Enhanced Practitioner (Diabetes) in Carlisle

The Enhanced practice professional will use clinical decision making within a scope of practice, participate in decision making amongst the wider MDT and contribute specific knowledge of an area of practice. The Enhanced level of practice includes freedom to act. Practice is autonomous within the professional scope of practice. The post holder will have highly developed specialist skills and advanced knowledge in a specific area of interest. They will have significant clinical experience in their area of practice. As an autonomous practitioner, they will undertake independent consultations with patients attending with specific symptoms within the post holder's specialist scope of practice (Diabetes). They will assess, examine, investigate, diagnose, treat and follow up patients within their scope of practice.

Main duties of the job

• To provide a specialist and advanced professional contribution to the clinical management of patients attending within their specialist area of Diabetes.
• Use a combination of skills, knowledge, values and self-esteem to manage change and move beyond competency, moving from experienced to expert in area of specialism.
• Practice with autonomy and accountability.
• To assess selected patients taking a full comprehensible history, carrying out comprehensive clinical examinations, making diagnosis and providing treatment where necessary.
• To be responsible for the follow up of the patients under their care.
• Adhere to the NMC, HCPC professional body Code: Standards of Conduct, Performance and ethics for nurses / professional body at all times.
• To undertake assessments for clinical risk within the service and ensure all staff are aware of responsibilities and related policies.
• To participate in the identification, development, implementation and dissemination of local clinical protocols, policies, procedures, guidelines relating to individualised specialist service; which includes their management ensuring clinical governance is maintained.

Job responsibilities

• To provide leadership by acting as a role model for other nurses within the service and provide specialist and up to date relevant information to other Nurses and Health Professionals.
• Lead and develop local clinical policies and procedure in relation to specific skill set.
• To ensure that clinical and educational practice within their scope of practice adheres to recent research findings, clinical governance and professional guidelines.
• To participate in regular clinical supervision and personal staff review.
• Maintain a portfolio of evidence aligned to competency frameworks to showcase education and ongoing skills, knowledge, competencies and attributes.
• Keep up to date with professional body/Organisational and national Guidelines, policies and protocols.
• Maintain your own professional and personal development, attending mandatory trainings as required.
• To support and encourage the clinical supervision process for all nurses within their Services and actively be involved in the process.
• To organise, develop, deliver and facilitate formal and informal teaching sessions to staff, Primary Care and other members of the health care team such as medical students, student nurses/midwives and trainee GPs.

Quality

• To provide expert advice to their patients on clinical issues and follow relevant guidelines.
• Follow best practice for safeguarding.
• To be a flexible, effective member of the team and provide cover for other relevant staff during absence as appropriate.
• To report to the Manager, progress in the assessment, planning, implementation, and monitoring of national strategies ensuring targets are met within the Service.
• To identify to the Manager future service requirements.
• To respond to daily problems faced by the service and ensure issues are resolved as swiftly as possible. This may include analysing complex situations and making independent decisions and identifying longer-term solutions as required.
• To report to the Manager progress in the assessment, planning, implementation and monitoring of national and local strategies and key performance indicators (KPIs) ensuring targets are met within the Service.
• To manage, contribute and participate in audit of clinical practice and service delivery within the Service. This includes data collection, analysing information, evaluating findings, writing action plans and putting systems into place to ensure these are actioned.

Communication

• Utilise and demonstrate sensitive communication styles, to ensure patients are fully informed and consent to treatment.
• Communicate effectively with patients and carers, recognising the need for alternative methods of communication to overcome different levels of understanding, cultural background and preferred ways of communicating.
• Anticipate barriers to communication and take action to improve communication.
• Maintain effective communication within the practice environment and with external stakeholders.
• Act as an advocate for patients and colleagues.
• Ensure awareness of sources of support and guidance (e.g. PALS) and provide information in an acceptable format to all patients, recognising any difficulties and referring where appropriate.

Person Specification

Experience

• Evidence and ability to teach/disseminate knowledge and skills.
• Evidence of teaching and assessing.
• Significant experience in specialist area.
• Experience of multidisciplinary working.
• Able to demonstrate specialist expertise and knowledge underpinned by theory acquired through CPD in relation to clinical assessment, treatment and evaluation.
• Working at an enhanced level of practice as described in the Primary Care and General Practice Nursing career framework and core capabilities framework.

Qualifications

• NMC/HCPC registered.
• Non-medical prescriber.
• Physical consultation and assessment skills module.
• Evidence of specialist diabetes training (e.g. diabetes diploma, modules, or certification).
• Evidence of current and relevant CPD.
• Masters level prescribing, Consultation and Physical assessment modules.

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.