Job summary
Do you enjoy the challenge of working ina busy service where no two days are the same? An exciting opportunityhas arisen for an enthusiastic and motivated Occupational Health and WellbeingSpecialist Nurse to join our professional and supportive SEQOHSaccredited team at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. The post is basedat The Working Well Centre, Worcester, but will also involve cross siteworking, travel to some outside NHS sites and companies for whom we provide anOccupational Health and wellbeing service.
This is a full-time post; however, consideration may be given for a part-time position for the right candidate, as will a flexible working hours/hybrid working.
Main duties of the job
Undertaking comprehensiveevidence-based OH assessments, provide risk-based interventions and offerexpert OH advice in the management of sickness absence cases. Also, you willsupport the development of junior members of the team by sharing your expertiseand support the development of others' competencies in OH&WB. In additionto your clinical responsibilities, opportunities to participate in policy andprocess development, auditing and other governance related activity, willensure job variation and opportunity for growth.
The ideal candidate will behighly confident, have excellent communication skills, proficient IT skills anda flexible pro-active approach to be able to manage a varied and demandingworkload.
About us
Our purpose is simple - Putting Patients First. We are looking for exceptional colleagues who can help us achieve this.
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a larger population in Herefordshire and beyond.
The Trust operates hospital-based services from three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch and Worcester
Our workforce is over 7,000 strong, and our caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred care. You could be one of them.
We are committed to recruiting the best people to work with us to achieve our Vision - working in partnership to provide the best healthcare for our communities, leading and supporting our teams to move 4ward. Our 4ward behaviours, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do.
Our objectives are simple:
1. Best services for local people
2. Best experience of care and best outcomes for our patients
3. Best use of resources
4. Best people
Better never stops, and our Clinical Services Strategy provides a clear future vision for our Trust, our hospitals, our services and our role in the wider health and care system.
We are proud to have achieved Timewise accreditation - this means we are committed to embedding flexible working within our organisation as a flex positive employer.
Job description
Job responsibilities
PostTitle Occupational Health andWellbeing Nurse Specialist
PayBand Agenda for Change Band 7
Contract
Permanent
Location / Department
Working Well Centre Newtown Road Worcester
Accountable to
Head of OH and Wellbeing Services
Reports to
Head of OH and Wellbeing Services
Key Working Relationships
Allstakeholders OtherNHS Occupational Health and Wellbeing Services, Other non NHS Organisations,Clinical CommissioningGroups.
Risk Assessment
Workingwith VDUs, some manual handling/repetitive tasks. Potential exposure todistressed and or verbally aggressive individuals. The role can be emotionallychallenging at times.
JobPurpose
Tosupport and contribute to the effective provision of a high qualityOccupational Health and Wellbeing Service to the Trust and other public sectorand private organisations. The postholder may liaise with other agencies in theplanning programmes of care and/or health education programmes.
Topromote and maintain a systematic, holistic approach to occupational health andwellbeing provision, its implementation and evaluation.
Toparticipate in identifying and maintaining a safe working environment andpreventing ill health that may be associated with work. Receive, interpret andmanage highly complex health information from employees, managers and/or HRwhich may lead to restrictions being placed on an employees job role, such asaddictions, blood borne viruses or RIDDOR reportable incidents; providing highlyspecialised advice regarding work health assessments and fitness for workassessments in line with professional standards, legal obligations and localpolicy.
Undertakeformal clinical audit programmes and evaluation, supporting the strategicdirection of the service and provide assurance regarding the quality of clinicalcare and advice.
Toprovide clear visible professional advice to employees within the Trust andexternal clients.
Providemanagement and professional leadership to Occupational Health Nurse Advisorsand the wider multidisciplinary team within the Occupational Health department.
Toassist the Head of OHand Wellbeing in leading and advancing clinical practice in linewith DH guidelines and legislation.
Toprovide all aspects of Occupational Health clinical practice. Assessing patients/clients,planning and implementing care, providing specialist advice and maintainingassociated records in accordance with departmental protocols.
KeyDuties:
Coordinatedaily clinics and provide professional leadership, advice, support and guidanceto the Occupational Health Nurse Advisors. Act as a professional role model andprovide strong, facilitative, and effective clinical leadership.
Manage owncaseload of management referrals for the purpose of sickness absence managementthrough assessment and planning of Occupational Health care of an individual.Provide specialist expertise and advice on highly complex cases such as thosewith multiple complex health or neurodiverse conditions for which managersrequire coaching and guidance to be able to support the employee in theworkplace. Develop highly specialised programmes of care to employees tomitigate health issues within the workplace.
Workautonomously as a specialist practitioner and be able to use own initiative andact independently, to take action when required. Will be required to work aloneas well as within the team.
