Job summary The Patient and Family Support Clinician plays a pivotal and rewarding role at Devon Air Ambulance, offering vital support to patients, their families and bystanders during some of the most critical moments in their lives. Reporting to the Patient and Family Support Manager, you will guide individuals through complex and often traumatic medical experiences, providing clear explanations of critical illnesses, injuries, and the advanced pre-hospital care received, including life-saving interventions such as anaesthesia and signpost to other agencies or organisations that may offer specialist assistance. Additionally, this role helps connect patients with others who have faced similar situations, creating powerful opportunities for peer support. We are looking for whole-time equivalent hours, which can be filled through two part-time positions. Main duties of the job As a central figure within the Patient and Family Support Team, you will serve as the primary contact for patients, families, carers, or legal representatives, ensuring they receive compassionate guidance and are linked to appropriate resources and external support when needed. Beyond individual support, this role is integral to Devon Air Ambulances commitment to continuous improvement. You will contribute to clinical governance, ensuring that patient feedback and experiences are consistently communicated to clinicians. You will also play an active role in driving quality improvement initiatives and participating in audits, directly influencing the evolution of patient care. Please apply through our website www.careers.daat.org. Applications directly through NHS Jobs will NOT be considered. About us We're motivated by shared values as well as the knowledge that our work makes a real difference to people's lives. Because of our values and culture, we believe it's important to attract, develop and inspire our staff. We give our team lots of opportunities to grow and develop. We are a Living Wage Employer and hold a Silver Award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, awarded to employers who wish to pledge their intention to support the Armed Forces community. We are a Disability Confident Employer (Level 1) and have signed the charter as a Mindful Employer to support better mental health in the workplace. Also, we have committed to the ACEVO pledge to improve equality and diversity across the charity sector and the Menopause Workplace Pledge as we provide support and understanding for staff going through the menopause. Date posted 23 October 2024 Pay scheme Other Salary £40,000 a year FTE Contract Permanent Working pattern Full-time, Part-time Reference number B0413-24-0004 Job locations Unit 5 Sandpiper Court Harrington Lane Exeter Devon EX4 8NS Job description Job responsibilities Job Title: Patient and Family Support Clinician Location: Head Office, Exeter & Eaglescott airbases, with frequent requirement to travel to various locations, primarily in Devon but also within the wider South West region and opportunities to work remotely. Reports to: Patient and Family Support Manager Hours: 37.5 per week.This could be made up of two part-time positions. Grade: Registered Healthcare Professional Salary: £40,000 FTE Support: Internal: Patient and Family Support Manager, Head of Patient Services External: Patients, their relatives or legal representatives, Acute Hospitals, Care Networks, Other Air Ambulance services, NHS Ambulance Service, Police FLOs, other support agencies. RESPONSIBILITIES, DUTIES, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE Communications and relationships Strong communication skills, regularly providing reassurance and empathy in emotionally challenging situations. Provide clear and accurate written documentation when needed. Actively contribute to Clinical Governance processes, including sharing experiences, participating in Clinical Governance days, following up with patients/families, and presenting case studies. Collaborate with Devon Air Ambulances (DAA) Fundraising and Communication teams to facilitate patient and family interactions when they wish to share their experiences. Work closely with the Patient and Family Support team to ensure coordinated and effective support. Assist the Patient and Family Support Manager and Operations Director in Duty of Candour processes, maintaining clear, open, and honest communication with patients and families when care did not meet expectations. Represent Devon Air Ambulance as an ambassador, promoting good public relations. Use clinical knowledge to explain complex illnesses, injuries, and prehospital treatments, including medications, surgical procedures, and anaesthesia. Maintain a solid understanding of DAATCL's Scope of Practice and the Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee (JRCALC) Guidelines. Knowledge and experience Registered Healthcare Professional with a minimum of two years post-registration. BSc or relevant experience in Critical Care, Advanced Clinical Practice, Rehabilitation, or support roles for patients or vulnerable individuals. Evidence of relevant postgraduate study. Have a strong history in prehospital or hospital based critical care. Experience of working within multi-disciplinary teams. Experience with bereavement support is beneficial. Experience in a patient-facing