Golden Jubilee National Hospital s6

Dear Applicant

Post Title: Specialist Palliative Care Nurse

Salary Range: £26,565 to £35,577

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Closing date: Monday 7th August 2017

Informal Enquiries to: Margaret Cassidy

Thank you for your recent enquiry regarding the above vacancy. I have pleasure enclosing an application pack containing;

·  An Application Form. Please note we do not accept CVs.

·  An Equal Opportunities Form.

·  A Job Description (for reference only).

·  A Person Specification (for reference only).

·  An Information sheet containing details of the terms and conditions applying to the post (for reference only).

Please note that only candidates who are shortlisted and invited for interview will receive further communication regarding the process of an application. I would therefore like to thank you for the interest you have shown in this vacancy with The Ayrshire Hospice and look forward to receiving your Application for this post.

Yours sincerely

LORNA SAMSON

People Development Officer


INFORMATION

FOR CANDIDATES

POST OF: SPCN
BASE: 38 Racecourse Road, Ayr, KA7 2TG
REF NO: AH/32/17

Thank you for applying for the above post with the Ayrshire Hospice. This information sheet summarises the terms and conditions related to the post. The Hospice has recently undertaken a Pay and Benefit Review and the following terms and conditions will be effective from 1 April 2016.

ABOUT THE POST:

Employing Organisation: Ayrshire Hospice

Job Description: A job description is attached.

Salary/Grade Scale: £26,565 to £35,577

Your salary will be paid into your bank account on the last Friday of each month.

Hours of Work: 37.5 hours per week

Annual Leave: Leave year is from April – March

30 days (225 hours) on commencing employment

32 days (240 hours) after 5 years’ service

For part time staff, this will be applied on a pro-rata basis and also allocated in hours.

Public Holidays: Entitlement is 37.5 hours based on the 5 designated Public Holidays per annum, and on a 5 day week working 7.5 hours per day. The 37.5 hours entitlement is due to all whole time staff irrespective of work pattern.

For part time staff, this will be applied on a pro-rata basis and also allocated in hours.

Pensions The Company will comply with the employer pension duties in accordance with Part 1 of the Pensions Act 2008 by automatically enrolling you where eligibility criteria is met, in the Group Personal Pension Plan.

The Hospice provides a generous employer contribution of 7.5% of your salary per month provided a minimum 2.5% employee contribution is made.

Asylum And The Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 and 2004 (Section 8)

Immigration Act 1996 checks to ensure that all employees are legally employed

And 2004 (Section 8) in the United Kingdom. Candidates will be asked to provide relevant original documents prior to an offer of employment being made. Any offer of employment will only be made when the organisation is satisfied that the candidate is the rightful holder of the documents and is legally eligible for employment within the United Kingdom.

Medical Examination: Any offer of employment is conditional upon a satisfactory medical report from the Occupational Health Department. You may be offered employment conditional on confirmation that you are medically fit for employment. A commencement date for employment will only be agreed following this confirmation.

Rehabilitation of This post is not exempt from the provision of

Offenders Act: Section 4(2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exemptions) Order 1975.

References: Two satisfactory written references must be obtained prior to any offer of employment being made. These should include current and previous employers as requested in the job application form. This is in line with our Recruitment and Selection Policy.

Informal Enquiries: Informal enquiries are welcomed by Margaret Cassidy, who can be contacted on 01292 269200.

Closing Date: Your completed application form should be submitted to:-

Administration Department

Ayrshire Hospice

35 Racecourse Road

AYR

KA7 2TG

Or emailed to

By: Monday 7th August 2017

JOB DESCRIPTION

1. JOB IDENTIFICATION

Job Title:
Responsible to:
Department:
Directorate:
No of Job Holders:
Last Update: / Specialist Palliative Care Nurse
Community & Day Services Manager
Community & Day Services
Clinical Services
9
July 2017

