Clinical Nurse Specialist - Congenital Cloacal Anomalies in London

The post holder will be a key member of the subspecialist colorectal team at Great Ormond Street. A particular duty of this post will be working within the existing MDT providing care for children with Cloacal Malformation. Although this is a rare condition, GOSH now has a large case volume and the service provides holistic care for these children and families from birth to transition.

Main duties of the job:

• Be the link CNS for Children born with congenital abnormalities affecting the lower gastrointestinal tract.
• Be an expert in creating and supporting bowel management programs for children with congenital low GI anomaly.
• Support patients and families through their journey and to help them reach the best possible outcome.
• Work closely with the Urology Cloaca CNS to ensure the smooth running of the cloaca service and the best possible support for families.
• Set up and run nurse led clinics to review patients between discharge and consultant outpatient clinics.
• Be a point of contact for families and liaise with local teams to identify problems.
• Set up and provide robust transition support for patients with a lower GI anomaly.
• Provide effective nursing leadership, expertise, advice, and support.
• Act as a designated resource for children and families, and other shared care professionals.
• Embark on community visits to facilitate schools and nursery attendance and to ensure families' homes are set up for managing bowel management programs.
• Work closely with the established stoma nurses in supporting children with stomas and who are on bowel washouts.
• Facilitate communication between surgery and other specialties teams.
• Facilitate the development of all staff within the team, including registered nurses, student nurses, doctors, and others to support staff in delivering care based upon the most up to date evidence and best practice.
• Promote an innovative and progressive attitude to the continual improvement of patient care through research and evidence-based practice.
• Use measurable outcomes for safety, patient experience and service efficiency.
• Have line management or supervisory responsibility for other members of the specialist nursing team as appropriate.
• Develop and update clinical practice guidelines.
• Work in accordance with the NMC Code of Professional Conduct, Trust policies and procedures and the Trust’s Personal Responsibility Framework.
• Be active and pro-active regarding inclusion in the workplace.
• Regularly update oneself regarding cultural intelligence and inclusive language.
• Be an advocate for patients from diverse backgrounds and abilities.

Working for our organisation:

GOSH is committed to recruiting the best person for the job, based solely on their ability and individual merit as measured against the criteria for the role; through a process that is fair, open, consistent and free from bias and discrimination. We are committed to being a diverse and inclusive employer and foster a culture where all staff are valued, respected and acknowledged. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, disability status or length of time spent unemployed. We particularly welcome applications from global majority communities, people with disabilities and/or long-term health conditions and LGBT+ community members. We have policies and procedures in place to ensure that all applicants and employees are treated fairly and consistently. We are proud to be accredited as a Disability Confident Employer, a member of Business Disability Forum and a Stonewall Diversity Champion. We have active and Executive supported BAME, LGBT+ and Allies, Disability and Long-Term Health Conditions and Women’s staff networks. Staff networks are employee-led groups formed around interests, issues and a common bond or background. Staff network members create a positive and inclusive work environment at Great Ormond Street Hospital by actively contributing to the Trust’s mission, values and efforts specific to inclusion. All of our staff networks are open to any employee.

Person specification:

Essential criteria:

• Knowledge and understanding of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
• Understanding of Diversity and Inclusion challenges in the workplace.
• Demonstrable contribution to advancing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace.

Education & Qualifications:

Essential criteria:

• Current registration with the NMC as a Learning Disability or Children’s Registered Nurse.
• Evidence of on-going, dynamic continuing professional development within the specialty, linked to demonstrable clinical competencies.
• Student Practice Assessor.
• Possession of a relevant honour’s degree.

Desirable criteria:

• Relevant Postgraduate education.

Skills & Abilities:

Essential criteria:

• Excellent relevant clinical skills, specialist skills and abilities for the post.
• Excellent managerial, leadership and organisational skills.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively with children and young people with a learning disability, their families and with colleagues.
• Ability to work as part of a wider multi-disciplinary team.
• Able to problem solve and initiate, manage and sustain change.
• Influencing and negotiating skills.
• Teaching and training skills.
• Understanding of the management of Sensory Processing disorders.
• Appraisal skills.
• Ability to triage and manage a varied and complex workflow.
• Demonstrates Compassion In Practice.
• Able to work across professional team and organizational boundaries.
• Able to work with patients with learning disabilities/Autism to support a fully inclusive approach to participation in patient involvement and experience events.
• Good skills.
• Ability to manage and de-escalate conflict situations.

Desirable criteria:

• Strong documentation skills.
• Interviewing skills.
• Ability to critically appraise literature and apply findings to practice.
• Experience working clinically within a ward setting.

Knowledge & Experience:

Essential criteria:

• Sufficient experience at band 6 level or equivalent, including within relevant clinical environment.
• Expert knowledge relevant to the speciality/field or practice.
• Strong knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and its application within a Paediatric Hospital Setting.
• Experience of change management and problem solving.
• Experience of working with children and young people to develop information designed to meet their needs.
• Experience of engaging young people with a learning disability in developing services to support their needs.
• Experience of handling clinical incidents and complaints.
• Understanding of professional and current issues in children’s nursing, learning disability nursing and healthcare.
• Understanding of audit and research methodologies.
• Understanding of resource management, health and safety, clinical risk and quality issues.
• Knowledge of child protection procedures.
• Knowledge of nurse revalidation requirements.

Desirable criteria:

• Experience of audit, benchmarking and/or research.
• Experience of practice development, innovation.
• Experience of working as a CNS.