Trainee Health Visitor – Public Health Nurse (Community) in Plymouth

Are you interested in pursuing a career in the community as a Health Visitor, working with children and families to improve their health and well-being? Are you ambitious, enthusiastic and keen to develop the required skills and knowledge to support you in gaining access to the Specialist Practitioner training programme?

If so, Livewell Southwest has an exciting opportunity for you to join the Public Health Nursing Service as a trainee Health Visitor (18 months fixed-term full-time hours). The successful candidates will work within the locality-based Public Health Nursing Teams across Plymouth. This post will be supported by the Team Managers, Specialist Practice Assessors and colleagues, to support you and your learning. The Specialist Community Public Health Nursing Programme is offered by Livewell Southwest, and the academic provider is to be confirmed.

Main duties of the job

You will be working as part of an integrated skill mix team, supporting the implementation of the Healthy Child Programme under the direction of the Health Visitors. Delivering the service requirements, you will be working in a variety of community settings, across five localities, including the homes of families. We ask that you have excellent interpersonal skills, the ability to work in partnership with other teams and agencies, along with great communication skills and a passion for working with children, young people and families.

As we grow and innovate, we maintain a team-focused approach that includes the benefits of a robust induction and preceptorship programmes, outstanding safeguarding, clinical and management supervision and an excellent range of internal and external training opportunities to support ongoing professional development. The team’s current operating hours are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Benefits

• You will be provided with a work mobile and a work laptop to ensure connectivity while you work.
• Flexible working opportunities and a strong emphasis on work-life balance.
• Excellent learning and development opportunities.
• This role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route.
• All Livewell staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7 day service.

Job responsibilities

Dimensions and Context of Role: To work as a member of the Public Health Nursing team providing a service to children and their families as delegated by the Health Visitor. To participate in the implementation of The Healthy Child Programme under the direction of the Health Visitor. The post holder will be expected to work in various community settings including the homes of families. Each Specialist Community Public Health Nurse Student will be expected to complete and work within the designated competency framework as provided by LSW and in addition, complete a mutually agreed learning contract. The Specialist Community Public Health Nurse Student will be supported by a Practice Assessor and the wider PHN team.

Key Working relationships:

• Work with the PHN team to achieve the Key Performance Indicators (KPI).
• Provide support to families within a variety of community settings under the direction of the HV/SN, considering the diverse social, health and wellbeing needs of the community.
• Plan and deliver health enhancing activities for children and their families to include working in groups, child health clinics, developmental review clinics, and on an individual basis.
• Provide support to families using the Solihull approach model in behaviour management, parenting skills, and delivering programmes of care to vulnerable families as identified by the Health Visitor.
• Support breastfeeding and parent infant relationships applying the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative standards.
• Be fully aware and understand local safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Work in partnership with Children Centres and Early Years settings to promote the health and well-being of the local population.
• Fulfil other professional responsibilities within the team or as a representative of the team, under the direction of the Health Visitor.
• Act as a supervisor / assessor for pre-registration nursing students and new staff and support students in placement by providing a suitable learning environment and experience.
• Participate in clinical and child protection supervision.
• Liaise with other agencies and services to provide integrated and cohesive support for children and their families, under the direction of the Health Visitor.
• Provide care that is evidence based and support others in their developing their practice.
• Contribute to the development of planned teaching programmes and participate in the training for students and new staff.
• Work within the boundaries of the staff nurse competency framework.
• Maintain accurate, contemporaneous and comprehensive records of care, following the standard operational procedures for the service.
• Participate in research, audit and data collection as required.
• Review and critically evaluate your own professional practice and demonstrate commitment to ongoing professional and practice development; including annual review.
• Work alongside Practice Assessors to ensure opportunities to gain additional experiences into the role of the Health Visitor are gained.
• Complete reflective writing in line with requirements set by mentors, Practice Assessors or Professional Development Lead to assist with preparation for the SCPHN course.

Key Working relationships:

• To work with individuals, families, schools and the community.
• To work in multi-agency partnerships, for example, social care and other agencies.
• The wider SCPHN 0-19 team and LIVEWELL SOUTHWEST, e.g. Public Health, Children and Families, Performance Management.
• The Primary Health Care Team.
• University Hospitals Plymouth departments, e.g. Paediatric Department; Neonatal Outreach, Emergency Department, Safeguarding Children's Office.
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.
• Midwifery.
• Education departments, e.g. Plymouth University/UWE and Professional Training & Development Department.
• Schools, Nurseries and Children Centres.

Person Specification

Knowledge

• Knowledge of national and local policy in Children Service and Public Health.
• Ability to apply theory to practice.
• Knowledge and application of clinical governance.
• Delivery of evidence-based practice.
• Child Protection awareness.

Experience

• Evidence of commitment to service development.
• Experience of working with other agencies.

Skills

• Good presentation and facilitation skills.
• Ability to manage academic and practice demands.
• Commitment to continuous professional development and recent academic study.
• Able to communicate by written, oral and electronic means applying those skills to new settings.
• Ability to work alone and part of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Ability to work on own initiative and self-motivated.
• Resilient and self-reliant.
• A flexible approach to meet client/service needs.
• Empathetic and diplomatic in dealing with colleagues, patients and carers.
• Ability to problem solve.
• Postholder must demonstrate a positive commitment to uphold diversity and equality policies approved by Livewell Southwest.
• Ability to frequently travel independently and in a timely manner between Livewell Southwest sites and community locations including areas not served by public transport.
• Full Driving Licence.

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse (current registration required).
• 120 points at level 2 or equivalent.
• Evidence of completion of research module.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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.