To take the professional lead and undertake the role of the Named Nurse for Child Protection for the Trust in accordance with Department of Health guidance, ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023’, Laming Enquiry and the National Service Framework for children and relevant national recommendations/guidelines.
To work in collaboration with the Trust’s Joint Named Doctors for Child Protection, The Named Midwife, Named Nurse for Safeguarding Adults and the Designated Nurse and Doctor, and the local Named Nurse network in promoting high standards of professional practice within the Trust in safeguarding children.
To advise and co-ordinate policy development and implementation, identify and facilitate child protection training needs for the Trust in accordance with the local child protection strategy, service objectives and intercollegiate guidance.
To act as a resource of specialist knowledge and expertise providing supervision and support to multi-professional staff in relation to all Child Protection issues.
To provide professional and strategic leadership for the Trust in Child Protection.
To monitor, audit and evaluate multi-professional child protection practice.
Responsibilities and key result areas to include:
1. Vision, Strategy and Business development
Be a source of expert advice to all health professionals, managers and staff who deal with child protection and promote collaborative working internally and across agencies ensuring that all staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities.
Take a lead role in partnership with the Joint Named Doctors for Child Protection issues for policy development, implementation and practices within the Trust and raise awareness across all staff groups within the Trust.
Work with named professionals within the Hillingdon Health Economy in order that clear lines of communication are established between hospitals, Hillingdon Community Health and associated agencies, thereby facilitating robust partnership working.
Ensure a Governance Framework for the development, implementation and evaluation of standards of practice for safeguarding children is in place.
To be an active and core member of the Trust Joint Safeguarding Committee, Children and Young Persons Board and a highly visible senior nurse.
Be the Trust lead in external serious case reviews and conduct child protection internal case reviews, where indicated, ensuring recommendations are incorporated into changes in practice in line with Trust risk management strategy. A temporary review of duties should be considered within this period following negotiation with the Head of Safeguarding
The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is the only acute Hospital in the London Borough of Hillingdon and offers a wide range of services including accident and emergency, inpatient care, day surgery, outpatient clinics and maternity services. The Trust’s services at Mount Vernon Hospital include routine day surgery, delivered at a modern treatment centre, a minor injuries unit and outpatient clinics.
The safety and well-being of our patients and of our staff is paramount and we are making urgent improvements to address this – particularly in infection prevention and control. We are making progress and going forward by working in partnership with local GPs, charities,
community services, academic partners, our local authority, neighbouring hospitals and the wider North West London Integrated care system, and ensuring that we listen and work in partnership with our local population. We are absolutely focused on ensuring that our hospitals
provide high quality, safe and compassionate care, while drive forward the building of the new Hillingdon Hospital.
We have over 3,500 members of staff that are proud to care for nearly half a million people, with a vision to be an outstanding provider of healthcare through leading health and academic partnerships, transforming services, to provide the best care where needed.
Assist with the collection of data as required in serious case reviews and developing the chronology of such children and families (unless directly involved with the case, when it should be the responsibility of someone else.) Advise on the implementation and recommendations from serious case reviews.
Ensure that there are clear plans in place to manage the safeguarding of children, focussing particularly on recognising Child Protection issues, referral to other agencies where necessary and adequate discharge planning where child abuse is suspected.
In identified cases of child abuse, in conjunction with the ward nurse and other professionals, facilitate the planning and co-ordination of all aspects of care that will ensure the child’s safety.
Working with the Senior Nursing team in A and E/UTC to ensure there are adequate and safe working practices within the A&E Department to identify all children who attend who may be at risk of or suffering from deliberate harm. Facilitate weekly safety net meetings for case discussions. Provide and participate in safeguarding supervision.
2. Leadership, Culture and Values and People
Initiate, develop and review policies in partnership with other agencies to promote best practice and safe ways of working within related healthcare settings.
Ensure the rights of children in child protection cases are upheld and that their voices are heard.
Line manage the Safeguarding Children Advisor, Paediatric Liaison Specialist for safeguarding children and the A&E safeguarding administrator, delegating appropriate roles and responsibilities commensurate the post holder’s capability and scope of practice. Set objectives, provide development opportunities and appraise performance in line with Trust policies.
Offer clinical supervision, advice and support to staff working with children where abuse is suspected or proven to enable personal growth and reflection.
Produce a quarterly report for joint safeguarding committee and present to other boards and committees as required. Assist with the compilation of the Trust’s Annual Safeguarding Report. Contribute to the development of management information systems to provide child protection related information for the Trust.
Liaise with other Named Nurses within NHS England (NHSE) London region and nationally to raise the profile of child protection and develop a common standard for the protection of children. Work together with the North West London sector to ensure documentation on Cerner is developed as required.
Provide a vision within the Trust for Child Protection and lead by example through positive role modelling.
Participate in annual staff performance review for self and colleagues.
