Children’s Epilepsy Nurse Specialist: Learning Disabilities & Autism

Job overview

We are seeking to recruit an Epilepsy Nurse Specialist for children and young people who have Learning disability/Autism. This is a two year project where the postholder will work with existing Children's Epilepsy Nurse Specialists in acute and community settings across Mid and South Essex. Service delivery may be in patient homes, education settings and community/acute settings. The post holder will be an experienced RN child branch or RSCN, You will be offering specialist health advice, teaching and training, support and clinical nursing care for children and young people with epilepsy and a Learning disability/Autism. You will need the skills to be able to work under pressure, meet deadlines and prioritise demands.

Main duties of the job

Acts as a recognised expert in the field of epilepsy nursing and provides professional leadership in all aspects of practice in supporting colleagues to promote excellence in care.

Provide advice and support to Children and Young People with Learning Disabilities/ Autism who have a diagnosis of epilepsy.

Offer specialist advice and support in school settings.

Plans, implements, and evaluates new and existing policies in epilepsy practice and service delivery in line with local and national guidance.

Promotes organisational change and supports the implementation of the national guidelines and quality standards.

Supports the development of clinical pathways across the network in partnership with the clinicians to ensure best practice.

Liaises with key professionals involved in treatment and care within the Mid and South Essex ICB to promote equity of standards in service delivery across the network.

Attends and participates in the local committee and network and centre meetings.

Is an integral member of the Mid and South Essex ICB, providing advice and guidance on best practice, and supporting local teams to deliver and meet agreed standards.

Takes the lead work in patient experience, safety, and clinical effectiveness.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Leadership
• Provides effective clinical and professional leadership acting as a role model for all staff within the network.
• Demonstrates a high level of networking skills to avoid conflict and encourage team working.
• In conjunction with clinical director and network manager, describes the service
• bjectives to clinical teams and monitors compliance and effectiveness to ensure best outcomes for patients.
• Ensures effective communication systems, written and verbal, and supports the use
• f information technology to ensure that it is embedded in the network.
• Liaises with all services and departments to ensure that they are meeting the needs
• f patients in the clinical areas.
• Facilitates and negotiates change and new ways of working where necessary to support new care delivery processes within the network.
• In conjunction with the clinical director and network manager plus the senior nurses, contributes to the development of an action plan for the implementation of the ‘10 key roles for nurses’, building on current skills, expertise, and practice.
• Represents Mid and South Essex ICB at professional and academic forums as required. Management
• Leads on policy development for the service in liaison with lead nurses and senior nursing managers across the network.
• Ensures guidelines and protocols relating to epilepsy are evidence-based and reflect national guidance.
• Ensures the views of patients, parents and carers are incorporated into all aspects of service provision.
• Responsibility for defined projects within the network.
• Supports any visits from regulatory bodies to achieve accreditation, such as the Care Quality Commission. Clinical
• Ensures all documentation is appropriate, accountable, and defensible.
• Provides advice on role competencies and contributes to the development of competencies for nurses and students that support the safe care and treatment.
• Ensures all epilepsy nursing is evidence-based and contributes to the development of nursing competences to ensure appropriate delivery of nursing care.
• Supports the development of clinical pathways across the network in partnership with the clinicians to ensure best practice.
• Maintains own clinical and professional competence and credibility.
• Utilises clinical sessions to exemplify high standards of care and expected behaviour to measure agreed standards of nursing practice and gain additional accessibility to both patients/families and members of staff.
• Leads work in relation to patient experience, safety and clinical effectiveness such as complaints or investigations of clinical incidents.
• Takes responsibility for personal and professional development, participating in the trust KSF reviews with the lead nurses.
• Provides a visible presence in clinical areas and is accessible to patients, families. and staff to provide expert epilepsy knowledge.
• Ensures all nurses comply with NMC regulations and work within their scope of practice.