role post-professional registration, preferably with Air Ambulance or pre-hospital experience. Strong knowledge of CQC Fundamental Standards and 'Key Lines of Enquiries' and their impact on clinical practice and organisational governance. Good understanding of regional care pathways for emergency and critical care patients, including ED, intensive care, cardiac care, rehabilitation, and enablement services. Understanding of research and audit principles, including patient outcome measures. Ability to handle conflict and differing opinions effectively. Resilient and self-motivated. A good level of insight and ability to manage own wellbeing as well as supporting the wellbeing of the team. Training/Qualifications Maintain a clean Enhanced DBS certificate, including adult and child Barring List clearance. Willing to complete statutory training and professional development as required by the organisation. Hold a full UK driving license with no more than 3 penalty points. Proficient in IT, including Microsoft Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and database management. Planning and organisational skills Identify trends and themes from patient and family experiences to support Quality Improvement. Plan and deliver education sessions on Patient and Family Support and related projects to clinicians, the wider organisation, and external stakeholders. Liaise with healthcare providers, charities, and support agencies to support patients and families, incorporating best practices and learnings into DAATCL. Collaborate with Heads of Clinical Services, Operations, Patient Services, and the Clinical Governance Lead to ensure patient feedback is shared. Coordinate responses and collaborate with other Air Ambulance services Patient and Family Support teams. Creative and Intellectual Effort Acknowledge the frequent exposure to distressing or traumatic patient/family recounts, often involving discussions of care provided by DAATCL with relatives of severely injured or deceased patients. Production of reports drawn from information from a variety of sources. Host airbase visits for patients and their families Emotional effort Frequent exposure to patients/family recounting distressing and/or traumatic circumstances, with the need to discuss the care provided by DAATCL. Frequent requirement to communicate in person with relatives of severely injured or deceased patients. Provide sensitive timely support to patients and families who have been treated by DAATCL, including answering questions about the care provided by DAATCL and supporting and/or signposting them to other agencies who offer mental and physical wellbeing support. Provide peer and wellbeing support to other Patient and Family Support team members. Provide peer support and wellbeing assistance to other members of the Patient and Family Support team. Physical skills and effort This role will require minimal manual handling. This role will require standard keyboard skills. Accountability, autonomy and judgement Accountable as a Registered Healthcare Professional for upholding the standards of conduct, performance, ethics and CPD as required by their professional body. Accountable for maintaining personal awareness of organisational communications, policies and procedures. Able to uphold the highest Infection Prevention & Control (IP&C) standards. Able to work within data protection regulations and procedures. Demonstrates sound judgement in considering where patient harm may have occurred and escalate as appropriate to the Patient and Family Support Manager, or in their Absence, the Operations Director. Ability to make judgements involving a range of facts or situations requiring analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of options. Accountable for results and unafraid to learn from mistakes. Financial, physical and information resources Accurate review of patient clinical records/clinical database. Maintain the highest standards of Infection Prevention & Control (IP&C). Exercise sound judgement in identifying potential patient harm and escalate concerns appropriately. Good data processing and analytical skills. Policy and service Accountable for staying informed of organisational communications, policies, and procedures. Support the development of processes and procedures related to Patient and Family Support. Engage in team reflection and learning, identifying areas for improvement and sharing insights. Assist with the monthly submission of Patient and Family Support updates to the Clinical Committee and deputise for the Patient and Family Support Manager at meetings. Comply with DAATCLs Information Governance policies and UK Data Protection legislation. Collaborate on policy and service development, while independently leading on related tasks when needed. Working conditions Be prepared to use VDU for extended periods. Work hours must be flexible to accommodate service, meeting, and visit schedules. Occasional requirement to work outside regular office hours, including weekends. Leadership and people Provide feedback to clinicians to help improve patient care delivery. Offer advice and guidance to non-clinical staff on the scope of care provided by Devon Air Ambulance and the Patient and Family Support service. Foster a learning culture that encourages collaboration, creativity, and