Job overview

BDP is a health and harm reduction service providing Information, advice and services to support service users affected by problematicdrug and/or alcohol use. The post holder will work as an autonomous practitioner, running daily drop in nurse led clinics, Outreach as well as attending clinical emergencies occurring on the BDP site and its immediate vicinity. This is an evolving post, adapting to support the needs of BDP service users. The post holder will share the role with another RN to provide nurse cover Mon-Fri 09:00 – 17:00.

Hours: 18.75 hours per week.

Salary: £30,305- £36.895 pa (pro rata)subject to qualifications and experience

Other benefits: NHS Pension (offering 14.38% employers contribution)

Contract: Permanent

Locations: BDP, Brunswick Square, Jamaica street and other Outreach requirements dependent on service needs.

Main duties of the job

The successful applicant will be providing psycho social support as well as assessing and treating physical and mental health problems associated with substance misuse.

The service users attending BDP can find it difficult to engage with mainstream health services. They frequently have complex and significant health and social needs.

For the right person this post offers the opportunity for professional and personal development as well as the satisfaction of being able to provide truly holistic support to clients and to adapt service provision to meet their needs.

The post holder will be part of a nursing team based at the Homeless Health Service (HHS), a GP practice specially commissioned to address the health needs of Homeless and unstably housed people. They will be clinically supervised by the HHS Multi-disciplinary team and be expected to remotely attend team meetings and engage with training provided by HHS

About us

BrisDoc is an award-winning primary health care provider with 16 years experience of delivering high quality care to patients in the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucester area. We pride ourselves on being a fantastic place to work, where you will feel valued, supported, developed and part of a family.

If you share our passion for providing first class patient and workforce care, and have a keen desire to lead practice development for a vulnerable population, we would love to hear from you.

Job responsibilities

Clinical Practice

• Work as an autonomous practitioner within nurse led, drop in clinics and outreach sessions using evidence based nursing practice and client care.
• Provide individual health assessments involving holistic consideration for an individuals physical, mental and emotional health.
• Produce patient specific care plans including: assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating, with the client and other professionals as appropriate.
• Management of complex wounds including those requiring compression bandaging
• Perform doppler measurements as part of assessment of patients with leg ulceration
• Perform urine pregnancy testing and sexual health screening
• Identify, manage and refer appropriately, service users at risk of potentially life-threatening conditions including sepsis, acute alcohol withdrawal, suicide
• Provide emergency care to patients on and off-site including liaising with emergency medical services
• Safe Administration of PGD medication including IM Naloxone as required
• Administer appropriate immunisations in line with PGDs (Patient Group Directions)
• Keep accurate, confidential and contemporaneous records of interventions.
• Ensure prompt referrals to appropriate services e.g. GP, Walk in Centre, A&E, Mental health assessment team, Blood Borne Virus (BBV) Nurse
• Participate in partnership working with statutory and voluntary staff e.g. BBV team, Outreach Team, One25,
• Effective liaison and communication with clients, carers, primary and secondary health services and other agencies.
• Attend clinical, team and other meetings as appropriate to services.
• Maintain clinics and other work places and ensure adequate stocks are available at all times.

Education and Health Promotion

• Act as a facilitator to student nurses and medical students who spend time with the team.
• Develop and participate in health promotion initiatives with team members and other agencies as appropriate.
• Help to educate local and statutory organisations to the needs of the homeless and to facilitate the assimilation of clients who are homeless into mainstream services.
• Give appropriate health advice for clients to non-clinical staff and external agencies

Professional development

• Act at all times within the NMC code of professional conduct.
• Base practice upon guidelines outlined by NMC in the scope of professional practice.
• Receive appropriate clinical supervision for clinical practice.
• Maintain knowledge of current research, literature and other developments relevant to area of practice and ensure continuous professional development in accordance with NMC revalidation requirements.
• Attend performance and development reviews with your line manager.

