Detailed job description and main responsibilities

CLINICAL LEADERSHIP & RESPONSIBILITIES

• To work autonomously, managing a caseload of patients within the specialty whilst working as part of  the multidisciplinary team, delivering individualised and personalised direct patient care.
• Be responsible for assessing and recognising emergencies in the specialty. To interpret information  and take appropriate action and to lead other to do the same.
• Act as an advocate for patients within the department, to ensure a patient orientated approach to delivery of care and to meet standards within the NHS plan, NHFD and Best Practice.
• Ensure that patients receive high quality clinical care and a good patient experience, having regards for their customs, religious beliefs and doctrines.
• Recognise and avoid situations that may be detrimental to the health and wellbeing of the individuals.
• Actively engage service users through facilitation of user groups and open days.
• Co-ordinate the provision of specialist services to patients, both within hospital and/or community setting effectively liaising with multi-disciplinary colleagues.
• Develop and run nurse led clinics where the post holder will co-ordinate the treatment in conjunction with medical staff.
• To work autonomously in nurse led clinics, prescribing specific medications and topical agents for  Dermatological conditions, as both an independent and supplementary prescriber, within the individual’s realm of competence.
• Direct, support, encourage and advise clinical teams, by provision of specialist knowledge and advice in the care of patients within the area.
• Participate in the promotion of patient centred care and establish and maintain supportive relationship with the patient and their family during the periods of assessment, treatment and aftercare.
• Support and enable patients and carers to make informed decisions relating to their treatment and management.
• Promote high quality clinical care and assist in the development of the specialist service through the  use of evidence-based practice and clinical standards.
• Provide professional and clinical leadership and expertise in the speciality and to act as a resource for education and clinical expertise.
• Demonstrate appropriate expert practice and highly specialised advice in the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of patient care. This includes history taking, physical examination and the requesting of agreed diagnostic procedures and clinical investigations.
• Establish, develop and maintain effective working relationships between clinicians, practitioners and managers within the speciality.
• To educate and involve patients, carers and relatives in their treatment, incorporating psychological support when required and the development of coping strategies when necessary.
• Actively participate in local, national and international networking to maintain and develop expert level of knowledge in the speciality.
• Undertake highly specialist procedures such as minor surgery, PDT, MED and MPD and lead on clinical pathways which may include making clinical judgment on the prioritisation of cases for treatment/surgery.
• To provide outreach clinical sessions across primary and secondary care as required.
• Act as an autonomous practitioner exercising judgement, discretion and decision making in clinical  care.
• Ensure compliance with specific regulations with regards to drugs and administration and record   keeping within area of work.
• Document patient’s clinical conditions and care plans in medical notes and communicate to relevant medical/nursing staff
• Take the lead in Nurse led clinics using relevant protocols.
• Initiate medication reviews in liaison with Consultant within area of work. Liaise with primary and secondary care Clinicians as required.
• Ensure appropriate services are put in place to support management of condition at home, supported by the multi-disciplinary team as required.
• To be a contact for patients.
• To offer advice and support to patients, their families and carers.
• To further develop the Dermatology Service working as part of the Dermatology team and to attend departmental meetings.
• To maintain concise, accurate and auditable records.
• To dictate and sign letters to GP’s and other Healthcare professionals regarding patients treatment and  progress.
• To return telephone calls from patients and other Healthcare professionals. To arrange appointments for specific clinics.
• To be able to work alone and as part of the wider healthcare team.
• To ensure all patient care is delivered with the highest degree of professionalism.

LINE MANAGEMENT/SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Supervision of members of staff as required by the service including appraisal and performance management.
• Line manager to band 7 and band 6 nurse specialists/nurse practitioners
• Where required, act as team leader, coordinating and delegating work, and reviewing the recruitment and deployment of staff within the team.
• Authorising the use of equipment or products according to standard financial instructions.
• Monitor the use of financial resources and assist Directorate Manager and Assistant Directorate Manager in achieving efficiencies where appropriate.
• Manage service changes that impact and which have financial implications Implement appropriate HR processes such as sickness/absence management
• Work with ADM and DM to ensure sustainability, capacity and capability within the specialty
• Actively contribute to the annual business planning cycle, providing expert clinical insight into likely  future trends and disease prevalence data
• Work with Directorate Managers to influence commissioning decisions and demonstrate achievement  of contracted KPIs
• Alongside the Directorate Manager, manage budgets for the service
• Ensure all KPI’s and CQUINS are collated and sent to commissioners within time frames. 

QUALITY

• Facilitate a high-quality, cost-effective specialist service through monitoring and audit and other quality initiatives.
• Lead on and participate in key developments relating to the speciality so that high quality patient focused services are promoted.
• Attend and participate in multi-professional team meetings.
• Set, monitor and review standards of care on a regular basis and initiate corrective action plans.
• Identify and intervene where circumstances contribute to an unsafe environment for patients and staff. To bring instances to the attention of the Matron.

TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSIBILITIES 

• The post-holder will co-ordinate the development of teaching and education programmes in order to impart specialist knowledge, advice and support to colleagues, patients, carers and relatives.
• To provide support to patients, allowing them to develop self-management skills as appropriate to their condition
• Lead on the development patient education and information in accordance with Trust policy
• Liaise with PEFs to develop an appropriate learning/practice attachment for students providing direct  supervision and training to students and new starters.
• Support nursing colleagues in their continuous professional development including peer supervision.
• Gain feedback from learners about the effectiveness of teaching and training and use this to improve provision of education.
• Contribute to the development of specialty curriculum at local/regional level as appropriate and advise the Trust regarding commissioning of specialty training.
• Assess own educational needs and take steps to keep up to date with clinical and nursing developments in line with requirements of the Nursing & Midwifery Council.
• Raise awareness of specialist conditions within area of practice by teaching and providing education across the organisation and within the Dermatology department via educational meetings.

RESEARCH & AUDIT

• Monitor standards of care and lead on the improvement of care through benchmarking/audit/research. 
• Demonstrate understanding of evidence-based care, including where to obtain up to date evidence.
• Support the team/care group in collating and presenting relevant evidence and documentation in preparation for internal e.g. quality ward round and external assessments such as CQC
• Lead on Serious Untoward Incident Reviews (SUI’s), Patient Safety Incidents (PSI) complaints and litigation claims when required.
• Ensure lessons learned from incidents and complaints are utilised to develop patient responsive  services
• Attend and contribute to relevant governance meetings as required. 
• Submit activity data/annual report as requested.
• Identify and submit research proposals, ensuring relevant local and regional approval is obtained
• Promote and undertake nursing research and to publish the outcome, updating own knowledge to  promote excellence in clinical practice.
• Utilise research findings in the delivery of specialist patient care, developing new ways of working and to disseminate relevant information to staff.
• Participate in and be aware of other clinical research trials for patients.
• Lead and contribute to audit and research within the speciality in collaboration with colleagues, developing action plans and disseminating information.
• To be familiar with current clinical research protocol issues and relevant treatment and procedures  employed in the diagnosis and treatment within their speciality.
• Lead the reporting of clinical incidents/concerns and take appropriate action to address any safety and quality issues raised
• Provide supervision and support to nursing colleagues to ensure adherence to NMC Guidelines for the Administration of Medicines Act 1992 and Misuse of Drugs Act 1991.
• Adhere to policies, procedures and protocols relevant to area of work.
• Provide verbal and written advice to patients and or carers about care management as required in hospital and in preparation to discharge.
• Ensure decisions regarding consent and mental capacity taken in line with Trust protocols. Contribute to policy, procedure and protocol development relevant to speciality.