Frailty Clinical Practitioner

Leadership & Consultancy:

The post holder will be expected to:

Role model standards of care and behaviour through clinical practice.

Be highly visible in the clinical area.

Be flexible to service demands to enable a high quality responsive enhanced care service including out of hours working

Contribute and where appropriate lead the development of the MDT/team objectives for the area of expertise.

Act as role model of standards for behaviour and professions, through commitment to the integration of policies and procedures within role and workplace.

Contribute to local networks and speciality specific groups, working in partnership with other key professionals.

Analyse relevant national policy, within area of expertise, advising on impact for service, leading the implementation of changes and evaluation of processes in partnership with the MDT

Maintain professional registration and practice through CPD.

Maintain personal standards of conduct and behaviour consistent with Trust and NMC professional body guidelines.

Allocate, coordinate, monitor and assess own workload and that of individuals or the service, ensuring resources are deployed appropriately.

Ensure appropriate use of resources in order to meet service/client needs.

Identify the need for change, proactively generate innovations and lead new practice and service design solutions to better meet the needs of the patient and service.

Recognise and act as advocate for patient, carer, service and organisation.

Lead change as required and ensure resolution of conflict.

Clinical Direct Care Practice:

The post holder will:

Be a champion for the care of the frail older person.

Practice autonomously and self-directed. Hold high-level MDT working skills to support others with extending their professional roles.

Actively participate in service development and new ways of working.

Provide health promotion and prevention orientation, and comprehensively assess the patients for risk factors and early signs of illness.

Have high-level condition-specific clinical knowledge and skills and maintain competence.

Provide high-level assessment, diagnosis, planning and implementation programmes of evidence based care for the patient group, and be able to re-evaluation implemented treatment plans as appropriate.

Assess and manage complications or exacerbations of LTC, this may require additional diagnostic and treatment skills.

Ensure interventions are taken in line with best practice guidance.

Undertake advanced skills appropriate to role, ensuring clinical competencies are maintained in accordance with relevant framework for advanced practice.

Provide advice, information and support for Trust staff caring for specific client groups.

Practise as an independent prescriber within the bounds of current legislation.

Provide advanced knowledge advice and support to client groups.

Deliver technical skills required for intervention for specialist patients.

Identify local, demographic, cultural and environmental factors that influence the health and quality of life for client groups.

Contribute to the coordination and effective management of the admission and discharge process, and referral to acute frailty services.

Incorporate advanced practice, in line with relevant professional frameworks.

Ensure child protection and vulnerable adult legislation is adhered to within own practice and service.

Understand, manage and balance patient, staff and service risk.

Lead the development and evaluate polices/guidelines/protocols for advanced and specialist clinical practice and take responsibility for updating and monitoring polices/guidelines/protocols.

Provide a visible clinical profile, having both advisory and clinical input into patient care as directed by Head of Community Nursing.

Prepare accurate and concise reports both verbally and written.

Provide advanced communication and negotiation skills.

Communicate the needs of the client group effectively within the MDT and the Trust.

Have high level cross-agency working skills, linking with those providing enhanced care and supported self-management.

Deploy effective communication strategies to ensure that information and knowledge is imparted sensitively according to the needs of the patient, staff and students in training.

Continually review and evaluate own role and clinical practice informing the annual review process with the Advanced Clinical Practitioner.

Be an active member of relevant Trust Committees and groups contributing to developing/implementing local/national strategy.

Plan, manage and be clinically responsible for own caseload.

Keep relevant records and submit in a professional acceptable manner.

Ensure the rights, dignity and confidentiality of the patient is protected at all times.

Promote a positive relationship with all stakeholders within the service.

Contribute to the clinical governance process, including adverse incident reporting/investigation and the management of complaints, as appropriate.

Collect and collate data as required by the area of expertise in order to inform internal and external professional and operational bodies.

Relate complex communication processes to individual situations.

Be involved in peer review of own practice and that of others.

Education and Development:

The post holder will:

Actively participate in educational development of self and others and maintain an advanced practice portfolio

Develop and deliver specific teaching programmes for all disciplines and grades of staff, client group and carers within the Trust in relation to area of expertise.

Review and evaluate all teaching programmes and lead on the development of new programmes when a need is identified.

Identify own development needs in line with service requirement within personal development plan.

Ensure personal, peer support and clinical supervision needs are met.

Act as mentor/preceptor and resource person for all nursing and support staff, as appropriate to the role.

Provide clinical supervision both within and external to the organisation in order to support development of individuals and practice.

Ensure clinical environment is conducive to supporting the education and learning of all staff and students.

Provide an environment that encourages client centred involvement where clients are facilitated to ask for help, advice and education.

Contribute to clinical governance outcomes.

Research & Development:

The post holder will:

Contribute to the formal evaluation of the Clinical Practitioner role to develop new knowledge or translate new findings in to local practice.

Work with others on strategic needs for the patient population with specific conditions.

Work with others to develop the wider work force, model of care delivery, procurement and development of services.

Evaluate clinical practice through audit of service, including patient satisfaction, developing and managing strategies to address any shortfalls.

Demonstrate knowledge of current research in all aspects of work and advise others on the implementation of relevant research findings.

Lead the development of research proposals with the MDT specific to the speciality.

Initiate and /or participate in research to identified needs.

Disseminate results/research findings via local team and/or national/international publications.

Implement research findings appropriate to practice.

Continually assess and monitor risk in their own and other’s practice and challenge others about wider risk factors.

Communications and Working Relationships:

To ensure the development and articulation of best practice  within the service area and contribute across the service by exercising the skills of a reflective  practitioner, taking part in regular professional supervision and appraisal and maintaining an active engagement with current developments in the field of Advanced Practice.

To ensure the highest standards of clinical record keeping including electronic data entry and recording, report writing and the responsible exercise of professional self-governance in accordance with professional codes of practice, policies and procedures.

To perform other duties, as appropriate to the role that may be required by the General Manager.

To maintain standards of Clinical Governance.

To enhance and develop appropriate Clinical Practitioner skills and expertise through regular supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines.

To comply with all relevant Trust policies, procedures and guidelines.

To develop and maintain the highest professional standards of practice by acting in accordance with the professional code of conduct published by the NMC.

Physical Dimensions:

 Ability to drive is essential.

Lifting and carrying of equipment during home visits.

There is potential exposure to infection in patient settings.  There is a requirement to follow infection control procedures. 

There is a requirement to use personal computers on a daily basis.

There is a requirement to be in frequent, direct contact with patients who are acutely ill, infectious and being actively treated for medical conditions. 

The post holder may be required to directly deal with relatives who are highly distressed and who may exhibit verbal or challenging behaviours.  There may also be highly emotive situations to deal with e.g. decisions around Respect forms and advanced care planning, preparation for end of life and bereavement support for families.