2. JOB PURPOSE

To provide a specialist palliative care advisory and support service for people who have advanced cancer or other progressive/incurable disease, and their carers, by working in collaboration with appropriate members of the multi-disciplinary team within primary and secondary health care,care home settings, the voluntary sector and social services.
To promote Specialist Palliative Care in the community through education, audit and research in line with relevant local, regional and national strategies.
3. DIMENSIONS
The team is managed by the Community & Day Services Manager, who is responsible for leadership of nine SPCNs and two Staff Nurses, working in the community.
The SPCN is part of the multi-professional team within the Hospice.
On receipt of referral will have responsibility for assessing, planning implementing and evaluating the specialist palliative care needs of patients and their families.
The SPCN is key to the co-ordination and communication within the wider multi-professional team in order that structured, supported care is delivered effectively and efficiently within the community. (For the referred patient).
The SPCN participates in practice development and service improvement within the Hospice and Ayrshire & Arran community in line with national and regional priorities.

4. ORGANISATIONAL POSITION

5. ROLE OF DEPARTMENT

The SPCN service provides a Specialist Palliative Care advisory and support service to the people of Ayrshire and Arran in accordance with the Hospice referral guidelines.
To act as a resource for specialist information and advice to members of the Primary and Secondary Care Teams, Social Services, Community Hospitals and care homes.
The SPCN liaises closely with the multi-disciplinary Team within the Hospice, referring patients to other members of the team, eg medical staff, In-Patient Unit, Day Hospice and Allied Health Professionals.

6. KEY RESULT AREAS

Clinical
To act as an independent health care professional without direct supervision.
To manage a caseload of patients and their families with often complex physical and psychological palliative care needs through the provision of expert clinical advice.
To establish therapeutic relationships with patients and their families, focusing on any difficulties they may have as a result of diagnosis, prognosis and treatment.
Plan and organise home visits by prioritising according to the individual need of the patient and their family.This may include the complex assessment of individuals who are cognitively challenged.
Monitor and evaluate the efficacy of specialist interventions.
Support patients throughout treatment, eg radiotherapy and chemotherapy aiming to minimise/manage side effects.
Coping with complex/fragmented family dynamics within the community setting, including collusion.
Promote quality of life, enabling patients to maximise their potential within their limitations.
Have the ability to recognise when patients are entering the terminal phase of their illness and helping to prepare them and their families to cope with this transition.
To establish and support the patient and family’s wishes regarding place of care/death.
To use skill and judgement to determine when to refer patients and/or the family on to other agencies, departments or professionals either within the Hospice or externally to statutory or voluntary agencies.
To prepare and support family members including children before and after bereavement, carrying out a risk assessment and liaising with Hospice Bereavement Support Team or other voluntary agencies.
To maintain patient confidentiality at all times and maintain patient records in line with Hospice policy and NMC guidelines.
To act as an advocate on behalf of patient/family.
To comply with the Hospice equal access policy and recognise that no patient is disadvantaged or suffers adverse discrimination in any aspect of their care as a consequence of their age, sex, diagnosis or social circumstances.
To be responsible for own safety and will take due regard to his/her own welfare and that of others who may be affected by his/her actions during the performance of Hospice activities.
Advisory Role
Advise medical and nursing colleagues on prescribing for the management of pain and many other distressing and complex symptoms.
Provide specialist palliative care advice to other health care professionals.
To liaise closely with the Hospice Multi-disciplinary Team, primary care team and Hospital Palliative Care Team, keeping key personnel informed of any developments, whether physical, psychological, social or spiritual, in a patient’s condition.
To facilitate and initiate the planning and implementation of specialist palliative care in collaboration with the Primary Health Care Team in order to anticipate and identify the needs of patients in the community.
Education
Act as a mentor, trainer and role model for staff to develop skills across a wide range of practice including enhancing their palliative care knowledge; communication skills and developing their clinical decision making skills in order to improve evidence-based practice.
To assist in the clinical experience and development of nursing staff and other allied health professionals within the Hospice, community, care homes and community hospitals.
Participate in staff inductions and development programmes within the Hospice.
SPCN will be involved in developing protocols and policies within the specialist team and be involved in updating documentation ensuring it is fit for purpose.
Research and Audit
Maintain expert professional practice through continuing education, professional updating, eg by attending relevant study days/conferences and participating in a regular journal club.
Continually evaluate practice by actively taking part in ongoing audit and research in order to improve the service.
Identify, disseminate and apply research findings in relation to specialist palliative care.

