Advanced Clinical Practitioner, Palliative Care

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has become available for an Advanced Clinical Practitioner specialising in Palliative Care to join the team based in Princess Royal University Hospital.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated candidate who already possesses the key attributes of advanced clinical practice

Main duties of the job

The post holder will demonstrate a high level of expertise within the specialist service of Palliative Care, providing advice and support to staff, patients, their families and carers.

The post holder will be practising autonomously as an advanced clinical practitioner within Palliative care team to provide patient-centred clinical care. This will encompass the skills of advanced clinical assessment, examination, diagnosis and treatment within an agreed scope of practice throughout the directorate.

The post holder will support new ways of working that emphasises a more efficient and patient focused service for palliative patients.

Responsibility for leading the on-going development of clinical practice and standards of care within the service, including the development of policies, procedures, protocols, and guidelines in collaboration with multidisciplinary colleagues

The post holder will deliver a 60% clinical component to their role and 40% related to management of the Palliative CNS team, clinical audit, teaching, continuous professional development, and research.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

1.    Work autonomously as an advanced practitioner within the speciality, managing a caseload of patients delivering individualised direct patient care.

2.    Direct responsibility for assessment, examination, investigation and diagnosis of patients within their area of work.

3.    Appropriately treat patients, resulting in the safe management and appropriate referral or discharge of patients with undifferentiated and undiagnosed presentations.

4.    Receive referrals via a variety of sources, including direct patient referral. Manage own caseload and clinical priorities according to agreed protocols and working practices.

5.    Participate in multidisciplinary clinics, participate in ward rounds, patient reviews and multidisciplinary team meetings

6.    Undertake a variety of clinical skills and provide treatment/ advice as per speciality and scope of practice. Using agreed protocols of clinical practice and professional guidelines. This service may be provided within an acute secondary healthcare facility or in primary, community or home care settings.

7.    Within scope of practice and clinical competence request and / or undertake diagnostic/therapeutic procedures and clinical investigations related to plans of care

8.    Utilise scope of practice to undertake Non-Medical Prescribing role and provide advice on medicine management issues associated with the patient specialty group. Work within Trust policy for Medicines Management

9.    Utilise advanced knowledge and skills relating to the speciality to provide specialist advice to other members of the multidisciplinary team on the basis of patient assessment.

10.  Provide a seamless, high quality service from referral through to assessment, diagnosis, treatment and review, referring to other specialists as required. Provide guidance to staff, patients and their families and carers on pathway navigation

11.  Lead in the development and updating of referral guidelines and policies for the service.

12.  Use highly developed communication skills to effectively communicate with colleagues, patients and their relatives/carers, making reports and liaising as required with medical staff and other members of the multidisciplinary team both verbally and in writing.

13.  Use professional judgement to act as an advocate for patients to ensure a patient focused approach to the delivery of care. Support and enable patients and carers to make informed decisions relating to their treatment and management. Escalate any concerns via the nursing / professional structures as required

14.  Work towards safe and timely discharge and/ or transfer of care of patients from or between hospitals and services and healthcare professionals, ensuring barriers to discharge / transfer are identified and acted upon appropriately.

15.  Report and raise concerns related to Safeguarding, accessing advice and support as required. Be conversant with Trust policies for safeguarding including the assessment of mental Capacity, and consideration of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards(DOLS) and the application of the principles of Prevent (counter terrorism awareness)

16.  Ensure effective and accurate verbal or written handover of patients between healthcare professionals

17.  Ensure that high standards of all documentation are maintained, with accurate, complete and up-to-date information regarding patient care are kept in accordance with Trust standards.

18.  Monitor the quality and standard of care provided by all members of the team and all staff in clinical areas. Identifying any skills or training gaps and escalating to the appropriate Senior Nurse or Matron.

19.  Undertake training to develop further advanced clinical practice roles required by the service in order to provide a high standard of patient care.

20.  Practice within the scope of professional registration (i.e. NMC, HCPC)