Health Advisor

We are recruiting an additional team member to support our current Senior Health Advisor to maintain an overview of and support the health and well-being needs of (mostly elderly) sisters living independently in the community. As the needs of the community change and increase, we are looking for an additional team member to support delivering this important service. Working alongside our Senior Health Advisor, you will help to extend the hours over which support is available to our sisters and communities. Average 8 hours per week, usually on Thursday or Friday. Flexible to suit needs of service. (Occasional weekend work may be necessary, for e.g. accompanying a sister for an urgent investigation).

Place of work: Home based with travel in London and the Southeast and occasional travel to Newcastle / Wales.

Responsibilities:

• To provide holistic assessment and ongoing review of the health and well-being of sisters, supporting them to continue living independently in the community.
• Duties may include:

• Contacting sisters and by agreement visiting them at home to provide confidential advice and support with any matters of health and wellbeing they wish to discuss, whilst being sensitive to the different levels of input required by individual sisters.
• Ensuring that sisters have access to local health services and support structures, identifying and arranging support from specialist health or social care teams as well as chasing referrals and appointments on behalf of sisters, if required.
• Accompanying sisters to medical or other health related appointments, including GP & hospital appointments, tests, investigations and surgical procedures.
• Supporting sisters at appointments by seeking clarity and asking relevant questions from clinicians to achieve the best outcomes.
• Ensuring the sisters understand the outcome of their appointments, interpreting medical jargon and highlighting main points in a written summary, if required.
• Liaising with the Senior Health Advisor, updating her on outcomes of appointments.
• Reporting relevant changes, developing needs or concerns about a sister’s health and wellbeing to the Senior Health Advisor, and if appropriate, Safeguarding Lead, relevant staff or Provincial Team member.
• Being aware of individual sisters’ needs or health conditions and the impact they may be having on other members living in a community.
• Working with the sisters, members of their community and/or the Provincial Team when advice and support is required to cope with conditions such as dementia.
• Liaising with hospital, social services, community health staff or the society’s Care Home on behalf of the sisters (or the Provincial) for those who are admitted to or being discharged from hospital.
• Liaising with the Care Home Manager or Deputy Manager, providing relevant information about the sisters being admitted to the care home for a short stay e.g. (following a surgical procedure) or long-term move.
• Keeping in touch with those on regular medication, liaising with GPs and pharmacists as required to ensure medications are taken as prescribed and regularly reviewed.
• Liaising with and updating the Provincial (or relevant staff member) if necessary, about a sister, having first obtained her consent and sharing only the necessary information, whilst respecting the need for confidentiality.
• Keeping excellent written records of all work.
• Meeting with the Senior Health Advisor as required for structured support and supervision.
• Keeping up to date with CPD as required.

Person specification:

• A registered nurse with evidence of current NMC registration.
• An experienced practitioner, with the knowledge and confidence to question or challenge health professionals as required, in order to achieve the best outcomes of care for sisters.
• Experience working with people with a range of health needs, particularly older people with long-term health conditions.
• Recent experience and understanding of current NHS acute and community services, referral and appointment processes.
• A willingness to work flexible hours to suit needs of service, and travel to various communities in England, occasionally at short notice.
• A confident driver with a clean driving license.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and an ability to work with a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Ability to manage own workload and to meet agreed objectives.
• Ability to work alone whilst staying engaged with the wider team.
• Ability to deal with queries in a confidential and sensitive manner.
• Good time management skills and an ability to prioritise work.
• Respect for the ethos, values and mission of the Society of the Sacred Heart.

About the Society of the Sacred Heart:

The Society of the Sacred Heart are an international order of women in the Roman Catholic Church. The England-Wales province of the Society has communities in Newcastle, London and the Southeast as well as Brecon, Wales. Since 1842, the Society has had a presence in England and our members have been involved in educating generations of students and teachers through our schools and teacher training colleges. You can read more about the mission and work of the Society on our website.

In July 2025, England and Wales Province will join with Ireland/Scotland, Malta and Central Europe to form the new province of Central Europe and the Islands (CEI). The applicant will be working in England.