and skill set. Coordinate regular clinical meetings ensuring patient information is accurate and decisions are agreed at the meetings.
• Be responsible for the remote monitoring of patients (using Doccla) across a variety of clinical pathways including respiratory and frailty.
• Ensure there is an effective referral pathway for the Virtual Ward including initial triage. Referrals will be received via telephone, email or via SystmOne.
• The Virtual Ward Senior Practitioner will be responsible for overseeing caseload management, ensuring that service delivery is implemented to the highest standard inclusive of best practice and utilises a patient centred approach. Active case management will involve early identification of patients whose condition is at risk of becoming unstable or who needs increased monitoring.
• The post holder will provide patients with a physical health and biopsychological assessment and where necessary will complete frailty assessments for frailty patients within their own homes. In partnership with the Frailty Team ensure monitoring of Clinical Frailty Score for all patients identified with frailty alongside a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment.
• Proactively plan for and enable timely discharge of patients from the Virtual Ward, liaising with other agencies to provide ongoing care if required.
• The role may include caring for patients and relatives who are anxious, confused or distressed and clear communication skills and empathy is required to offer reassuring and guidance. A part of each working day involves talking to patients either via the telephone or face to face.
• Provide a high-quality support service to patients on the Virtual Ward caseload.
• Promote the knowledge and understanding of the range of services available across organisations.
• Act as a link person between the team and other agencies, maintaining and promoting positive working relationships with all referring agencies.
• Participate in the development of initiatives within the service.
• If required, will manage staff including assuring completion of supervision, appraisals and compliance with mandatory training.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Relevant Professional Qualification, current registration.
• Advanced Assessment and History taking course or relevant clinical experience working at an advanced level.

Desirable criteria

• Non Medical Prescribing Qualification (V300).

Experience

Essential criteria

• Relevant post registration experience with professional knowledge base and relevant CPD.
• Experience of working in Community/Acute Setting with experience of managing frailty patients with long term conditions / acute illness (1 point for acute, 2 for community).
• Experience of working cross organisationally / multiprofessionally.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of practice development, clinical education or leading change in practice.
• Experience of upskilling and supporting staff and students within the clinical area.