Address An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 7 Clinical Nurse Specialist (Multiple Sclerosis) to join the dynamic Bexley Community Neurorehabilitation team. The multi-disciplinary team provides individualised therapy to people with neurological conditions living in the London Borough of Bexley, in south-east London. The aim of the service is to maximise independence and promote healthy and active lifestyles.
The purpose of the post is to provide input across the disease trajectory from education at onset, through mild, moderate and complex disability to terminal care at the end of life. You will be working closely with all members of the multi-disciplinary Neurorehabilitation team, as well as running nurse-led clinics, providing case management for people with complex needs, and working alongside Consultant Neurologists. You will be responsible for continually developing and reviewing the service, as the management of Multiple Sclerosis is rapidly developing and is an area of health care which is now recognised as extremely important.
Ideally you will already have specialist knowledge in Multiple Sclerosis acquired through relevant formal training and practical experience. You must, however, have relevant neurological or community experience in a position of responsibility, at minimum of Band 6 grade, within last 3 years.
You will have excellent communication skills and interpersonal skills, and be able to show you have the ability to work both autonomously and as part of a team. You will need to demonstrate flexibility and the ability to prioritise effectively and efficiently in a busy and fast-paced work environment. You will demonstrate an ability to support the team, including Band 6 Community Specialised Neurology Nurse.
Role of the post-holder:
To have clinical responsibility for the care and management of patients with MS, working closely with patients, relatives and their carers.
To carry out Specialist MS clinics in the community.
To act as key worker, co-ordinating medical and multi-disciplinary team input, working alongside Consultants, GP’s, nurses, therapists, and social services
To assist those living with MS to improve their quality of life / end of life experience by identifying and linking to palliative care appropriate care services and therapies at an early stage of their illness
To promote and initiate research-based nursing practice and monitor the quality of the service being provided
To be one of the lead specialist’s providing expert support, advice, and education for professional staff in primary and secondary care
Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children’s centres, schools and people’s homes.
We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.
Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:
We’re Kind
We’re Fair
We Listen
We Care
Responsible for the holistic assessment of individuals, using a range of different assessment methods and reach valid reliable and comprehensive patient centred conclusions which manage risk and are appropriate to need, context and culture.
To communicate with patients and their carers in ways, which empower them to make informed choices about their health and well-being
To negotiate and develop a personal care plan with the patient, health care professionals, carers and their relatives, providing specialist verbal and written advice to doctors, nurses and other health care professionals
Responsible for the assessment of a patients and clients which include moving the handling skills
To diagnose and instigate therapeutic treatments based on best available evidence to manage and improve health outcomes
To regularly monitor the patient’s condition to identify subtle changes in condition. To teach relatives and carers to recognise these changes
To refer appropriately and in a timely manner to other services and health professionals e.g. hospital Consultants, G.P.’s
To manage patients pro-actively and minimise the risk of hospital admission ensuring they are in the most appropriate care environment
To co-ordinate and evaluate additional support as needed, such as home care, intermediate care, palliative care teams or geriatricians, retaining case manager role as appropriate
To have detailed understanding of related patho-pharmacology and use this to monitor patients drug regimes