7a. EQUIPMENT AND MACHINERY

Expected to have a knowledge and understanding of the McKinley T34 pump and its indication for use and the continuous subcutaneous infusion of medications.
Expected to have a knowledge and understanding of nebulisers and their indication for use.
Assess and identify the need for equipment for use by the patient in the community setting and refer to the appropriate agency as required, eg district nurse, physiotherapist, occupational therapist. Examples of equipment required may include:- pressure relieving aids, commodes, walking aids, riser/recliner chair etc.
Requires to be capable of using a number of communication devices, including a computer, phone, mobile phone, dictaphone and fax machine.
Needs to be computer literate.
Requires to be capable of using audio-visual equipment to assist with teaching, eg flip chart, overhead projector, data projector.
Requires to be a competent driver with a full clean driving licence and must adhere to policies and procedures regarding a leased/private vehicle.
7b. SYSTEMS
SPCN will maintain accurate and up to date multi disciplinary patient records, in accordance with NMC and hospice guidelines using an electronic documentation system (Crosscare)
SPCNs will adhere to the hospice lone worker policy and will ensure regular contact with their designated buddies.
Submit monthly expense claims for travel and on call payment.
SPCN will complete patient held records when available.
Compliance with the Data Protection Act, Caldicott Guidelines and local policies regarding confidentiality and access to medical records.

8. ASSIGNMENT AND REVIEW OF WORK

Advisory Role - SPCN may receive requests for advice from other professionals’ pre-referral or without the need for referral.
Assignment:- SPCN will receive direct referrals for clinical assessment and intervention from:-
·  Hospital Consultant
·  Hospital Palliative Care Team
·  Hospital CNS
·  General Practitioners
·  District Nurses
·  Other, eg Palliative Care Service outwith Ayrshire
SPCN team meet weekly with the Community & Day Services Manager to discuss and allocate workload, home visits are delegated to staff nurses as appropriate.
Review (Clinical)
The SPCN manages his/her own caseload within a designated geographical area although a
degree of flexibility is required depending on the overall workload of the service.
Following an initial clinical assessment the SPCN will determine the level of intervention required.
GP and all relevant health care professionals receive written information and advice following first visit and regular contact is made throughout service involvement.
The SPCN works alone in the community and is required to make complex decisions regarding patient management without direct supervision.
Access to advice is available and a scheduled time is planned to discuss patients’ management at the twice weekly Hospice MDT meetings.
Work is planned and organised with individual patients and families in advance, however SPCN must be able to respond appropriately to unplanned requests to visit.
The SPCN will discharge the patient from the caseload and/or refer to other services as appropriate.
SPCNs attend Gold Standard Framework meetings to discuss patients on the palliative care register within that practice with GP and district nursing colleagues on a regular basis
Review (Non-Clinical)
SPCN team meet monthly with the Community & Day Services Manager to discuss problems, review caseloads and share information.
Weekly meetings with line manager, hospice consultant and the Respite & Response team.
Meetings with the Community & Day Services Manager on a one to one basis to discuss any issues as they arise.
Bimonthly meetings for peer support.
Formal performance appraisal, personal development plan and objective setting are reviewed annually by the Community & Day Services Manager.
9. DECISIONS AND JUDGEMENTS
The SPCN works as an independent practitioner and is required to make numerous daily, complex clinical decisions regarding patient management without direct supervision either via the telephone or face-to-face.
The SPCN needs to be able to identify and respond to palliative care emergencies, eg
·  Spinal Cord Compression
·  Superior Vena Cava Obstruction
·  Hypercalcaemia
·  Treatment Toxicities
The SPCN is often the first point of contact for the patient/carer to report changes in condition and makes use of professional judgement and experience to determine the relevant course of action.
The SPCN has the ability to recognise his/her own limitations and the need to make appropriate referrals to other agencies.
The SPCN may be asked to deputise in the Community & Day Services Manager’s absence and therefore respond to any problems which may arise involving the team both internally and externally.

10. MOST CHALLENGING/DIFFICULT PARTS OF THE JOB

All aspects of the job are complex, therefore sensitivity, empathy and excellent communication skills are required at the highest level.