Advanced Clinical Practice Research Lead

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical

1. Work autonomously as an advanced practitioner within the specialty, managing a caseload of patients delivering individualised direct patient care.
2. Direct responsibility for assessment, examination, investigation and diagnosis of patients within their area of work.
3. Appropriately treat patients, resulting in the safe management and appropriate referral or discharge of patients with undifferentiated and undiagnosed presentations.
4. Receive referrals via a variety of sources, including direct patient referral. Manage own caseload and clinical priorities according to agreed protocols and working practices.
5. Participate in multidisciplinary clinics, participate in ward rounds, patient reviews and multidisciplinary team meetings
6. Undertake a variety of clinical skills and provide treatment/ advice as per speciality and scope of practice. Using agreed protocols of clinical practice and professional guidelines. This service may be provided within an acute secondary healthcare facility or in primary, community or home care settings.
7. Within scope of practice and clinical competence request and / or undertake diagnostic procedures and clinical investigations related to plans of care
8. Utilise scope of practice to undertake Non-Medical Prescribing role and provide advice on medicine management issues associated with the patient specialty group. Work within Trust policy for Medicines Management
9. Utilise advanced knowledge and skills relating to the speciality to provide specialist advice to other members of the multidisciplinary team on the basis of patient assessment.
10. Provide a seamless, high quality service from referral through to assessment, diagnosis, treatment and review, referring to other specialists as required. Provide guidance to staff, patients and their families and carers on pathway navigation
11. Lead in the development and updating of referral guidelines and policies for the service.
12. Use highly developed communication skills to effectively communicate with colleagues, patients and their relatives/carers, making reports and liaising as required with medical staff and other members of the multidisciplinary team both verbally and in writing.
13. Use professional judgement to act as an advocate for patients to ensure a patient focused approach to the delivery of care. Support and enable patients and carers to make informed decisions relating to their treatment and management. Escalate any concerns via the nursing / professional structures as required
14. Work towards safe and timely discharge and/ or transfer of care of patients from or between hospitals and services and healthcare professionals, ensuring barriers to discharge / transfer are identified and acted upon appropriately.
15. Ensure effective and accurate verbal or written handover of patients between healthcare professionals
16. Ensure that high standards of all documentation are maintained, with accurate, complete and up-to-date information regarding patient care are kept in accordance with Trust standards.
17. Practice within the scope of professional registration (i.e. NMC, HCPC)

Education & Training

1. Act as an expert educational resource for clinical staff, patients, and carers by providing formal and informal education. Promote and develop a positive learning environment throughout the Trust.
2. Act as mentor/ assessor to staff members and trainees as required, providing educational advice and support. Ensure wards / departments can access appropriate training support and guidance.
3. Lead and actively participate in the delivery of educational programmes for all ACPs.
4. Ensure that trainee ACPs receive appropriate learning experience whilst allocated to the directorate.
5. Participate in education and practice development on a Trust wide basis liaising with Trust wide educational leads to ensure overall Trust educational objectives are delivered
6. Recognise the limits of own professional practice and competence, undertake further training and academic qualifications as required to maintain own specialist knowledge
7. Adapt clinical knowledge and skills to different clinical settings.
8. Participate in the annual appraisal process, delegating duties to team members as appropriate to ensure all staff within the team have personal development plans which support revalidation
9. Maintain close links with local HEI’s and participate in in the development and delivery of new and established advanced practice programmes

Professional Leadership & Management

1. Provide highly visible and accessible professional leadership and demonstrate expert knowledge and standards of clinical practice
2. Lead and develop a defined area of Advanced Clinical practice within the designated area of practice , promoting interdisciplinary team and collaborative working practices
3. Meet regularly with team members as a team and on an individual basis as required to support their personal and professional development
4. Promote team working, build rapport and collaborative working practices with multidisciplinary team. Liaise with inter-hospital departments and personnel across organisational and professional groups. Ensuring effective communication and interpersonal skills with other disciplines and organisations.
5. Act as a clinical role model demonstrating high standards of advanced clinical practice and provide support or advice to other staff when necessary
6. Ensure that all resources are managed in an efficient and cost-effective manner to achieve maximum effect for patients and staff.
7. Adhere to all relevant Trust policies and procedures and to ensure that they are correctly implemented.
8. Lead in the implementation of multidisciplinary service objectives that reflect Trust strategies for patient care.
9. Demonstrate effective leadership skills, supporting the senior management team (Nurse Consultant/ Lead ACP/ Matron/ Clinical Director) in service development and lead as delegated on the implementation of any of these changes.
10. Monitor standards and maintain high quality care. Report any clinical incidents via the Trust electronic reporting system and escalate issues promptly and appropriately
11. Utilise the highest level of interpersonal and communication skills when dealing with complex, sensitive or emergency situations.
12. Maintain an awareness of professional and ethical issues to ensure care is delivered in a professional timely and courteous manner by all members of the team, respecting the different spiritual and cultural backgrounds of colleagues, patients and relatives.
13. Escalate any concerns or complaints promptly
14. Participate in the recruitment and selection of staff.
15. Responsibility for completing or delegating the preparation and daily review of staff duty rota’s, ensuring that the team provides most effective service provision.
16. Maintain a working knowledge of local and national professional policy and strategy.

Research & Audit

1. Participate and where required lead or assist in research projects as required, disseminating and ensuring utilisation of research results to change practice.
2. Utilise research findings in the delivery of advanced clinical patient care, developing new ways of working.
3. Be aware of research /trails being undertaken within the specialist field of practice
4. Participate and where required lead audit projects as required by the specialty, involving collating, analysing and reporting on results of the audit process.
5. Provide support, encouragement and advice to nursing staff undertaking audit and research.
6. Assist in the testing and evaluation of new equipment within the clinical area.
7. Collate, analyse and present reports on varying aspects of the speciality activity as required by directorate or divisional team
8. Ensure the results of audit and research conducted by the team are disseminated at local, regional and national level.
9. To share best practice; through publications and attendance/presentation opportunities at conference level.