Family Support Practitioner - 24 hours per week. It is essential to have experience in providing Welfare Rights advice and guidance to patients and those affected by their diagnosis.
The post holder will be a member of the Family Support Service within The Hospice of the Valleys.
The aim of the Family Support Service is to provide high quality care for people with a palliative diagnosis and their families who are experiencing complex symptoms that are not being effectively managed by generalist practitioners.
The Family Support Service provides bereavement support to families in line with the bereavement care standards.
Main duties of the job
1. To provide support, information, welfare rights advice and guidance to patients and those affected by their diagnosis, enabling and empowering those engaging with the service to maintain independence, improve sense of well-being and put them more in control of their lives.
2. To work autonomously, assessing patients and carers, with complex physical, emotional, social, and psychological symptoms on a daily basis to enable an appropriate plan of care to be developed within the community.
3. To provide information, support, and advice in response to an assessed need highlighted within the initial assessment which may include: patient support, carer support, advance care planning and bereavement. Knowledge of local services is desirable as signposting to other services/agencies is required where appropriate.
4. To establish and maintain effective communication relating to complex, sensitive and potentially stressful situations on a regular basis. Supporting relatives, carers, and staff in bereavement with the ability to recognise and refer on for complicated grief reactions.
5. Contribute toward a core training programme relating to the specialist area for all Hospice staff and wider community including primary healthcare teams, social services staff, and the voluntary sector. This could include providing education and support to the wider social care workforce in line with hospice expectations, as well as participation in local events and conferences.
About us
Hospice of the Valleys provides specialist palliative care to the people of Blaenau Gwent.
We work with people who have a life-limiting condition such as heart failure, Chronic Obstructive Disease (COPD) and cancer.
Specialist Palliative Care helps patients and their families with physical, emotional, social and financial problems that are difficult to control. We can help to plan ahead, provide support at the end of life and through bereavement.
Patients may only need care from Hospice of the Valleys for a short time and can be discharged from us if their symptoms are controlled.
We also have a designated service for patients with Dementia and their carers called CARIAD (Care and Respect in Advanced Dementia).
Our team of professionals provide care for patients at home, in their regular place of residence including nursing homes, Ysbyty Aneruin Bevan or Ysbyty Tri Chwm, and at our out-patient clinic in the Hospice in Ebbw Vale.
We work closely together and alongside all Health and Social Care providers including GPs, district nurses, hospital teams & voluntary workers. We place the patient and their family at the heart of everything we do.
Job responsibilities
JOB PURPOSE
1. The post holder will be a member of the Family Support Service within The Hospice of the Valleys.
2. To work effectively as an autonomous practitioner within a multidisciplinary palliative care team, promoting and maintaining quality of life for patients and carers.
3. To engage in the assessment of complex symptom and psychological problems, provide support, ensuring a cohesive, holistic, and evidence-based approach to the management of individuals living with a palliative diagnosis and support for their carers pre and post bereavement.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required
1. Minimum 2 years experience in a health care/social care/education setting.
2. Experience of working directly with people affected by a palliative, life-limiting diagnosis, their carers and those affected by the diagnosis.
3. Experience of supporting people following a bereavement.
4. Experience of working within an unpredictable, ever-changing multi-agency setting.
5. Communicate respectfully in an open, accurate, straightforward, and confidential way with colleagues.
6. Ability to organise and facilitate groups.
7. Ability to identify learning needs in others, and to utilise education opportunities.
8. Ability to demonstrate contribution to policy development.
9. Basic level competence in the standard range of IT programs.
10. Able to demonstrate effective interpersonal and communication skills.
Person Specification
Special Conditions and Professional Requirements
* Welfare Rights/Benefits - Experience is essential.
* Requirement to travel independently throughout the Service Area.
* Enhanced Disclosure and Barring checks on appointment and at periodic intervals.
Qualifications
* Education to A/level degree standard with GCSE in maths and literacy
* Evidence of continuing professional development.
* Valid UK driving licence and regular use of a car.
* Degree in relevant field.
Experience
* Welfare Rights/Benefits - Experience is essential.
* Minimum 2 years experience in a health care/social care/education setting.
* Experience of working directly with people in emotionally stressful environments.
* Experience and understanding of advanced communication regarding complex and sensitive issues.
* Experience of managing a caseload.
* Community working experience.
* Specialist palliative care experience.
* Experience of presenting to a group.
* Experience of multidisciplinary and multi-agency working.
* Understanding loss and grief and its impact on individuals and families.
Skills and Knowledge, Special Aptitudes
* Ability to facilitate groups.
* Ability to work as part of a team.
* Understanding the needs of carers and those affected by dementia diagnosis.
* Able to advocate for others, representing their views in an objective manner.
* Demonstrates clear and advanced communication skills; written, verbal and non-verbal.
* Excellent planning and organisation skills.
* Able to develop effective interpersonal relationships with a diverse range of patients, carers, and professionals.
* Ability to assess risk regarding self and others and take appropriate action.
* Computer literacy with ability to use email, internet, Word, electronic records, and literature searching.
* Understanding of advance care planning.
Personal Qualities and Circumstances
* Ability to form professional relationships within a multidisciplinary team.
* Ability to work independently and as a member of the multidisciplinary team.
* Excellent interpersonal skills.
* Motivated and enthusiastic.
* Ability to remain calm under pressure.
* Ability to respond to changing situations.
* Ability to use own initiative when required.
* Approachable and adaptable.
* Ability to manage the emotional impact of working within palliative/dementia care.
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.
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