responsibility. Uphold DAAs values and behaviours, promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion. Demonstrate high integrity and openness. Work well both independently and as part of a team. Devon Air Ambulance is signed up to Acevos Diversity Principles which will help address the diversity deficit in charity leadership. DAA does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status. Job description Job responsibilities Job Title: Patient and Family Support Clinician Location: Head Office, Exeter & Eaglescott airbases, with frequent requirement to travel to various locations, primarily in Devon but also within the wider South West region and opportunities to work remotely. Reports to: Patient and Family Support Manager Hours: 37.5 per week.This could be made up of two part-time positions. Grade: Registered Healthcare Professional Salary: £40,000 FTE Support: Internal: Patient and Family Support Manager, Head of Patient Services External: Patients, their relatives or legal representatives, Acute Hospitals, Care Networks, Other Air Ambulance services, NHS Ambulance Service, Police FLOs, other support agencies. RESPONSIBILITIES, DUTIES, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE Communications and relationships Strong communication skills, regularly providing reassurance and empathy in emotionally challenging situations. Provide clear and accurate written documentation when needed. Actively contribute to Clinical Governance processes, including sharing experiences, participating in Clinical Governance days, following up with patients/families, and presenting case studies. Collaborate with Devon Air Ambulances (DAA) Fundraising and Communication teams to facilitate patient and family interactions when they wish to share their experiences. Work closely with the Patient and Family Support team to ensure coordinated and effective support. Assist the Patient and Family Support Manager and Operations Director in Duty of Candour processes, maintaining clear, open, and honest communication with patients and families when care did not meet expectations. Represent Devon Air Ambulance as an ambassador, promoting good public relations. Use clinical knowledge to explain complex illnesses, injuries, and prehospital treatments, including medications, surgical procedures, and anaesthesia. Maintain a solid understanding of DAATCL's Scope of Practice and the Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee (JRCALC) Guidelines. Knowledge and experience Registered Healthcare Professional with a minimum of two years post-registration. BSc or relevant experience in Critical Care, Advanced Clinical Practice, Rehabilitation, or support roles for patients or vulnerable individuals. Evidence of relevant postgraduate study. Have a strong history in prehospital or hospital based critical care. Experience of working within multi-disciplinary teams. Experience with bereavement support is beneficial. Experience in a patient-facing role post-professional registration, preferably with Air Ambulance or pre-hospital experience. Strong knowledge of CQC Fundamental Standards and 'Key Lines of Enquiries' and their impact on clinical practice and organisational governance. Good understanding of regional care pathways for emergency and critical care patients, including ED, intensive care, cardiac care, rehabilitation, and enablement services. Understanding of research and audit principles, including patient outcome measures. Ability to handle conflict and differing opinions effectively. Resilient and self-motivated. A good level of insight and ability to manage own wellbeing as well as supporting the wellbeing of the team. Training/Qualifications Maintain a clean Enhanced DBS certificate, including adult and child Barring List clearance. Willing to complete statutory training and professional development as required by the organisation. Hold a full UK driving license with no more than 3 penalty points. Proficient in IT, including Microsoft Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and database management. Planning and organisational skills Identify trends and themes from patient and family experiences to support Quality Improvement. Plan and deliver education sessions on Patient and Family Support and related projects to clinicians, the wider organisation, and external stakeholders. Liaise with healthcare providers, charities, and support agencies to support patients and families, incorporating best practices and learnings into DAATCL. Collaborate with Heads of Clinical Services, Operations, Patient Services, and the Clinical Governance Lead to ensure patient feedback is shared. Coordinate responses and collaborate with other Air Ambulance services Patient and Family Support teams. Creative and Intellectual Effort Acknowledge the frequent exposure to distressing or traumatic patient/family recounts, often involving discussions of care provided by DAATCL with relatives of severely injured or deceased patients. Production of reports drawn from information from a variety of sources. Host airbase visits for patients and their families Emotional effort Frequent exposure to patients/family recounting distressing and/or traumatic circumstances, with the need to discuss the care provided by DAATCL. Frequent requirement to communicate in person with relatives of severely injured