Lead Nurse for Learning Disabilities and Autism

Job overview

The primary focus of the role of the Lead Nurse for Learning Disability and Autism  is to provide leadership and management to designated clinical areas within the Trust with regards to the care for people with a Learning Disability and or Autism diagnosis and their family.

This will involve working at a strategic and operational level – working clinically, designing and implementing strategy and visibly leading on the delivery of person-centred and relationship-centred care, improving the experience of families/carers. A key responsibility is to support best practice of professionals to improve the experience of families/carers.

The post holder will spend at least 50% of their time practicing clinically, with the remainder of their time focused on professional leadership, education, training and development, service development, research and evaluation.

Main duties of the job

Provide expert professional, clinical leadership and advice ensuring the needs of people with a learning disability and or autism, their families and carers are met by exercising and demonstrating high levels of clinical judgement, critical analysis and advanced decision-making skills.

Provide and utilise advance comprehensive assessment, care planning and psycho-social interventions to enhance the quality of life of those with a learning disability and or autism and their carers/ families.

Provide visible, strategic leadership on the delivery and evaluation of evidence-based learning disability and or autism care, lead and inspire system changes to improve standards for people with a learning disability and or autism and their carers/families through supervision, evidence-based practice, clinical audit, research and education.

Lead on the delivery and evaluation of workforce development requirements to support delivery of improved clinical skills, through investment of knowledge, skills and competencies to support families/carers.

Develop and monitor evaluation of key performance and quality indicators, to increase evidence of impact relating to learning disabilities and autism care, which includes the experience of people with a learning disability and or autism and their family/carer experience.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Be an expert resource and role model in influencing and leading on professional practice developments to improve clinical standards and care for people with learning disability and or autism and their carers/ families. Demonstrate high standards of care and provide clinical leadership to support the provision of high-quality care of patients with a learning disability and or autism in clinical areas, including the most complex cases, using a range of psychosocial interventions and emotional support to promote health and wellbeing for people with a learning disability and or autism and their carers/families. To lead on quality improvements in the field of learning disability and or autism care, including the delivery of relationship and family-centred approaches that support development of professional practice and enhance the experience of people with a learning disability and or autism and their carers/ families. To be an innovator and use evidence-based practice to achieve continuous improvements in clinical practice. To provide clear leadership for practitioners in the field of learning disability and or autism, particularly around the care of those with complex needs. To ensure effective clinical governance, development of clinical audit and effectiveness tools and lead on audit provision, disseminating results at local/national level as appropriate. Act as a resource, providing expert advice and clinical opinion to colleagues. Work alongside those in advanced clinical practice roles to provide opportunities for development and supervision. Promote and evaluate the use of the learning disability and or autism care bundle across all sites and ensuring a patient-centred care pathway is implemented. Work closely with the Safeguarding Team to lead/support mental capacity and best interest decision making and safeguarding investigations as required.