Job overview
The post holder will work within the Community & Neurodisability Paediatrics (CNP) Directorate as part of the Family Care Division. We work with children and young people (CYP) across East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen providing a specialist service in the assessment and management of children and young people with complex disability. CNP is commissioned to complete assessments of neurodevelopmental conditions such as ADHD and ASD.
Main duties of the job
Responsible to the ASD Paediatric Specialist Lead the ASD Paediatric Specialist Practitioner will provide holistic assessment to children and families in conjunction with other members of the multidisciplinary team.
This role is integral to the MDT, acting as a case coordinator, delivering neurodevelopmental diagnostic assessment services to children and young people.
This is an assessment role which involves utilising various diagnostic tools and assessment pathway based on NICE guidance. The ASD Paediatric Specialist Practitioner will hold a caseload of CYP whom they will be responsible for guiding through the assessment pathway and compiling comprehensive reports based on the clinical assessments and observations.
Working for our organisation
To work in accordance with the trust values ensuring, safe, personal and effective care at all times.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
CLINICAL
* To work as an autonomous practitioner and to be accountable for own professional judgements and actions, managing own caseload as a key member of the multi-disciplinary team.
* To act as the case coordinator for CYP and their families, providing support and guidance throughout the ASD pathway, in partnership with the care giver and the child in accordance with best practice.
* To provide evidence-based patient centred care to children and their families. Responsible for assessing, developing, implementing and evaluating programs of care to aid clinical decision making and inform service development
* As a key member of the multi-disciplinary team, undertake high quality, NICE compliant neurodevelopmental assessments, and observations, including but not limited to ADI-R & ADOS, developmental history taking and school observations. This could also include monitoring of physical checks such as height weight & blood pressure.
* To recognise and escalate clinical observations outside of normal parameters in a timely manner to ensure the safety of the child.
* To utilise clinical knowledge to assess the CYP cognitive understanding of instructions and ability to complete the diagnostic assessments for example ADOS and QB tests and make ongoing referrals as required.
* Participate in the collection, inputting and interpretation of diagnostic information required for neurodevelopmental assessment, including cross-organisation liaison to ensure that assessments are timely.
* To structure findings from diagnostic tests (ADOS, ADI-R), into a professional observation report to reach an outcome in line with national and local guidelines and policy.
* Following completion of the assessment, you will be an integral member of the diagnostic panel, presenting results and reports, to aid diagnosis or changes to individualised support plans.
* To provide feedback of the outcome of the diagnostic panel to children, young people, and their families in a sensitive manner.
* To ensure that appropriate records and clinical information is available prior to commencing assessments.
* Maintain accurate and timely records in line with ELHT record keeping policy including waiting list for diagnostic assessment for CYP requiring neurodevelopmental assessments; Managing wait times and ensuring results are actioned.
* To contribute to the development of evidence based flexible and personalised range of post-diagnostic interventions to meet needs of CYP and their carers.
* Respects the equality and diversity of CYP, families and carers to ensure that care is delivered in a way that is sensitive to their needs.
* Acts as an advocate to support the ongoing management of CYP with additional neurodevelopmental health needs and/or social communication disorder.
* Recognise your own professional boundaries, seeking advice support as necessary
PROFESSIONAL
* Ensure continued effective registration with the appropriate professional regulatory body and observe relevant Code of Professional Conduct. Maintain an up-to-date professional portfolio.
* Shows a strong commitment to team working, demonstrating respect & consideration to other team members and colleagues in partner agencies
* To provide support and leadership to junior members of the team including the neurodevelopmental support worker.
* To act as a professional role model
* To work as a fully integrated member of the multi-professional team which will include attending regular team meetings as necessary, both accepting and supporting others, being aware and sensitive to your own and other’s values, priorities, interests and effectiveness.
* Assist in the development of appropriate resources and pathways to ensure that a high-quality service is delivered in line with the recommendations from NICE guidelines, the SEND code of practice and relevant National and local policy and guidance.
* Participate in clinical audit as required which may include retrieval and analysis of medical records against set standards.
* Be receptive of and participate in new methods of working and any research, trails or pilot studies for improvement of the service.
* Be proactive and supportive in the development of service and report to senior colleagues within the team any ideas for service improvement.
* Be involved in preparing the environment for the completion of a neurodevelopmental assessment in a range of settings and monitoring the use of resources as required.
