Job overview
Provide confidential, holistic sexual and contraceptive health care and education to clients and their partners, in a welcoming, sensitive and non-judgemental manner.
Provide appropriate counselling and expert information, advice and training on all sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) and wider Sexual Health issues to clients and professional / voluntary groups as required.
Manage the client recall/treatment Partner Notification system.
Demonstrate a flexible approach to days/hours worked and actively participate in changes to planned rota to ensure that service has appropriate cover for all clinics/sites. Work with clients and their partners on a one to one basis using a motivational interviewing/health coaching approach to educate/enable them and to promote positive sexual health choices, relationships and outcomes.
Demonstrate a flexible approach to days/hours worked and actively participate in changes to planned rota to ensure that service has appropriate cover for all clinics/sites.
Provide information, support and short term counselling to those clients with associated concerns around sexual assault, termination of pregnancy, relationship or sexual identity issues, etc.
Identify Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) sexual assault, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Child/Adult Safeguarding concerns and follow reporting/management protocols
Main duties of the job
Assess, inform and motivate/coach clients on a one-to-one, often single intervention basis, to help improve their sexual and contraceptive health and well-being.
Provide education and counselling on preventing or minimising the risk of infection by promoting safer sex practices and effective condom use / condom negotiation.
Provide advice, information, education and counselling according to NICE/SSHA and BASHH guidance for clients testing or diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection, to increase understanding of how STI’s are acquired, transmitted and successfully treated. Convey the importance of treatment compliance and follow-up/ and risks of untreated infection.
Process positive test results, informing / recalling clients and actioning treatment and follow-up as needed.
Carry out effective Partner Notification. Identify and encourage sexual contacts of people diagnosed with certain STI’s to attend Sexual Health Clinics for appropriate investigation, treatment and advice in order to achieve optimum outcomes and prevent onward transmission.
Provide information, support and short term counselling to those clients with associated concerns around sexual assault, termination of pregnancy, relationship or sexual identity issues, etc.
Provide comprehensive assessment of clients’ other social, emotional or sexual difficulties, acknowledging how this can impact on behaviours and refer / signpost accordingly.
Working for our organisation
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Health education, promotion and training
Inform and improve clinical practice by maintaining up to date knowledge and awareness of developments in HIV STI’s and related subjects.
Maintain up to date knowledge and awareness of developments in Society of Sexual Health Advisors Codes of Ethics, Conduct and Guidelines for Good Practice.
Initiate / co-ordinate / conduct Health Advisor research and audits in order to evaluate and improve clinical practice.
Contribute to the service’s learning environment as a positive role model and through participation in delivery of service teaching programmes for internal and external staff.
Demonstrate a committed, proactive approach to own appraisal and Personal Development Plan.
HA’s will also work closely/in conjunction with the Education Team to:
• Maintain contemporaneous, accurate records of all interviews, interventions and Partner Notification in accordance with best practice and in order to facilitate the evaluation / verification of outcomes.
• Develop, implement and evaluate Health Advisor policies and protocols to ensure consistently high quality, standardised professional practice.
Administrative
Develop and update suitable induction / orientation / training programmes for new Health Advisors.
Attend and represent Health Advisors at service, multi-agency meetings as necessary.
Collection of data / statistics required for research purposes.
Perform clinical duties autonomously.
Promote a non-judgemental climate of understanding, enabling clients to freely express their anxieties, needs and concerns.
Liaise with Health Advisors in other Clinics as necessary.
Enter outcomes on positives database to monitor and evidence performance against local commissioner and national targets.
Perform pre and post HIV test discussion and counselling to those clients deemed to be at particular risk or to have particular needs.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. Degree in Healthcare/Social Sciences or similar
2. Registered Nurse with current NMC registration.
Desirable criteria
3. Customer Care Course
4. STIF Course.
Experience
Essential criteria
5. Health Advisor experience in a GUM/HIV clinic setting.
6. Evidence of Continual Professional Development.
Knowledge
Essential criteria
7. NHS Sexual Health & HIV Standards of Care.
8. Research and evidence based practice.
9. Service improvement.
10. Understanding of the need of confidentiality awareness at all times.
Communication Skills
Essential criteria
11. Excellent customer service/ interpersonal skills.
12. Excellent verbal, non-verbal and written communication skills
13. Ability to adapt interactions to communicate effectively with a diverse range of individuals/groups
Skills
Essential criteria
14. Independent practitioner.
15. Strong assessment and analytical skills.
16. Motivational interviewing and health coaching.
17. Strongly empathetic.
18. Counselling skills
19. Able to prioritise/re-prioritise.
20. Able to implement change.
21. Demonstrable organisational abilities & motivational skills
22. Proficient using Microsoft Word, Power Point, email and Positives and HIV databases.
Personal Characteristics
Essential criteria
23. Strong interest in Sexual Health/HIV.
24. Non-judgemental, mature attitude.
25. Team player.
26. Sensitive to clients’ needs.
Physical/Mental Effort
Essential criteria
27. Resilience to workplace pressures/changing priorities/interruptions.
28. Attention to detail/need to concentrate during interactions with clients or recording/entering data.
29. Good hand strength/dexterity.
Applicant requirements
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.