Senior Staff Nurse, Special Schools

We are looking for an enthusiastic Band 6 nurse who has experience in community paediatric nursing, children's continence and working in a special school.
The School Nursing Team deliver health care to children with complex health needs attending Greenmead School in Wandsworth, Perseid School in Merton and Sherwood Park School in Sutton. They are responsible for undertaking health assessments, completing and updating care plans, managing emergency situations and providing training for education staff. They complete records and attend child protection conferences., The successful candidate will ensure that high quality nursing care is delivered within Greenmead Day School.
The post holder will work collaboratively with other professionals involved in the care of children and young people including therapists, educational staff, school nursing and Social Services to support and empower children, young people and their families, to improve health and give every child and young person the opportunity to develop their full potential., · Develops, promotes and implements integrated working (internal and external) whenever this would improve service delivery options or outcomes for individual children, young people and their families
· Ensure that all staff within the team work to SHC and ESTH policies, procedures, standard operating procedures and guidelines within the service area and actively contributes to the proposal of policy or service changes as appropriate
· Works closely and collaboratively with the education, health and social care staff
· Delegates appropriately to ensure consistent coordinated care
· Acts as a specialist practitioner and is a resource to other staff within the department and wider organisation
· Leads by example and maintains a high level of professional conduct at all times
· Is aware of issues relating to information governance and data security.
Clinical Responsibilities
· Be confident and competent in carrying out clinical skills such as administration of medicines and gastrostomy feeds and has experience of working with children and young people with traceostomies
· Support the lead clinician for the children's continence service
· Performs effective assessment and plans care according to the identified health needs of individual children and young people and for those accessing the continence service
· Review care plans on at least a yearly basis or more frequently if needed
· Make onward referrals where appropriate
· Attend safeguarding supervision at least termly and additional, where required
· Represents the school nursing team in the educational setting
· Attend annual educational reviews, child in need meetings, team around the child meetings, professional meetings, child protection case conferences and core group meetings, representing the school nursing team and providing key information to education and social services staff and parents
· Comply with infection control policies and procedures in order to minimise and prevent the spread of infection.
Management Responsibilities/Professional Leadership
· Ensure team compliance with service delivery according to the commissioned service specification
· Support the Team Leader and senior children's services managers to monitor the staffing budget
· Ensure staff comply with their obligation to collect and record data in electronic records in a timely manner
· Receive and handle any complaints according to SHC and ESTH policy
· Work collaboratively with the risk management department to support practitioners in the identification and management of any risks involved with the service and delivery of care
· Ensure all staff comply with the incident policy and ensure that all reported incidents for designated areas are fully investigated
· Ensure effective communication systems are utilised
· Observe and comply with Trust policies and procedures for health and safety ensuring the environment you work in and are responsible for is safe, clean and tidy
· Promote equal opportunities in compliance with Trust policies
· Ensure that benefits to children and young people are maximised through careful, economical and appropriate use of NHS resources including equipment, property, budget, time etc
· Participate in the audit of services to ensure a high level of service delivery and identify areas of improvement.
Education, Training and Personal Development
· Develop and implement local orientation, local induction programmes and preceptorship for any new employees to the team
· Ensure you are compliant with statutory and mandatory training whilst maintaining an adequate level of service delivery
· Work alongside the Team Leader and senior children's services managers to ensure all staff are competent and confident in performing clinical skills associated with their role ensuring any poor performance issues are addressed in line with SHC and ESTH policies
· Ensure staff participate in reflective practice to ensure effective problem solving strategies within the team
· Complete verification for nursing staff undertaking their revalidation in line with NMC guidelines
· Ensure student nurses on clinical placements are allocated trained mentors to support the special school nurses ensuring that placements offer developmental opportunities and are a positive experience.
Working Relationships/Communication
· Develop and maintain a highly professional and constructive relationship with the education team within the special needs schools
· Maintain good communication with children and young people, parents, carers, staff and other professionals at all times and be able to communicate complex information in an appropriate manner to all
· Be able to handle sensitive information and act in a tactful manner when there may be a conflict of interest
· Have knowledge of alternative methods of communication such as Makaton, PECS, PODD books etc.
Financial Responsibility/Service Delivery
· Be responsible for the issue of children's continence products ensuring the identified needs of the client is met whilst maintaining the specified budget
Support the Team Leader and senior children's services managers to monitor the staffing budget for the specified service areas ensuring expenditure remains within the allocated budget.

Epsom and St. Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust (ESTH) provides a range of medical services to approximately 500,000 people living across south west London and north east Surrey.
We serve an area that is rich in diversity, with a mix of urban and rural areas, and differing levels of quality of life. We cover some of the most prosperous postcodes in the country as well as some poorer areas. Together, with our NHS colleagues in Surrey, Sutton and Merton, we work to make sure that we deliver the best possible care to the communities we serve.
Sutton Health and Care (SHC) was an innovative joint venture between local partner health and social care organisations, which sees community services fully integrated to support the delivery of a new model of care for the people of Sutton. Hosted by ESTH, the model ensures the breaking down of traditional organisational barriers to enable the provision of care that is wrapped around the patient.
We pride ourselves in having a highly dedicated team and offer a stimulating and dynamic working environment with a wide range of staff benefits and development opportunities. We are looking for employees who aspire to excellence, share our vision and values and can play a crucial role in our ongoing achievements.