Safeguarding Care Coordinator in Ilminster

The Safeguarding Care Coordinator for adult and child safeguarding will have a key role in supporting the Safeguarding Lead and GPs to protect our most vulnerable patients.

Main duties of the job:

• The post-holder will work within the Ilminster practice to provide central co-ordination for safeguarding information and communication to support care planning.
• The role will be GP facing with the core responsibility of maintaining consistent protocols regarding safeguarding information across the practice.
• The role will provide expert advice and support to colleagues once trained.
• The post-holder will support the audit and research of safeguarding practice within the practice and disseminate learning to colleagues to improve safeguarding practice across the PCN.
• The post-holder will oversee safeguarding administration, document handling, record management and communication with partner organisations.
• They will also work within a multi-disciplinary team to aid liaison between the practice team, the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub and the ICS.
• It is expected that the post-holder will liaise with other Safeguarding Coordinators across the PCN and wider NHS.

About us:

CLICK (Chard, Ilminster and Langport) Primary Care Network (PCN) is located in South Somerset with 5 GP practices and a diverse population spread across town and rural locations. CLICK has a population size of around 50,000 patients. Currently led under the Clinical Director leadership of Dr Christoph Kollmeier.

The PCN is made up of:

• Langport Surgery
• The Meadows (Ilminster)
• Churchview (Ilminster)

As a PCN we are forward thinking, innovative and driven to deliver the best patient care for our population. This includes health population management, and this role ties in with supporting that and tracking the improvements we can make to patients' lives.

Job responsibilities:

• Oversee the workflow of safeguarding reports and documents and ensure they are circulated to appropriate clinicians in line with organisational safeguarding policies.
• Summarise and code the documents into the relevant specific templates, highlighting anything significant regarding patients registered to GPs.
• Maintain a register of children on Child Protection Plans, Child in Need plans and those children deemed to cause for concern.
• Ensure the correct coding is added to patient records to aid clinicians in identifying those children and adults who are cause for concern.
• Assist clinicians in preparing forms and letters in relation to safeguarding matters.
• Add alerts to parent records and those who have a child on a safeguarding plan.
• Contribute to data collection and audit in relation to safeguarding to support and improve standards for safeguarding practice across the practice and the PCN.
• Pro-actively check Black Pear for updates and information in relation to safeguarding and ensuring this data is acted upon as required.
• Prioritise and respond to strategy meeting invitations as advised by the organisation's safeguarding lead.
• Respond to child protection meetings and MDT meetings as advised by the organisation's Safeguarding Lead, prepare appropriate documentation, and send apologies as necessary.
• Monitor not brought to appointment codes for children regarding missed clinical appointments and refer to appropriate clinician for follow up (e.g., practice nurse, usual GP, Safeguarding Lead) in line with organisational safeguarding policies.
• Use data in the system to audit frequent hospital attenders (GP, 111, MIU, A&E) and highlight any emerging patterns.
• Support the safeguarding lead in co-ordinating communication and meetings with third parties e.g., health visitors, MASH, ICS safeguarding leads and social workers. This includes taking minutes and updating the patient record in accordance with agreed actions.
• Redact and update the clinical record as per organisational safeguarding protocols when a patient reaches 18 years of age.
• Update alerts and warnings in the EMIS record according to organisational safeguarding protocols when safeguarding concerns are recorded.
• The ability to confidently facilitate group safeguarding supervision in clinical settings to a variety of health professionals once trained.
• Be a role model for all clinical staff by practicing safeguarding to the highest standard, whilst exercising a high degree of personal and professional autonomy.
• Be able to signpost staff to relevant agencies and assist staff for all types of safeguarding queries.
• Be aware of local resources and disseminate updates to colleagues.
• To carry out case reviews and disseminate learning to colleagues across the PCN.
• Demonstrate commitment to developing own expertise to support robust systems, policies, professional guidance, and training so that staff across the PCN can identify and contribute to safeguarding issues.
• To have regular safeguarding supervision and case reviews.
• Demonstrate the ownership of responsibility for personal development, learning and performance.
• Attend relevant annual updates and shared practice learning.
• Complete all required PCN mandated training.
• Undertake any tasks consistent with the level of the post and the scope of the role, ensuring that work is delivered in a timely and effective manner.
• Duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the post or the level of responsibility.

Person Specification:

Experience:

• Experience of working within a health or care sector setting or other industry with a strong focus on Safeguarding.
• Experience in organising meetings, preparing agendas and writing minutes.
• Experience of safeguarding in any capacity.
• Reliable, conscientious and flexible approach to work.
• Motivated, forward thinker.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations.
• Ability to work under pressure.

Qualifications:

• Good standard of education, professional nursing, HCPC or social work qualification.
• Care planning and co-ordination qualification.
• Safeguarding Training Children and Adults Level 3.

Skills:

• Excellent communication skills (written and oral).
• A clear understanding of child protection policy and procedures and commitment to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.
• Clear, polite telephone manner.
• Effective time management (planning and organising).
• Ability to listen, empathise with people and provide person-centred support in a non-judgemental way.
• Courteous, respectful and helpful at all times.
• Able to have a good relationship with people from all backgrounds and communities, respecting lifestyles and diversity.
• Commitment to reducing health inequalities and proactively working to reach people from all communities.
• Able to support people in a way that inspires trust and confidence, motivating others to reach their potential.
• Ability to use own initiative, discretion and sensitivity.
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Problem solving and analytical skills.
• Ability to follow policy and procedure.
• Good knowledge of MS Office Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and using video calling software e.g., MS Teams.

Other requirements:

• Flexibility to work outside of core office hours.
• Access to own transport and ability to travel across the locality on a regular basis, including to visit people in their own home.
• This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.