General Responsibilities

At all times the post holder must act in a manner consistent with the code of conduct and appearance representing BrisDoc and the NHS.

Maintaining regular consistent attendance, punctuality, personal appearance and adherence to relevant health and safety procedures.

To attend all statutory and mandatory training courses and any courses specific to this role.

To be available for staff meetings and group supervision

Establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers and the general public.

Preserve and promote patient dignity and confidentiality

To be able to identify and escalate Safeguarding concerns appropriately

Flexibility

This role profile is intended to provide a broad outline of the main responsibilities only. The post holder will need to be flexible in developing the role and in initial and ongoing discussions with the designated manager.

Confidentiality

Under the Data Protection Act 2018 (alongside the EU General Data Protection Regulations), the postholder must maintain the confidentiality of information about patients and staff. The work is of a confidential nature and information gained must not be communicated to other persons except in the recognized course of duty. Unauthorised disclosure of confidential information will result in disciplinary action and may lead to your dismissal.

In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately.

In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential.

Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with BrisDocs policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.

Equality and Diversity

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

• Acting in a way that recognises the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with BrisDocs procedures and policies, and current legislation
• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues
• Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights

Health & Safety

Employees must be aware of the responsibilities placed on them under the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) to ensure that the agreed procedures are carried out to maintain a safe environment for patients, visitors and staff.

Infection Prevention and Control

It is the responsibility of all members of staff to provide a high standard of care to patients they are involved with. This includes good infection prevention practice.

All staff have a responsibility to comply with Infection Prevention and Control policies and procedures, this includes:

Completing mandatory infection prevention training.

Challenging poor infection prevention and control practices.

Ensuring their own compliance with BrisDocs Infection Prevention and Control policy and procedures for example, standard precautions, hand hygiene, prevention & management of inoculation incidents.

Safeguarding

To be fully aware of and understand the duties and responsibilities arising from the Childrens Act 2004 and Working Together in relation to child protection and safeguarding children and young people as this applies to the workers role within the organisation.

To also be fully aware of the principles of safeguarding as they apply to vulnerable adults in relation to the workers role, which will include recognising the types and signs of abuse and neglect and ensuring that the workers line manager is made aware and kept fully informed of any concerns which the worker may have in relation to safeguarding adults and/or child protection.

Everyone within BrisDoc has a responsibility for, and is committed to, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults, children and young people and for ensuring that they are protected from harm. BrisDoc ensures that local Child Protection and Safeguarding Adult policies and procedures are adhered to by all members of staff.

Environment

The postholder needs to be aware of BrisDocs impact on the environment and be vigilant and pro-active in ensuring they adhere to the management strategy i.e. recycling, waste management, use of vehicles etc.

Smoking

Smoking will not be tolerated inside any BrisDoc building and vehicle.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Person Specification

Skills and Attributes

Essential

• Ability to provide clinical assessment, advice and care around the physical and mental health issues arising from drug and alcohol misuse.
• Ability to adjust communication skills to meet the needs of the client
• Ability to build a rapport with clients, many of whom will have previous negative experiences of mainstream health services
• Ability to take an assertive approach to engaging clients in treatment
• Ability to work in nontraditional/community settings
• Knowledge of the health issues surrounding substance misuse

Desirable

• Ability to work the occasional evening to attend staff training sessions
• Ability to travel to other BrisDoc sites for meetings
• Knowledge of Trauma informed care

Experience

Essential

• Post qualifying experience of working in A+E, minor illness/injury or practice nurse role
• Independent Nurse Prescriber or Experience of issuing medicines within a PGD
• Post qualifying experience of working with clients who experience problematic substance misuse and/or homelessness

Desirable

• PACR qualification or equivalent
• Contraception/Sexual health qualification
• Registered Mental Health qualification
• Venapuncture Competency or willingness to undertake training.
• Experience of working with clients with a forensic history
• Evidence of post qualifying study in the area of substance misuse treatment

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse RGN

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.