Special School Nurse

We currently have an exciting opportunity to jointhe Special School Nursing Servicewhich is part of theChildren’s Integrated Complex Care Clinical Business Unitin our Children’s Division. We are seeking a highly motivated and enthusiasticSpecial School Nursewho islooking to develop their skills in the largest community healthcare trust in London. The post is based at a school in the inner boroughs of Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea, Westminster

The Special School Nursing Team are seeking a Band 6 nurse who is a highly motivated, enthusiastic and caring individual to work within a team supporting children and young people from 4-19 years who have a range of learning disabilities and complex health needs. The nursing team works closely with education and other agencies to ensure the children achieve their full potential in school.

You will be an experienced nurse, trained in either children’s nursing or learning disability nursing, and have up to date clinical nursing skills to care for children with complex health needs such as epilepsy, enteral feeding, and tracheostomy care. You will have excellent communication skills, be flexible to the needs of the children and the service, and have good organisational skills. You will be able to demonstrate knowledge of safeguarding and be confident in delivering training to school staff and carers.

You will be responsible for implementing assessments, management of medical clinics, provision of clinical care, management of medication, safeguarding and support to education staff, parents and students, ensuring a high quality service for children, their parents, adult patients and the professional colleagues involved.

You will be supported in the school by a Special School Nursing Assistant, and will be part of a wider team of Special School Nurses from special schools across CLCH, supported by Nursing Service Managers. The Special School Nurses are supported by the Children’s Community Nursing Team.

This post is Monday to Friday 7.5 hours a day in term time, with the option of a term time only or full time contract. However on a full time contract during school holidays you will work within the Children’s Community Nursing Team, and annual leave will be expected to be taken during this time.

You will need to be passionate about providing a high quality service; you will enjoy working as a team as well as being autonomous, flexible, and keen to develop this exciting service.

Central London Community Healthcare (CLCH) is one of the largest community healthcare organisations in London and Hertfordshire, providing our services to diverse communities/boroughs in 11 London Boroughs - Barnet, Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Harrow, Hounslow, Kensington and Chelsea, Merton, Richmond, Wandsworth, Westminster - and Hertfordshire.

• To assess the health needs of children and school community, agree individual and school health plans and deliver these through multidisciplinary partnerships
• To organise the day to day Special School Nursing Service to children with complex health needs at the Special Needs Schools
• To provide skilled, effective, evidenced based nursing care for children with complex care needs including technology dependent children
• To participate in direct clinical input to ensure appropriate nursing and screening interventions. To promote the optimum use of available resources and to secure the highest standards of care to both primary and secondary age children
• To provide information and support to facilitate the child’s and family’s own choices with regards to nursing care
• To administer medication as prescribed and ensure safe storage of medicines in accordance to CLCH policy in Special Schools where nurses are based
• To deliver and manage training needs of school and health staff in the delivery of health care to children in the school, through the agreed competency based training packages, including assessment and sign off of competency of staff members
• To manage the provision of continence products to children and young people in the school, working alongside the Care Workers
• To ensure safe handling of body fluids and contaminated sharps in personal practice and within the team
• To target disadvantaged children who may not have had a full child health service before starting school
• To support and advise team members on developing initiatives relating to the public health agenda for schools with special needs children
• To plan and participate in immunisation sessions for the children in the school
• To coordinate children for medicals working in partnership with the child, parents, school staff, Community Paediatricians, and Allied Health Professionals (AHP)
• To empower parents by providing information and support to facilitate them in making healthy life choices regarding their child’s welfare
• Develop and maintain a good working relationship with teachers and other professionals and agencies involved, making referrals where appropriate to ensure adequate support for children and parents
• To contribute to the Children’s Community Nursing Service in providing care in school to children with complex health needs and in showing a willingness to participate in research and new initiatives
• To work in partnership to safeguard children and young people adhering to local and national policies and guidance, participating in child protection case conferences and associated meetings according to LSCB and Trust Policies
• To maintain accurate, systematic and timely record keeping, in line with NMC guidelines, including recording of clinical data on SystmOne

Please refer to the attached Job Description for full list of responsibilities