* Be involved in the delivery and implementation of neurodevelopmental assessments in conjunction with the MDT team, ensuring testing slots are utilised fully.
* To support CYP and their families through potentially highly distressing and complex circumstances as required.
* To provide safeguarding advice/support to the multidisciplinary team and families when applicable, ensuring that timely referrals are undertaken and followed up accordingly.
* To work collaboratively with statutory and voluntary services, CYP and families, providing advice and signposting for professionals within the multidisciplinary team and those who work in the locality to create a seamless transition process into & through the service.
COMMUNICATION
* Promote professional working relationships with parents, and members of the multi-disciplinary team and external partner agencies involved with families accessing the service.
* Maintain and exercise confidentiality always, including sharing and accessing information only when necessary, keeping information and records secure and confidential.
* Ensure all documentation is contemporaneous in keeping with ELHT’s policy and procedures.
* Demonstrate empathy, care and compassion towards children/families who attend the CNP Service.
* To effectively communicate, with neurodiverse CYP, acquired and existing knowledge in order to facilitate the child and carers’ understanding of complex issues in relation to their presenting current situation and future treatment.
* To liaise with CYP families and ensuring where English is not the first language that alternate and reliable sources are utilised to ensure the information is adequately delivered.
* To be able to communicate highly complex, sensitive or contentious information utilising developed interpersonal skills where agreement and co-operation is required, ensuring consent is obtained and confidentiality is maintained.
* To attend and provide leadership in team meetings and confidently represent the service at relevant trust and external partner meetings.
* Understand how to interpret data from patient feedback tools and to understand the limits of any interpretation.
* To develop joint collaborative approaches with other agencies involved in a CYP care, i.e. Social Services, Department of Education and Voluntary Services.
* Report as soon as practical, all hazards and defects to the Clinical Team Leader or Health and Safety Manager where appropriate
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
* To be responsible for developing and sustaining one’s own knowledge, clinical skills, and awareness of current guidance within the care of CYP with additional neurodevelopmental health needs.
* Actively support and teach students and junior staff in the department, sharing relevant skills and knowledge to other colleagues, professionals, to ensure best practice is adopted.
* To contribute to the development and delivery of training programmes for neurodevelopmental conditions and facilitate delivery of training programs
* To provide education, advice and support for CYP, families and carers for those with neurodevelopmental health needs.
* Locally network to share best practice with partners and local services providing services for CYP with neurodevelopmental health and education needs including SEND.
* Responds and implements actions from incidents, investigations and complaints.
* Demonstrate literacy competency in keeping integral clinical records in accordance with NMC Standards of Record Keeping.
* Participate in the appraisal process alongside facilitating these for self and others with linking in with skills relating to the Knowledge and Skills Framework.
* To be compliant with completion of all mandatory and identified role specific skills.
* To ensure that clinical supervision and appraisal systems are carried out for identified staff, thus identifying training and development needs.
* To be responsible for administration tasks or delegation of such tasks to ensure effective communication both internally and externally
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
* Nursing and midwifery council register, professional degree or equilavant in speech and language or occupational therapy and appropriate registration with regulatory body
* Demonstrable ability to work at degree level 3 and relevant continuous professional development
Desirable criteria
* Evidence of additional training or professional developmental in Paediatric neurodevelopment/ neurodisability or willingness to undertake
Experience
Essential criteria
* Significant experience at band 5/band 6 in a paediatrics or a children's setting working with children with additional/ complex medical needs including neurodevelopmental conditions
* Evidence of significant experience working with children with neurodevelopmental conditions
* Evidence of continual professional development
* Proven ability to work effectively within a team.
* Applying research findings into practice.
* Ability to work with other agencies.
* Experience of dealing with sensitive issues.
Desirable criteria
* Experience working in a community setting
* Evidence of professional leadership and contributing to change.
* Experience in taking part in research and development
Knowledge
Essential criteria
* Knowledge of the legislation, guidelines and practice of working with CYP with neurodevelopmental/ neurodisability conditions
* Awareness of current issues and how they impact on service delivery
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
* Ability to prioritise tasks and manage own workload.
* Able to lead and promote change and show initiative.
Desirable criteria
* IT and word Processing skills.
personal
Essential criteria
* Honest, self-motivated, team player.
* Open minded.
* Treat colleagues with dignity and respect
* Capacity to work with clinicians and staff at all levels.
other
Essential criteria
* Car Driver or access to a vehicle for work.