Job Overview The Associate Practitioner in Dementia Care will play a vital role within the Mental Health and Vulnerable Adult Directorate, working under the guidance and supervision of the Clinical Nurse Specialist in Dementia Care. This role focuses on enhancing the experience and quality of care for people living with dementia who are admitted to hospital. The post holder will ensure that all patients aged 65 and over who are admitted as emergency cases for more than 72 hours within FHFT are appropriately screened and assessed for dementia, and that timely referrals are made to specialist services where required. Through compassionate, evidence-based practice and effective collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, the Associate Practitioner will contribute to improving outcomes for patients and supporting a dementia-friendly culture across the organisation. Main duties of the job The post holder will work closely with the Clinical Nurse Specialist in Dementia Care to support a caseload of patients living with dementia who are admitted to FHFT. They will conduct regular reviews, provide signposting, and deliver low-level interventions to enhance the hospital experience for both patients and their carers. This includes offering emotional support, assisting with navigation through the hospital journey, and connecting individuals and families to appropriate community-based dementia services. In addition, the role will contribute to promoting a dementia-aware culture across the organisation by assisting in the delivery of dementia awareness training for hospital staff and ensuring carers are informed and signposted to relevant support networks. The post holder will also carry out a range of delegated tasks and exercise delegated authority as required to support service improvement and the delivery of high-quality dementia care. Working for our organisation Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is committed to being an inclusive and disability confident employer and has been awarded the Gold for the Armed Forces Employment Recognition Scheme. We provide first class development opportunities for all staff and have a wide range of professional, management and leadership, and clinical skills training available. Here at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, we know how important it is to have a healthy work life balance; this benefits not only individuals but the patients we care for too. We encourage applications from people who wish to work on a flexible basis, recognising that flexibility may mean a range of different working patterns and hours, we do our utmost to work with our staff to meet their needs and the needs of our service and its users. Frimley Health Trust benefits on Vimeo Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities For a full list of responsibilities and tasks associated with this role, please refer to the job description/person specification attached to this vacancy. Person specification Qualifications Essential criteria Educated to GCSE level or equivalent. Knowledge and understanding of the management of dementia. Knowledge of Clinical Audit. Completion of level 1 and 2 Adult Safeguarding training. Desirable criteria Foundation Degree in Health Care or working towards or access to courses with a special interest in dementia. Level 3 healthcare related qualification. Nursing Associate Foundation degree qualification. Registered Nursing Associate with NMC register. Completion of level 1 Safeguarding Children training. Experience Essential criteria Minimum of 3 years of dementia care professional experience in an acute clinical area. Experience of ensuring that values, including care, compassion, competence, courage, and commitment are adhered to daily, and any concerns are raised to relevant Line Manager. Evidence of working independently. Flexible, diplomatic and politically astute. Experience of providing and receiving complex sensitive information. Highly motivated with a positive attitude. Flexible, diplomatic and politically astute. Desirable criteria Experience of delivering training and development of staff in the Trust. Hospital environment work experience. Experience of working with older adults with dementia in a professional capacity. Experience of delivering therapeutic activities in professional capacity in group and individually with people with dementia / cognitive problems. Experience of reading and understanding outcome measures. Experience working in the NHS. Understanding NHS/social care policies and practices relating to Mental Health. Experience in providing training and delivering presentations. Skills and Knowledge Essential criteria To be knowledgeable about dementia and preferred treatment methods and interventions. Knowledge and understanding of the key issues and problems relating to care for people with dementia in hospital, person-centred care, and effects of therapeutic activity. Knowledge of relevant national and local policy such as the National Dementia Strategy. Demonstrate an understanding of the key sections of the Mental Capacity Act and its use in practice. Health and safety. Awareness of risk. Demonstrate a sound understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with dementia and their family carers. Understanding of professional conduct and confidentiality. Basic computer skills and understanding of electronic patient records. Excellent communication skills. Ability to comprehend and communicate verbally and in writing highly sensitive information in a manner appropriate to a range of settings and audiences, including highly emotive situations and those with significantly impaired communication capacities. Able to work across professional and organisational boundaries. Ability to influence others and facilitate change. Ability to work autonomously, proactively and as part of a team. Knowledge and understanding of the cognitive assessment tools such as AMTS and 4AT used to assess dementia and delirium. Ability to assess, deliver, and evaluate quality care. Ability to plan and prioritise workload and respond to changing priorities to meet deadlines. Ability to deal with non-routine and unpredictable nature of workload and individual patient contact. Ability to influence others at all levels. Ability to demonstrate initiative. Desirable criteria Advanced knowledge on the multidisciplinary approach to dementia care. Knowledge of medical and surgical conditions and procedures. Knowledge of medical terminology. Supervisory skills. IT literate with different programs such as Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Outlook. Special Requirements Essential criteria Ability to travel Flexible and reliable as the role may require post holder to cover bank holidays and some weekends. Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust (FHFT) is proud of its strong reputation, record of achievement and ambition for the future. We serve a population of over 900,000 people across Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey and South Buckinghamshire, and remain committed to improving the health and wellbeing of our communities. Our new organisational strategy – FHFT 2030 – sets out our ambition to be the best place to receive care and the best place to work in the NHS. Underpinned by our Trust values – Committed to Excellence, Working Together, Facing the Future, and being a modern, compassionate, Healthcare Organisation – we are creating a culture where our people can thrive and patients always come first. We continue to invest heavily in our services and facilities. This includes the development of a new hospital at Frimley Park, major expansion of diagnostics and inpatient capacity, and the continued transformation of services across our sites. We have already delivered a brand-new £100m state-of-the-art Heatherwood Hospital, a £49m Emergency Assessment Centre at Wexham Park, and a £10m upgrade to maternity services. We are also committed to sustainability and the NHS Net Zero ambition. Our new hospital and estate developments are being designed to be environmentally responsible, energy efficient, and future-proofed, featuring on-site renewables energy and intelligent energy systems. Through our green plan, we are embedding sustainable practices across all areas of care and operations, ensuring we reduce our environmental impact while improving population health and wellbeing. Our staff are key to helps us deliver on our ambition and to ensure sustainability is a core component of care delivery and our operations. Alongside estates’ investments, we are embedding a strong focus on digital innovation and quality improvement. Our electronic patient record (Epic), launched in 2024, is already enabling safer, more connected, and more effective care for patients, while giving staff the tools they need to do their best work. Our electronic patient record also supports safe and effective digitised care pathways, savings time and carbon, whilst delivering excellent quality of care. Everything we do is guided by our values, shaping how we care for patients, support colleagues, and build a sustainable future for healthcare together. Apply online now