Job overview
As a clinical service, the team works across a number of Integrated Care Boards and is represented on the London Palliative Care Network.
We provide tertiary specialist paediatric palliative care across the paediatric spectrum, from the antenatal period, through infancy and childhood and also for young people until they reach their 18th birthday. The service provides an individual patient-centred pathway from diagnosis or recognition that a condition is life-threatening or life-limiting. The service provides specialist symptom management and care coordination services within hospital, community, hospice, school and social care settings. The service provides the primary out of hours contact point for families and professionals across the network and for hospices with service level agreements. The service works in an advisory capacity to clinical teams with primary responsibility for the child or young person whether in a hospital or community setting.
The team delivers a telephone on-call service, providing out of hours support including pain, symptom and medicine management advice to children and their families receiving palliative care, as well as to professionals involved in their care. A typical monthly rota would involve the CNS working on call up to 2-3 evenings (6pm to 8am) and 1 weekend (8am to 8am [24hours]).
The team also provides an enhanced supportive care service as part of the Principle Treatment Centre (PTC) for the North Thames Children’s Cancer Network, a unified centre based at GOSH and University College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH). The team provides paediatric oncology outreach to children 0-13 years old at GOSH providing home support to patients and families in collaboration with hospital and community teams.
Main duties of the job
Main purpose of the job
· To act as a role model and expert clinical practitioner.
· To act as a key worker providing information, clinical advice and support to children and families who are under the care of the Oncology Outreach and Palliative Care Team, and to act as a resource to other professionals involved in the child’s care.
· To work alongside the Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANP) and to support the service provision and development.
· To provide effective clinical nursing expertise, advice and support to staff caring for children and families and ensure the provision of high-quality care.
· To participate in the team’s telephone on call rota – typically working on call up to 2-3 evenings (6pm to 8am) and 1 weekend (8am to 8am [24hours]).
· To act as a designated resource to children and families and other professionals caring for them.
· To liaise with the POSCU and community services including GPs, PCNs, local hospitals, schools and hospices.
· To facilitate the development of all staff within the team.
· To promote an innovative and progressive attitude to the continual improvement of patient care through research and evidence-based practice.
· To work alongside the Matron/Lead Cancer Nurse, Ward Managers and Nurse Practice Educators to facilitate development and clinical support to the ward teams, relating to oncology outreach, enhanced supportive and palliative care.
· To take responsibility for relevant transformation projects, quality outcome measures patient experience and assisting in the implementation into practice.
· To work closely with other team members across the PTC.
· To continually evaluate the impact of the role on oncology outreach, enhanced supportive and palliative care and patients’ safety and experience.
· To support the administrative teams with the planning/scheduling of patient appointments.
Key working relationships
Internal: Nurses, doctors, administrative team, physiotherapists, pharmacists, social workers, occupational therapists, healthcare assistants, healthcare support workers, play workers and specialists, psychologists, psychotherapists, IT staff, chaplains, dieticians and housekeeping staff and other teams within GOSH.
External: Families, General Practitioners, other hospitals, local health authorities, social services, community services, schools, hospices and charity organisations.
Working for our organisation
We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as the communities we serve, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including people with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic heritage, people with a disability, and people from LGBTQ+ communities. By growing an ever more diverse workforce, we’ll have a greater range of perspectives and knowledge, meaning that we can provide the children and young people at our hospital with even better care.
Our hospital is committed to creating an environment that is open and inclusive. Our staff are encouraged to engage with colleagues through the following networks: REACH (Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage) ENABLED (Enhancing Abilities & Leveraging Disabilities Network), PRIDE and Women’s networks; all of which are sponsored by a member of our Executive Management Team.
We want to ensure that all of our people, regardless of their background, are seen and heard. We want to attract applicants that share our commitment to inclusion and that understand diversity is a strength that is embraced and valued.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the Job Description attached.
This job description is intended as an outline of the areas of activity and can be amended in the light of the changing needs of the service and will be reviewed as necessary in conjunction with the post-holder.
Person specification
Values
Essential criteria
* Gosh Values
* Knowledge and understanding of diverse backgrounds and perspectives
* Understanding of Diversity and Inclusion challenges in the workplace.
* 3)Demonstrable contribution to advancing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace
Education, training and qualifications
Essential criteria
* On the relevant part of the NMC register Children’s registered
* Evidence of ongoing, dynamic continuing professional development within the specialty, linked to demonstrable clinical competencies
* Assessing and mentoring qualification
* Possession of a relevant honours degree
Desirable criteria
* Recognized teaching qualification
Skills and abilities
Essential criteria
* Excellent relevant clinical skills
* Expert specialist skills and abilities for the post
* Excellent managerial, leadership and organisational skills
* Able to motivate and develop a multi-professional team
* Able to problem solve and initiate change
* Negotiating skills
* Self-discipline and good time management to support periods of lone working.
* Interviewing skills
* Appraisal skills
* Ability to delegate and prioritise
* Excellent verbal and written communication and listening skills
* Excellent teaching, training and preceptorship skills
* Able to work across professional team and organizational boundaries
* Administration of IV drugs, as appropriate
* Phlebotomy and cannulation skills, as appropriate
* Administering medication under patient group directives or supplementary prescribing as appropriate
* Computer literate (word processing, PowerPoint presentation)
* Ability to initiate, manage and sustain change
* A flexible approach to work
* Ability to work as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team
* Ability to deal with conflict situations
* Be flexible with hours
Desirable criteria
* Car driver
Knowledge & Experience
Essential criteria
* Sufficient experience including within relevant clinical environment
* Experience of leading and managing a team
* Previous experience of research and audit
* Previous experience of change management and problem solving
* Experience of handling clinical incidents and complaints
* Demonstrates Compassion In Practice
* Expert knowledge relevant to the speciality/field or practice
* Understanding of professional and current issues in children’s nursing and healthcare, Laming Report, Francis report, CNO’s vision for Compassion In practice
* Detailed understanding of audit and research methodologies
* Understanding of resource management, health and safety, clinical risk and quality issues
* Child protection procedures
* Good attendance record
* Evidence of fulfilling PREP
* Experience of working as a CNS