The closing date is 26th Jan 2025
Job summary
Working with the Dementia and Delirium Specialist practitioner in conjunction with the clinical lead to deliver high quality patient care, acting as a role model for all staff.
The successful candidate would be expected to provide specialist clinical advice, education and leadership to staff across the trust working with people living with dementia or delirium. This work will feed into the overall team aim of implementing and influencing continual improvement in the standard of care provided.
The team is looking for individuals who have expert skills in communicating with individuals living with a dementia, and who are able to teach and disseminate those skills to others. The post holder should have specific knowledge of managing the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.
You will be joining a supportive and friendly team. Personal and professional development is a requirement of the post and will be supported through both internal and external training opportunities. The post holder may be required to work in other areas of the Trust to meet service needs and work rotational shifts.
Main duties, tasks & skills required
1. Act as an innovative and enthusiastic role model providing training, guidance and advice to staff caring for people living with Dementia and Delirium.
2. Work within the multi-disciplinary team in the provision of dementia and delirium care throughout all aspects of the patients care pathway and in all clinical settings.
3. Deliver high quality patient care, acting as a role model for all staff by providing specialist clinical advice, education, and leadership to clinical staff across the trust caring for people with dementia or delirium to result in an improvement in the standard of care provided.
4. Work with patients with dementia to improve their mental health, physical health, and wellbeing through therapeutic activities.
5. Be confident in working with patients who have behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia and be able to support ward staff with management strategies and establish relationships with patients identifying ways to support them whilst in hospital, regularly engaging with individuals and families/carers.
6. Ensure accurate assessments and information is gathered, to help facilitate complex discharge planning. Work closely with the wards and discharge team to ensure accurate assessments have taken place to facilitate timely and accurate discharges.
7. Assist to implement meaningful person-centred care plans supporting the emotional and behavioural needs of individual patients. Support and encourage ward staff to organise appropriate activities/interactions.
About us
At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:
* Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
* NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
* Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
* A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential
Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.
We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.
Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.
The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.
Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.
Job description
1. Deliver and promote therapeutic interactions for individuals and groups of patients to enhance their physical wellbeing and enable functional therapy intervention.
2. Have relevant expertise and knowledge related to investigations and treatment options in order to provide patients with necessary information to ensure informed consent.
3. Assist with mental capacity assessments and Deprivation of Liberty Application. Work with a self-directed approach in the clinical area in order to provide a highly specialised service.
4. Provide data for and assist with departmental audits and Continuous Quality Improvement Projects.
5. Remain up to date with local and national dementia research and participate in any relevant local projects.
6. Actively manage the dementia team database ensuring it remains up to date, accurate and complies with data-protection legislation.
7. Work alongside the dementia Education Facilitator to support delivery of education.
8. Manage own caseload of patients, developing individual agreed management regimes with the patient that acknowledge and are responsive to their psychological, physiological, and educational needs.
9. Maintain up-to-date specialist knowledge, participate in in-service training and show evidence of continuing Professional Development in line with Clinical Governance requirements.
10. Assist to identify patients who are admitted with a dementia or delirium and proactively contact them and their family/carers.
11. Ensure that appropriate documentation and flagging is in place and appropriate referrals are made.
12. Act as a role model and teacher, providing mentorship and support and demonstrate exemplary practice to all members of the healthcare team.
13. Liaise with appropriate external agencies, including Adult Social Care, Somerset Partnership and the Alzheimer's Society facilitating timely review and collaborative decision making.
14. Liaise with wards to ensure 'What matters to me' documents are meaningfully completed and used to provide personalised care.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential
Registered Health Professional
Mentoring or equivalent qualification
Dementia Qualification and or equivalent dementia knowledge and experience
Full driving license holder
Desirable
Attended SFT Dementia Study Day 1
Experience
Essential
Substantial proven experience post registration at Band 5 or above.
Knowledge and experience of National Health
Knowledge of best practice in providing care for patients living with dementia or delirium.
Experience of working with patients living with a dementia
Experienced in the use of IT applications, specifically experience of Excel, Outlook Email, Microsoft word, PowerPoint.
Demonstrable commitment to establishing productive working relationships with clinicians and other professionals
Evidence of a good standard of Literacy/English language skills
Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively with staff, patients, carers and relatives (as appropriate), remaining calm, professional, sensitive and empathetic
Professional and patient focussed approach with inspirational skills, acting as a role model to colleagues and junior staff members.
High standards of written communication skills with the ability to use email and internet
Desirable
Good Knowledge of health and social policy and the legislation underpinning e.g., Care Quality Commission.
Competent in acting as clinical/professional supervisor/mentor or coach.
Additional Criteria
Essential
Excellent organisational skills, ability to manage own time and deliver to targets and deadlines
Self-motivated and able to use own
Able to work effectively as part of a team
Highly developed physical skills and manual dexterity.
Willingness to use technology to improve standards of care and support to our patients
Evidence of continuous professional
Excellent leadership
Would need to be a car owner and use their own car for business use periodically
Desirable
Experience of managing
Experience of supporting staff and developing staff members and active performance management.
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.
UK Professional Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.
For help with your application, contact:
Kirsty Hook
kirsty.hook@somersetft.nhs.uk
07769904659
Pay scheme
Agenda for Change
Band
Band 6
Salary
£37338.00 to £44962.00 Yearly
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-Time
Reference number
184-OL-BL-1667
Job locations
Yeovil District Hospital
Higher Kingston
Yeovil
Somerset
BA21 4AT
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