Maintain and safeguard accurate confidentialclinical records including the recording of clinical outcomes and observations,tests results, and the secure storage of patient identifiable information onthe OH management system Cority in in accordance with Data ProtectionAct and Caldicott Principles, information governance and relevant legislation.
Undertakecomplex fitness for work assessments, using evidence-based practice toprovide highly specialist appropriate advice and support to managers, employeesand HR whilst considering relevant legal requirements Equality Act. Thiswill require the analysis of a range of possible options.
Assessany employee following an inoculation injury, undertaking a risk assessment forblood borne viruses and appropriate action in accordance with the DHguidelines.
Actas an expert adviser on specific programmes of work as required, for exampleemployee infection prevention or health surveillance interventions/programmes
Contribute to strategic OHwork, including attendance at key meetings representing OH Health and Safety,Infection Prevention and Control.
Participatein Health and Wellbeing initiatives.
Takea senior role in the development and provision of a high profile and pro-activeOccupational Health Service that will meet SEQOHS accredited standards.
Assistin the development of the departments business plans and strategy.
Undertakedefined projects as agreed with the Headof OH and Wellbeing tosupport the delivery of high quality clinically effective care.
Assistthe Head of OH and Wellbeing tomonitor, review and develop Occupational Health policies and procedures toensure they meet legislation and DH recommendations and reflect standards ofbest practice.
Tosupport the Head of OH and Wellbeing/Deputy OH Manager anddeputise as necessary.
Usehigh level specialist knowledge to develop and deliver training programmes toaddress specific health and wellbeing issues.
Communicationand relationship skills:
Provide and receive highlycomplex, sensitive and sometimes contentious information with clients wherethere are significant barriers to acceptance which need to be overcome,requiring a high level of interpersonal and communication skills and ensuring adviceis in line with legal standards fitness to drive, safeguarding
Communicateeffectively within the multidisciplinary team, with departments andorganisations to ensure services are well planned and co coordinated. Establishand maintain effective communication channels with all colleagues, managers andother professionals.
Respondto verbal / electronic/ written and telephone enquires in a helpful manner,prioritising messages and taking responsibility for ensuring the appropriatemember of the clinical team is informed where action is required.
Maintainand respect patient confidentiality at all times. To escalate cases to Head of OH and Wellbeing / Occupational Health Physician whenappropriate.
Planningand Organisational skills:
Thepostholder will plan delivery of specialist occupational health nursing careand take overall responsibility for the department in the Head of OccupationalHealth/Deputy OH Managers absence.
Thepostholder will take responsibility for dealing with clinical queries andcomplex case management. Undertaking blood borne virus risk assessments,identification of high-risk incidents and ensuring the correct follow up isplanned following an incident.
Thepostholder will act in a senior capacity to support more junior members of theclinical team and ensure best practice is maintained within the department inaccordance with legislation relevant to occupational health practice.
ClientCare:
Promptproduction of reports to support clients and managers.
Providespecialist advice in relation to care and develop specialised programmes ofcare/care packages to staff who require occupational health support.
Providehighly specialised occupational health advice and be accountable for directdelivery of occupational health care within the department.
Allclinical care will be in line with the NMC Code of Professional Conductregarding record keeping and obtaining informed consent.
Provideappropriate Occupational Health advice which complies with the ethical guidancefrom the Faculty of Occupational Health medicine.
Assessindividual risk for employees presenting with perceived stress and takingappropriate action.
Providesupport and signposting to employees through potentially difficult ordistressing situations.
Toundertake any other duties which is deemed appropriate to the band whenrequested by Senior Staff. The above indicates the main duties of the postwhich may be reviewed in the light of experience and developments within theservice. Any review will be undertaken in conjunction with the post-holder.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
5. Registered Nurse on the NMC register
6. Postgraduate qualification in Occupational Health
Desirable
7. NEBOSH certificate/ diploma
Experience
Essential
8. Demonstrable broad experience in an OH role
9. Experience of coordinating clinics and service requirements
10. Managing complex cases with multi-factorial situations
Desirable
11. NHS Occupational Health experience
12. Counselling experience
Skills / Knowledge
Essential
13. Good communication skills in all aspects verbal and written skills, information capture, filter and report and presentation to audience or customers, de-escalation and diplomacy
14. Demonstrably excellent customer service skills
15. Able to prioritise own workload and manage own time, self-motivated and capable of working flexibly and to strict deadlines using own initiative
16. Excellent role model
17. Is a great team player
18. Clinical teaching and training delivery
19. Excellent working knowledge and experience of Microsoft office and OH computer systems
20. Ability to provide and receive highly complex or contentious information which requires motivational, negotiating, empathetic or reassurance skills and information may be hostile, antagonistic or highly emotive.
Personal Qualities
Essential
21. Ability to energise and engage self and others, developing trust and credibility rapidly to work professionally with all grades of staff inspiring confidence
22. Evidence of practicing the WAHT Values and Behaviours