or deceased patients. Provide sensitive timely support to patients and families who have been treated by DAATCL, including answering questions about the care provided by DAATCL and supporting and/or signposting them to other agencies who offer mental and physical wellbeing support. Provide peer and wellbeing support to other Patient and Family Support team members. Provide peer support and wellbeing assistance to other members of the Patient and Family Support team. Physical skills and effort This role will require minimal manual handling. This role will require standard keyboard skills. Accountability, autonomy and judgement Accountable as a Registered Healthcare Professional for upholding the standards of conduct, performance, ethics and CPD as required by their professional body. Accountable for maintaining personal awareness of organisational communications, policies and procedures. Able to uphold the highest Infection Prevention & Control (IP&C) standards. Able to work within data protection regulations and procedures. Demonstrates sound judgement in considering where patient harm may have occurred and escalate as appropriate to the Patient and Family Support Manager, or in their Absence, the Operations Director. Ability to make judgements involving a range of facts or situations requiring analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of options. Accountable for results and unafraid to learn from mistakes. Financial, physical and information resources Accurate review of patient clinical records/clinical database. Maintain the highest standards of Infection Prevention & Control (IP&C). Exercise sound judgement in identifying potential patient harm and escalate concerns appropriately. Good data processing and analytical skills. Policy and service Accountable for staying informed of organisational communications, policies, and procedures. Support the development of processes and procedures related to Patient and Family Support. Engage in team reflection and learning, identifying areas for improvement and sharing insights. Assist with the monthly submission of Patient and Family Support updates to the Clinical Committee and deputise for the Patient and Family Support Manager at meetings. Comply with DAATCLs Information Governance policies and UK Data Protection legislation. Collaborate on policy and service development, while independently leading on related tasks when needed. Working conditions Be prepared to use VDU for extended periods. Work hours must be flexible to accommodate service, meeting, and visit schedules. Occasional requirement to work outside regular office hours, including weekends. Leadership and people Provide feedback to clinicians to help improve patient care delivery. Offer advice and guidance to non-clinical staff on the scope of care provided by Devon Air Ambulance and the Patient and Family Support service. Foster a learning culture that encourages collaboration, creativity, and responsibility. Uphold DAAs values and behaviours, promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion. Demonstrate high integrity and openness. Work well both independently and as part of a team. Devon Air Ambulance is signed up to Acevos Diversity Principles which will help address the diversity deficit in charity leadership. DAA does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status. Person Specification Qualifications Essential Registered Healthcare Professional with a minimum of two years post-registration. BSc or relevant experience in Critical Care, Advanced Clinical Practice, Rehabilitation, or support roles for patients or vulnerable individuals. Evidence of relevant postgraduate study. Have a strong history in prehospital or hospital based critical care. Experience Essential Experience of working within multi-disciplinary teams. Experience with bereavement support is beneficial. Experience in a patient-facing role post-professional registration, preferably with Air Ambulance or pre-hospital experience. Strong knowledge of CQC Fundamental Standards and 'Key Lines of Enquiries' and their impact on clinical practice and organisational governance. Person Specification Qualifications Essential Registered Healthcare Professional with a minimum of two years post-registration. BSc or relevant experience in Critical Care, Advanced Clinical Practice, Rehabilitation, or support roles for patients or vulnerable individuals. Evidence of relevant postgraduate study. Have a strong history in prehospital or hospital based critical care. Experience Essential Experience of working within multi-disciplinary teams. Experience with bereavement support is beneficial. Experience in a patient-facing role post-professional registration, preferably with Air Ambulance or pre-hospital experience. Strong knowledge of CQC Fundamental Standards and 'Key Lines of Enquiries' and their impact on clinical practice and organisational governance. 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. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). Additional information 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. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). Employer details Employer name Devon Air Ambulance Address Unit 5 Sandpiper Court Harrington Lane Exeter Devon EX4 8NS Employer's website https://www.daat.org/ (Opens in a new tab)