Main area Paediatric Nurse Grade NHS AfC: Band 6 Contract Fixed term: 2 years (Post funded by Oxford Hospital Charity) Hours
* Full time
* Flexible working
37.5 hours per week Job ref 321-CORP-7178691-B6-PUB
Employer Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Oxford Children's Hospital, John Radcliffe Hospital Town Headington, Oxford Salary £38,682 - £46,580 per annum pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 31/08/2025 23:59 Interview date 08/09/2025
Paediatric Bereavement Key Worker, Nurse Specialist
NHS AfC: Band 6
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research.
The Trust comprises of four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.
Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call thisDelivering Compassionate Excellenceand its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence.
Many of our recruitment programmes useValue Based Interviewingto identify those who have the skills we seek, who share our values and who are able to deliver compassionate excellence from the outset. We know that this makes a significant difference to your job satisfaction and above all the outcomes and experience of our patients and their families. For more information about our Values and Value Based Interviewing please visitwww.ouh.nhs.uk/about/vision-and-values
Job overview
The OUHFT provides the highest standard of Paediatric and Neonatal Care and this care does not end when a baby or child has died. The Trust will continue to effectively support and work with families in partnership after their child has died with a strong focus on ensuring that learning from child deaths is acknowledged and shared. This depends on maintaining a continued relationship with families, collaborating with Trust and external agencies, advocating for patient and family rights and promoting best practices in Paediatric Bereavement Care.
Main duties of the job
· To act as a single point of contact between newly bereaved parents and carers and the agencies that are involved in the essential processes following the death of their baby or child, including Safeguarding agencies.
· To ensure that bereaved families have accurate and timely information about the mandatory processes that follow the death of a child, supporting them through the initial and then ongoing stages after the loss of their child.
· To have a major role in enabling the voice of the family to be heard throughout including input into the Child Death Review forum and feedback to families after review completed.
· To care for bereaved families, including siblings and where relevant, extended families, ensuring that their practical, health, emotional and psychological needs are met through individualised support and appropriate onward referral.
· To provide compassionate, individualised care and foster an environment of respect, dignity and empathy for all bereaved families and colleagues with sensitivity to Safeguarding procedures when necessary.
· To work collaboratively with professionals working in family liaison capacities in Paediatric critical care, emergency and ward-based settings. The post holder is expected to continue to develop knowledge and skills in the understanding and support of the needs of families bereaved by child or baby death.
Working for our organisation
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.
Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community.
We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence, and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence.
These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via the OUH YouTube channel .
In 2023NHS England launched its first sexual safety charter, and our Trust proudly signed it. We pledge zero tolerance for inappropriate sexual behaviour and commit to the ten core principles
Oxford University Hospitals promotes a safe, respectful hiring environment.
If you want to make a difference with us, come and join our team. Together, we will uphold the highest standards of care and professionalism.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To act as a single point of contact between newly bereaved parents and carers and the agencies that are involved in the essential processes following the death of their baby or child, including Safeguarding agencies.
· To ensure that bereaved families have accurate and timely information about the mandatory processes that follow the death of a child, supporting them through the initial and then ongoing stages after the loss of their child.
· To have a major role in enabling the voice of the family to be heard throughout including input into the Child Death Review forum and feedback to families after review completed.
· To care for bereaved families, including siblings and where relevant, extended families, ensuring that their practical, health, emotional and psychological needs are met through individualised support and appropriate onward referral.
· To provide compassionate, individualised care and foster an environment of respect, dignity and empathy for all bereaved families and colleagues with sensitivity to Safeguarding procedures when necessary.
· To work collaboratively with professionals working in family liaison capacities in Paediatric critical care, emergency and ward-based settings. The post holder is expected to continue to develop knowledge and skills in the understanding and support of the needs of families bereaved by child or baby death
Person specification
Professional experience
* Registered Healthcare Practitioner with experience of working with children
* Minimum 2 years experience working with children and families
* Experience working with bereaved families
* Experience of self directed working and collaboration with other agencies
COVID-19: The COVID-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course our patients from the virus when working in our healthcare settings. Whilst COVID-19 vaccination is not a condition of employment, we do encourage our staff to get vaccinated. If you are unvaccinated there is helpful advice and information at Oxfordshire County Council Website where you can also find out more about how to access vaccination.
Vacancy Closures: Please note, this vacancy may close early if a high volume of applications are received.
Probation Period: This post is subject to a 6 month probationary period. If you currently hold a contract of employment with the Oxford University Hospitals, this will not apply. This statement does not apply to Medical staff or Executive Appointments.
Referencing: When providing employment reference details please provide correct work related email addresses so references can be sought promptly when we are looking to progress your application. Your first referee will need to be your line manager, supervisor or clinical lead from your current or most recent post or place of study. Please note that if you have previously worked for the Trust we will require a reference from your last Manager, this information is essential if your offer of employment is to be confirmed.
Next Steps: Please make sure that you read the job description and person specification, and that your supporting statement reflects this as your application will be judged against these criteria. Candidates selected for interview will be contacted after the short-listing process, usually within 2 weeks. (Please note that shortlisting times vary when applying for a Medical position within the Trust). The majority of correspondence will be via the e-recruitment system; therefore you should check your emails regularly including junk mail folders in web-based email products.
No unsolicited recruitment agency telephone calls or emails.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
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.
Application numbers
Please note that this job advertisement will close automatically once the application limit is reached, regardless of whether this occurs before the advertised closing date.
Name Zoe Pooley Job title Matron, Oxford Children's Hospital Email address zoe.pooley@ouh.nhs.uk Telephone number 01865231245 Additional information
Dr Alison Shefler, Paediatric Consultant, Children's Intensive Care
Alison.Shefler@ouh.nhs.uk
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