Immunisation Nurse | Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

The successful applicants will be dynamic, highly motivated individuals, with excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work autonomously and as a member of the Immunisation team. As an immunisation nurse, you will be working as part of a pro-active skill mix team who are committed to delivering high-quality services to children, young people, and their families. Travelling in your own vehicle across the Mersey care footprint.

Applicants must demonstrate knowledge and understanding of public health with regard to vaccination & immunisation principles of the national childhood and adult programmes, with a commitment to reducing health inequalities. The responsibilities of a member of the nurse-led immunisation team will be to support the national childhood immunisation programme and at times respond to disease outbreaks. This will involve the planning, delivery, and optimisation of the national routine immunisation programmes.

Immunisations will be undertaken during campaigns to school-age children, specifically MMR, HPV, Meningitis, School Leaver Booster, Influenza vaccinations, and other vaccinations as directed by NHS England. The post holder will also deliver out-of-schedule vaccinations in accordance with The Green Book, following the latest information on vaccines and vaccination procedures to ensure children are protected against vaccine-preventable diseases. The service delivers vaccines across the 0-19 year olds and 0-25 for children with specialist educational needs.

Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales, and the Midlands. We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction, and brain injury services. At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable, and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together.

As an integral part of a nurse-led Immunisation Team, the post holder will receive supervision and guidance around clinical activity from the Caseload Holder and Immunisation Team Leader. The post holder will be responsible for undertaking comprehensive vaccination to include:

• Children 0-5 years who have fallen out of schedule with their primary immunisations.
• School Age Children in schools, special schools, home, or Alternative Education Provisions as commissioned by NHS England to include delivery of an education session/assembly to the appropriate school years.
• Prophylactic anti-viral medication and mass vaccination in outbreak/pandemic situations.
• Expansion of the public health agenda i.e. introduction of new vaccines, associated health promotion campaigns.

The post holder will:

• Individually assess clients prior to vaccination. This may require analysis of whether to defer or refer on, including review of current health status, clinical condition, current medication, and reference to national policy under the guidance and supervision of the V&I Coordinator/Team Leader.
• Must have undertaken appropriate training for working under the current terms of a PGD before working to it.
• Must have undertaken appropriate training for working under PGDs for supply/administration of medicines.
• Ensure they are up to date with relevant issues and clinical skills relating to immunisation and management of anaphylaxis, with evidence of appropriate Continued Professional Development (CPD).
• Give prescribed vaccines and anti-viral medication as authorised via Patient Group Directions.
• Maintain clinical standards ensuring hand hygiene is performed before and after every client contact, that vaccination takes place in a safe environment, equipment/emergency drugs are in date and accessible, reporting any concerns to the Caseload Holder/Team Leader.
• Co-ordinate delivery of vaccines and equipment to the community clinics from the Medicines Management Distribution Centre.
• Adhere to policy and practice to ensure safe storage, handling preparation, and administration of vaccines and medication.
• Be accountable for ensuring cold chain maintenance during the transport of vaccines and for any fridges or cold chain porters used for transportation.
• Act as a resource increasing the pool of knowledge around immunisation.
• Contribute towards a reduction of clinical risk, preventing significant events, acting upon them and the associated cost implications of dealing with errors e.g. setting up recall clinics.