Head of Community Supportive Care

Job summary

As part of service review and the increasing emphasis on provision of hospice care in our community, we have an exciting opportunity for a forward-thinking individual, passionate about the development of excellence in palliative and end of life care and with well-developed post-registration clinical experience to have overall responsibility for the leadership and management of the Supportive Care Team.

Main duties of the job

You will hold overall responsibility for the clinical leadership, management and development of the Community Supportive Care team, contributing to clinical practice, role modelling the delivery of high-quality supportive care interventions while ensuring this is delivered with care, compassion and dignity to patients and those that matter to them while driving the development and delivery of the service in keeping with the clinical strategy.

You will work as an accountable and autonomous practitioner alongside the multi-professional team and have the autonomy to manage own time to ensure own contribution to clinical practice.

About us

East Lancashire Hospice is a registered charity, founded in 1984. We support and care for patients with a life limiting illness, their families and others close to them. We provide this in a number of ways; at the hospice and in peoples own homes across our community of Blackburn, Darwen, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley.

With approximately 120 employees and over 250 volunteers, our people are our biggest asset whom we value tremendously. Our services to the local community would not be possible without our motivated and caring workforce who always strive to deliver excellence in all that they do. The hospice is a unique and special place, kindness and compassion are qualities that run throughout the hospice and our people truly believe in what we do.

Job description

Job responsibilities

JOBPURPOSE

To be accountable andresponsible for the provision of safe, responsive, excellent patient care andservice coordination.

To achieve this excellencethrough the Supportive Care Team including Single Point of Access to helpthem be the best they can be working to current best practice and processes butalways striving for excellence through continuous professional and personaldevelopment.

To lead the team, be a rolemodel, be passionate, enthusiastic and a great communicator; to demonstrateefficient and effective clinical service management that enables best practiceand regulatory compliance.

To achieve these standardsthis role incorporates an average of 50% supernumerary time

KEYPERFORMANCE AREAS

Team Management and Leadership

Lead in the recruitment ofall new staff and contribute to the recruitment of volunteers.

Lead on the structure oftheir departmental induction, 3 and 6-month probationary reviews and ensurethat staff and those volunteers supporting the service clearly understand theirrole and responsibility.

Maintain the clinicalcompetence of staff through effective supervision, monitoring and performancedevelopment reviews.

Promote on going learning,development and personal and professional growth.

Maintain morale within theteam ensuring staff and volunteers are supported and valued for theircontribution; foster a no blame culture and actively support personaldevelopment.

Act as mentor/preceptorwhilst ensuring these abilities are maintained within the registered nursing staff.

Ensure new staff are awareof the services offered across all departments and engage with corporate events(such as Tea n Toast to contribute to and understand hospice strategy and theirown role in achieving it).

Drive effective partnershipand collaboration across the hospice and with external partners to maximiseoutcomes for patients and the opportunity for service improvement.

Workingcollaboratively with the Head of Corporate Support Services, ensure efficientand effective admin systems are maintained

Plan and manage your owntime to allow at least 50% direct clinical practice

Ensure that students on spokeplacement from the Inpatient Unit have access to high quality learningexperiences relevant to their education programme.

Demonstrate and promote thehospice values (to care, listen, respect and work together) in all behaviour.

PatientExperience

Maintain a highly visiblepresence within the team and our community, being responsive to patients, theirfamilies and those that matter to them, staff and volunteers

Engage positively with themultidisciplinary team to enhance patient care and understanding of roles .

Ensure the team isresponsive to need through the holistic assessment of patients physical,psychological and spiritual needs.

Ensure that robustdocumentation is maintained including care and support planning, the evaluationof nursing care and the involvement of patients and those that matter to themwherever possible.

Ensure staff have access toessential supplies and equipment necessary for their role

Critically evaluatepractice providing guidance, challenge and support for team members whilsttaking the patients experience and point of view into account.

Work alongside team membersto demonstrate expected standards and clinical competence to deliver the bestpossible outcomes and experience for patients.

Actively encourage feedbackfrom patients and visitors about all aspects of our care and environment toensure that we are responding to patient need.

Ensure that staff know andfollow the procedures for lone working and out of hours support

Governance and Quality

Attend and contribute to ClinicalGovernance and other specified meetings as required.

