Job summary
- Main area
- Safeguarding
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 4
- Contract
- 9 months (fixed term)
- Hours
- Full time
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 372-CORP1859-A
- Employer
- Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Calderdale Royal Hospital
- Town
- Halifax
- Salary
- £25,147 - £27,596 per annum, pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 25/07/2024 23:59
- Interview date
- 31/07/2024
Employer heading
Health-Based Domestic Violence Advisor
NHS AfC: Band 4
Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (CHFT) are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics.
We are committed to recruiting to our values. Leading One Culture of Care underpins our values by creating an environment, tone and behaviours across all parts of the Trust that are fundamentally rooted in compassionate care.
We are open to considering a wide range of flexible working arrangements. There are opportunities to flex the days of the week, hours and times of work and place of work including: part-time, job-share, flexible working hours and the possibility to work from home when appropriate. Please talk to us during the interview process to discuss any flexibility that you may require.
We received our Silver Award from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme which is helping actively promote SaBRE - Supporting Britain’s Reservists and Employers. This means that we provided its statement of intent to support all Defence personnel and we welcome application to work for us. Find out more - Why Choose CHFT?
Our Future Plans
The Department of Health and Social Care has awarded capital funding to invest in local health services at both Calderdale Royal Hospital and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary. This is a significant investment and an opportunity to enhance services for our populations in Calderdale and Huddersfield and West Yorkshire for generations to come. To find out more, please visit https://future.cht.nhs.uk/
Job overview
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority fund has enabled CHFT to recruit a Health Independent Domestic Abuse Advisor (HIDVA) on a fixed term contract until 31.03.2025. This funding has been received from the Ministry of Justice to support people who are experiencing domestic abuse.
This role supports the Safeguarding team in co-ordinating and delivering the statutory national domestic abuse agenda, by providing specialist quality advice to victims of domestic abuse when they are in hospital. .
They will play a critical part in supporting victims with the aim of reducing further harm to these patients and their children whilst they are in hospital and on discharge.
The primary focus will be to support victims who disclose domestic abuse and support victims who have attended the hospital due to injury following domestic violence.
This work will be undertaken as part of the multiagency framework that includes referrals into Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARAC) meetings where the highest risk domestic abuse cases are heard, and local partnership responses to domestic abuse.
A key role will be to provide educational domestic abuse programmes to the clinical workforce in nursing, Midwifery & Allied Health Professional and medical roles across CHFT.
The role involves empowering victims to increase their options, make positive choices / decisions, increase their confidence, safety and recovery.
Main duties of the job
- To identify and assess the risks and needs of domestic abuse victims who are accessing care at CHFT. This responsibility must be delivered through an evidence-based risk identification checklist such as the Domestic abuse, stalking and honour based violence risk identification, assessment and management model (DASH).
- Provide a triage and make safe approach in supporting those at highest risk of further harm, or through proactive interventions, for those of medium or standard risk. This will include individual safety planning and personal support.
- Ensure that victims currently living in abusive situations are aware of their rights and options. Give safety planning advice and explain the effectiveness of criminal and civil sanctions available to them.
- To recognise, respect and address the needs of victims who face cultural barriers when seeking help.
- Establish close working relationships within the hospital and Trust safeguarding team, this will include delivering training and awareness sessions for key staff.
Working for our organisation
We employ more than 6,500 staff who deliver compassionate care from our two main hospitals, Calderdale Royal Hospital and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary as well as in community sites, health centres and in patients’ homes. We also are incredibly proud to have almost 150 volunteers here at CHFT.
We provide a range of services including urgent and emergency care; medical; surgical; maternity; gynaecology; critical care; children’s and young people’s services; end of life care and outpatient and diagnostic imaging services.
We provide community health services, including sexual health services in Calderdale from Calderdale Royal and local health centres. These include Todmorden Health Centre and Broad Street Plaza.
We continue to modernise and invest in our health services to build on our strong reputation. Foundation trusts are public leaders in improving quality in health services. They are part of the NHS – yet decisions about what they do and how they do it are driven by independent boards. Boards listen to their Council of Governors and respond to the needs of their members – patients, staff and the local community.
Foundation trusts provide what the health service wants, yet are also free to invest quickly in the changes to the local community needs, in striving to be the best, and in putting their patients first.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
• To promote the service through building positive relationships with all staff groups to ensure identification of domestic abuse cases.
• Carry out needs assessments which effectively establish the support needs of individuals and their family, enabling support to be offered in a responsive manner.
• Ensure work with service users is recovery focussed and strength based, supporting victims in a creative consistent and assertive way to ensure positive outcomes are achieved.
• To effectively manage and prioritise workload.
• To work without direct supervision and make day to day decisions within own remit and to use initiative when to refer to others.
• Support the Safeguarding Team in the compilation of information data
• To be responsible for co-ordinating and booking venues for training staff
• Assist in identifying domestic abuse educational needs for the organisation
• Ensure confidentiality is maintained at all times
• Assist in delivery of education which demonstrates current evidence-based practice.
Person specification
QUALIFICATIONS / TRAINING
Essential criteria
- Hold an IDVA training certificate or demonstrate or demonstrate equivalent experience, or vocational qualifications
- Proficiency in Microsoft applications, IT literacy and ability to carry out own administrative workload
- Evidence of continuous professional development
Desirable criteria
- Counselling qualification
- Skills in data information analysis
KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE
Essential criteria
- Proven experience of working with women, men and children who are victims of domestic abuse
- Experience of supporting high risk victims
- Experience of assessing the risks and needs of vulnerable people who have experienced domestic abuse
- Experience of presenting information and planning / delivering training
- Experience of collating and writing reports
- Ability to prioritise workload and meet deadlines
- Ability to communicate effectively at all levels both verbally & written
- Experience of undertaking DASH risk assessments
- Understanding of domestic abuse risk assessment tools including DASH & extensive understanding of the MARAC process
- A thorough understanding of safeguarding relating to vulnerable adults and children, including how and when to report concerns
- Knowledge of the support needs of those who are experiencing domestic abuse directly and their families
- Understanding of the risk assessment and safety planning process within the context of domestic abuse
- Awareness of social and cultural issues in the context of domestic abuse including HBA, Forced marriage, LGBTQ+ & FGM
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working with people of Pakistani Muslim Heritage, including spoken language skills
- Experience of working with partner agencies & the MARAC process
- Knowledge of current legislation around domestic abuse
COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIPS (INCLUDING MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES)
Essential criteria
- The ability to provide respectful, non-judgemental, and confidential support to victims
- Ability to work as part of a team, demonstrating a flexible approach
- Ability to work effectively on own initiative, be proactive and effectively prioritise workload
- Strong crisis management skills and the ability to deal with stressful and difficult situations
- Clear passion for providing high quality support to patient and staff victims of abuse, empowering them to increase their safety & recovery
- Shows resilience both emotionally and practically. Ensures professional boundaries
Desirable criteria
- Ability to innovate, influence and effect change in a positive manner
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Alison Pollock
- Job title
- Named Midwife Safeguarding & Domestic Abuse Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01422 224570
- Additional information
Stephanie Ingram Deputy Head of Safeguarding 01422 224570
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