Provide, receive and communicate (verbal and written) highly complex information in order to provide action for factors that can adversely affect the physical, emotional and psychological well-being of children, young people and families e.g. safeguarding children, children in need, maternal/child deaths, sharing of unpleasant news, domestic abuse.
Participate in clinical governance audits, research and development, risk management, clinical supervision and training and development of staff. Carry out clinical risk assessments within the organisation guidelines.
Maintain accurate and contemporaneous records in accordance with the record keeping policy- responsible for ensuring that all client records are up to date by means of written and computer generated records and in accordance with agreed timescales.
3. Governance, Quality and Performance
Act as a role model, lead by example through practice with positive attitude and presentation.
To act as a resource within THH concerning current development within the service, taking forward initiatives to share best practice, acting as a clinical role model within the team by demonstrating high levels of clinical practice.
Take responsibility for own continuous professional development, maintaining a sound level of professional knowledge and competence in line with your Personal Development Plan agreed at annual appraisal. Ensure attendance at all required (mandatory) training.
Present information in arenas such clinical and professional meetings and use developed interpersonal skills to ensure appropriate and effective liaison is facilitated.
Ability to accurately collect, input, interpret and present data.
Positively participate in and promote Clinical Governance, thus ensuring the highest quality of practice is maintained, within the service. Demonstrate the use of evidence based practice and participation in clinical audit -actively participating in clinical audit, taking the lead as appropriate.
To be responsible for co-ordinating the Trust’s training and education strategy in child protection, liaising with the Named Midwife as required regarding training delivered within Maternity by the Safeguarding Midwives
Devise and contribute to the delivery of a Trust-wide Child Protection education training strategy and programme in accordance with the LSCB training strategy and following intercollegiate guidance.
To facilitate the specialist training of key staff and be an active member of the Local Partnership sub groups.
To promote an environment that is conducive to learning about child protection issues within the Trust and raises the profile of Child Protection awareness
To deliver training for child protection awareness at the Trust induction programme
Participate in the provision of training as appropriate, taking an active role in supporting and encouraging the training of staff in child protection across the Trust.
Actively pursue personal and professional developments in order to advance child protection issues within the Trust.
Take responsibility for maintaining own Professional Portfolio and PREP requirements.
Ensure all duties and practice complies with the NMC Code of Professional Conduct, Scope of Professional Practice and all Trust guidelines.
Attend formal in-service training sessions (Mandatory Sessions) and external courses, ensuring that any new skills or information is shared and disseminated to all staff.
Contribute to the development of educational materials.
To support multi-agency training programmes.
4. Communication and Partnership Working
The post is required to work across multiple agencies and with a variety of professionals and is therefore expected to have exceptional communication skills. This is a requirement for the post as the individual will need to be able to communicate both complex and sensitive information to staff who may not have this detailed understanding.
Liaise on a regular basis with appropriate colleagues, including the Designated Nurse, Named Midwife and appropriate colleagues within Maternity, Head of Safeguarding and Executive Safeguarding Lead for Child Protection.
To work with the Executive Lead for Safeguarding/Child protection and the Head of Safeguarding in the Trust
Ensure that all staff are aware of the importance of accurate and legible child protection documentation and of the legal implications of these documents.
Handle patient information in accordance with hospital information security policy (Caldicott).
Provide expert advice and guidance in Child Protection issues across the Trust and in professional forums.
Ensure that child protection issues are communicated in a manner that is appropriate and understandable to children and families.
To be an active member of the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LCSB) quality, policy, training, and health sub groups. To participate in other groups as required
Maintain and promote effective lines of communication and sound working relationships with other agencies e.g. Police, Social Services, CCG, Urgent Care Centre (UCC) and Hillingdon Community Health (CNWL), acting as a local Trust reference point on child protection issues.
Be familiar with the computer hospital management system to allow data to be obtained and ensure the correct labelling and tracking of patient information. Research and Development
Audit child protection processes against appropriate standards (e.g. Climbié recommendations, Healthcare Commission audit tool).
Provide feedback and facilitate changes in practice.
Research and critically evaluate new developments in best practice for safeguarding children. Recommend appropriate new working practices within the Trust.
Understand LADO processes and procedures and support managers across the organisation who raise concerns to access the LADO using trust policy.
Participate in and contribute to research and audit into child protection issues, particularly national and government-backed studies.
Audit child protection register held within A&E and ensure it is kept up to date.·To maintain a database of referrals which are generated by the Trust
Encourage innovation and development approaches in child protection.
Develop guidelines and procedures to support delivery and practice related to child protection issues.
Identify resource implications of child protection development.
Participate in the development of multi-professional guidelines and policies for child protection issues.
Initiate and influence policy development within the service and Trust.
5. Financial health
Identify any resource issues with management and ensure appropriate action is taken.
Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for a full list of role requirements and main responsibilities.
This advert closes on Tuesday 7 Jan 2025