Monitor standards of care through audit andscope/drive initiatives to achieve improvements based on learning from events,feedback and best practice guidance

Undertake audit activity, formulating reports and action plans andguiding others in becoming proficient at audit and delivery of associatedactions within timeframes set

Working collaboratively with the Clinical Services Director andHead of Governance and Quality, report through the governance framework

Contribute and/or lead on wider organisationalinitiatives to further develop the quality and safety of service provision inkeeping with regulatory requirements and organisational strategy

Take responsibility for the delivery of CQCstandards, audit/self-assessment, information governance requirements and riskmanagement and produce/deliver on associated action plans to achieve anyrequired actions/improvements

Timely reporting/investigation of incidents tomaintain a safe environment, support learning and prevent further occurrenceundertaking root cause analysis of serious incidents

Lead and/or participate in the investigation ofcomplaints as appropriate/delegated ensuring a thorough, timely and accuratereport is produced and identified and agreed actions implemented

PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Work always in keeping with NMC Code and allrelated professional standards and best practice guidance

Where holding and utilising a non-medicalprescribing qualification prescribe safely in accordance with local policies, nationalstandards and formularies relating to the prescribing qualification held

Promote and maintain appropriate and respectfulprofessional relationships with colleagues and other staff working incollaboration with key personnel including, but not limited to, ClinicalServices Director, Head of Quality and Governance and Heads of Department tomaximise outcomes for patients

Exercise good personal time management,punctuality, appearance and consistent reliable attendance

Ensure that personal actions and conduct apply withhospice policies and procedures

Act as an ambassador for the EastLancashire Hospice promoting at all times our vision which is to help everyonewho comes into contact with the hospice to make the most of life. We do this bycommitting to our values: to care, listen, respect and work together to supportpeople to live well until they die and support those affected by death

GENERALRESPONSIBLITIES

Monitor service activity,outcomes, clinical record keeping, and advice given, working in collaborationwith the Clinical Services Director in relation to action required.

Deliver education to team members andwider hospice departments in topic areas relevant to own role, area of practiceand expertise, ensuring learning objectives are achieved

Ensure compliance with mandatorytraining requirements for self and team members

Effectively manage sicknessabsence in accordance with hospice policies and procedures

Monitor individual/teamperformance escalating where necessary for advice and support

Ensure all staff have an annualPDR to assess performance and identify personal and professional developmentneeds/opportunities that will enhance service delivery and the wellbeing andmotivation of team members

Utilise a range of IT systems and officeapplications in support of professional practice and organisational requirementsincluding for example patient clinical record system, incident reporting andmandatory training

Ensure a safe environment byensuring the reporting of hazards and incidents, completion of relevant riskassessments, investigation of incidents and implementation of risk reductionmeasures

Ensure effective use of allresources within allocated budget

STATUTORYDUTIES

Ensure the security of information accessed in the course of yourduties ensuring compliance with the Data Protection Act, Caldicott principlesand information governance best practice guidance

Report any hazards or incidents in accordance with the HealthSafety and Risk Management Policy and procedures

Comply with the East Lancashire Hospice no smoking policy in allhospice premises and grounds

Be responsible for maintaining own vaccinations includingHepatitis B immunity (as applicable)

Ensure that infection control measures are followed in relation toyour role

Work at all times to safeguard therights of individuals promoting their wellbeing and protecting those at riskfrom harm, acting on any concerns related to safeguarding children and adultsat risk in line with policy and local guidance

WORKING HOURS

The post holder will work their hours flexibly. Flexibilityis a key aspect of this role and the role is supernumerary as already stated. These will beworked according to a rota of up to any 5 days of a 7 day working week.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

E1 Substantial experience at a senior level in a clinical role E3 Audit to underpin best/evidence-based practice and development/management of improvement plans E4 Application of regulations/quality standards in practice E5 Management/Support of individuals with life limiting illness, palliative and/or end of life care E6 Service improvement/development/quality initiatives

Desirable

E2 Previous experience of team/service leadership & management E7 Incident investigation

Knowledge

Essential

K1 Regulatory standards including for example NMC/CQC K2 Safeguarding K3 Risk Management

Desirable

K4 Budget management K5 Advance Care Planning K6 Spiritual care principles

Qualifications

Essential

Q1 Registered Nurse with active NMC registration Q2 Leadership/management or equivalent experience Q3 Evidence of continuous post registration development Q4 1st level degree in related field

Desirable

Q5 Advanced communication skills Q6 Mentorship Q7 Qualification in palliative care or related field Q8 Telephone triage/Clinical examination skills / equivalent Q9 Non-medical prescribing

Skills

Essential

S1 Well-developed assessment and care planning skills S2 Competence in a range of clinical skills relevant to role S3 Team leadership/management skills S4 Problem solving/decision making/Influencing skills S5 Enthusiastic and passionate in driving high standards of care for patients S6 Computer literacy/use of clinical systems S7 Ability to network/build productive relationships S8 Development and delivery of formal and informal education/training S9 Able to deal with difficult and sensitive issues in a supportive and professional manner S10 Car driver with access to a vehicle for work purposes

Personal Attributes

Essential

PA1 Excellent interpersonal /communication abilities PA2 Self-driven with ability to motivate and empower others PA3 Able to be accountable for own department/area of practice PA4 Patient/customer focus in keeping with hospice values

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