Named Professional for Safeguarding in Birmingham

NUPAS is recruiting for a Named Professional for Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, 37.5 hours per week across 5 days. This is a hybrid role with the expectation to travel across the organisation as and when required. The Named Professional will form key relationships with the Executive Safeguarding Lead, Clinical & Medical Directors, Head of Nursing & Midwifery, Regional Clinical Leads and external partnership bodies. The successful candidate must be experienced, motivated and enthusiastic with excellent knowledge of safeguarding adults and children, and have experience working within a health or social care organisation.

The core function is to support the provision of safeguarding policy and procedure across NUPAS, including working with staff from floor to board, partners and partnership boards to support statutory requirements. Must be a highly visible individual providing specialist knowledge, advice and clinical expertise to all NUPAS staff. This role will work jointly with regional teams & partner agencies to ensure women who encounter services at NUPAS are safeguarded and their welfare is promoted. Together with the Named Doctor, the professional will contribute to NUPAS safeguarding training plan and supervision strategy.

NUPAS is one of the leading organisations supporting women's reproductive choices. Pro-choice is a must. The post holder will ensure that the principles of patient, carer and public involvement and engagement are adhered to in line with Section 11 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 for Improving Patient Experience. NUPAS is committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults – everyone's responsibility. DBS checks are standard on all prospective employees. All staff are required to adhere to the principles of patient‑centred care as detailed in the NICE Quality Standard for Patient Experience and to treat patients with dignity, kindness, compassion, courtesy, respect, understanding and honesty. The post holder will, in support of the NUPAS values, ensure that everyone is treated as an individual and will acknowledge and value difference in order to treat everyone fairly.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Ensure that NUPAS safeguarding procedures are regularly monitored, evaluated and reviewed to minimise risk.
• Carry out audits of safeguarding practice within NUPAS to ensure vulnerable women and children are protected effectively.
• Provide expert professional advice and support regarding safeguarding to all clinical and employed staff.
• Ensure day‑to‑day safeguarding provision, support and advice is readily available and there are clear routes for who to contact when out of hours and during periods of leave.
• Ensure high‑quality supervision is provided to clinical staff and that attendance is recorded and reported centrally.
• Work closely with the Named Doctor and Executive Safeguarding Lead to develop policy and practice.
• Represent NUPAS at case conferences, strategy meetings and serious case reviews and support staff who are required to attend.
• Lead on NUPAS safeguarding training strategy and ensure systems are in place to audit training needs and monitor training attendance.
• Meet regularly with the Head of Nursing and the Executive Safeguarding Lead to facilitate reporting on safeguarding within NUPAS and identify any areas or systems which may pose risk.
• Contribute to the safeguarding annual report and contract reporting requirements.
• Update, review and implement NUPAS policies and procedures while ensuring they reflect evidence‑based change in practice and legislation/key guidance.
• Manage and participate in the management of safeguarding, including triaging safeguarding emails, data collation and task management.
• Report on the position of safeguarding to the Head of Nursing and the Executive Safeguarding Lead on a regular basis.
• Provide effective leadership in monitoring and evaluating standards of practice and work closely with service leads to ensure such standards are met.
• Contribute to serious case reviews, ensuring recommendations are implemented and audited.
• Provide safeguarding expertise and advice to service improvement projects or development programmes.
• Work in close partnership with teams to ensure all local, corporate safeguarding targets are met and new guidance is implemented appropriately.
• Represent NUPAS within the Integrated Care System and with partner organisations to promote integrated working.
• Maintain knowledge and understanding of the legislative framework, national guidance and local procedures and disseminate appropriately.
• Utilise and develop evidence‑based guidelines to improve safeguarding services.
• Keep up to date with emerging thinking and findings from other providers and national guidance.
• Support organisational audit and benchmarking activities, implementing changes where appropriate.
• Uphold and adhere to NUPAS values and strategic objectives.
• Plan and interpret own workload and that of others, adhering to policies, procedures and guidelines.
• Use own judgement to define short, medium‑term and long‑term work priorities.
• Work unsupervised using own judgement and decision‑making skills on day‑to‑day operational and strategic issues.
• Maintain a professional work ethic and promote professionalism within the organisation.
• Take part in the annual appraisal in line with the applied framework and have an appropriate and up‑to‑date PDP in place.
• Adhere to the NMC Code of Conduct.
• Prioritise own workload and update knowledge considering current research and practice.
• Take responsibility for own development and attend professional meetings to maintain up‑to‑date clinical knowledge base.
• Critically reflect on own performance through supervision and action learning.

Qualifications (Essential)

• NMC Registered Nurse or Midwife.
• Level 5 safeguarding supervision/training certification.

Essential Experience and Skills

• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
• Demonstrable leadership abilities across professional boundaries.
• Self‑discipline and effective time management.
• Teaching skills.
• Expert experience in safeguarding supervision.
• In‑depth knowledge and practical experience of compliance within healthcare.
• Experience working with women’s healthcare.
• Strong analytical skills with ability to translate data into meaningful conversations and actions for the organisation.
• Self‑motivated team player comfortable working alone and as part of a wider team.
• Willingness to travel between national clinical locations to provide safeguarding supervision and training.
• Experienced in safeguarding audit.
• Experience of inter‑agency working.
• Experience working with pregnant women with complex medical/social needs.
• Knowledge of current safeguarding legislation, guidance and procedures.
• Awareness of current professional issues within midwifery, nursing and NHS.
• Understanding of resource management, health and safety, clinical risk and quality issues.
• Knowledge/understanding of confidentiality issues.
• Awareness of equality and diversity.
• Awareness of self‑care strategies for self and others.
• Support women’s reproductive choices.

Desirable

• Experience working in abortion services.
• Full UK driving licence.

Additional Information

Employees must not make unauthorised copies or disclose confidential or commercially sensitive information. Employees are required to use the email and internet systems responsibly and to exercise a high level of caution when transmitting confidential information. Employees are expected to observe the highest standards of personal and professional behaviour, show respect, sensitivity and courtesy to all those they encounter during the course of their work. All employees must observe all safety rules and follow safe working practices. The workplace is smoke‑free as required by the Health Act 2006. All staff have a responsibility to understand and adhere to the requirements of NUPAS policy and protocols when dealing with children, young people and vulnerable adults. They must fully comply with information governance, data protection, confidentiality and information security. This is a national role. The office‑based element will be at the Head Office in Birmingham or at one of the nationwide clinics. Travel expenses will be reimbursed in line with NUPAS expenses policy. Disclosure and Barring Service Check: The post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975. A submission for Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service is required to check for any previous criminal convictions. UK Registration: Applicants must have current UK professional registration (see NHS Careers website).

Employer: NUPAS Ltd, 5 Arthur Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2UL.