Learning Disability and Autism NurseNHS

Job summary

To provide specialist leadership, expertise, and support in relation to learning disabilities and autism across the Trust, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective, and person-centred care.

The post holder will work to reduce health inequalities, improve patient experience and outcomes, support workforce development, and contribute to the design, implementation, and evaluation of systems, policies, and care pathways that meet the needs of people with learning disabilities and/ or autism and their families.

PLEASE NOTE, WE MAY CLOSE THIS VACANCY EARLY IF WE RECEIVE A HIGH NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS.

Main duties of the job

The Learning Disability and Autism Practitioner will provide specialist clinical expertise and leadership to support the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care for children, young people, and adults with learning disabilities and/or autism. Working across the Trust, the post holder will promote the reduction of health inequalities, improve patient experience and outcomes, and ensure that services meet the needs of people with learning disabilities and autism.

The post holder will act as a specialist resource for patients, families, carers, and staff, supporting the development of care pathways, policies, and clinical practices that promote equitable access to healthcare. They will contribute to service improvement initiatives, support the development and delivery of learning disability and autism training, and champion compliance with the Accessible Information Standard.

Working collaboratively with clinical and non-clinical teams, the post holder will help ensure the delivery of safe, effective, evidence-based care while monitoring and evaluating the quality of services provided. The role will contribute to the Trust's strategic objectives by supporting inclusion, reducing health inequalities, and improving outcomes for people with learning disabilities and autism.

Job description

The post holder will:

• Ensure a consistently high standard of safe clinical practice and record keeping in accordance with Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) standards, national legislation, and local policies and procedures.
• Take personal responsibility and accountability for all professional actions and omissions, practising within the NMC Code and scope of professional competence.
• Deliver care within an ethical framework that promotes dignity, respect, wellbeing, and safety for patients, families, carers, and colleagues.
• Act as a change agent by promoting and embedding evidence-based practice to improve clinical effectiveness and patient outcomes.
• Contribute to the development, implementation, and evaluation of evidence-based policies, protocols, standards, and clinical guidelines.
• Support a culture of continuous quality improvement through the use of audit, patient feedback, evaluation, reflective practice, and service improvement initiatives.
• Promote a safe, clean, and supportive environment for patients, visitors, and staff by ensuring compliance with health and safety legislation, infection prevention and control requirements, clinical governance frameworks, and risk management processes.
• Demonstrate effective communication and collaborative working within multidisciplinary and multi-agency teams to support coordinated patient care.
• Identify, assess, and manage risks associated with patient care, ensuring appropriate measures are implemented to minimise harm.
• Report incidents, near misses, and clinical concerns promptly and appropriately, contributing to investigations, root cause analyses, and the implementation of learning outcomes.
• Provide specialist advice and support to colleagues and other professional groups on clinical practice and appropriate therapeutic interventions.
• Apply an understanding of epidemiological, demographic, social, political, and professional developments to inform service delivery and clinical practice.
• Lead by example, promoting innovation, inclusion, and person-centred care while supporting others to develop their knowledge, skills, and confidence.
• Provide clinical supervision, mentorship, support, and debriefing opportunities for colleagues, students, and other staff where appropriate.
• Foster positive and effective working relationships with patients, carers, families, colleagues, and partner organisations.
• Delegate care and responsibilities appropriately, retaining accountability for the decisions and outcomes of delegated activities.
• Participate in peer review, clinical supervision, appraisal processes, and continuing professional development activities.
• Support the day-to-day supervision, training, and development of staff and students.
• Critically appraise and apply evidence from research, audits, service evaluations, and best practice guidance to improve the quality, safety, and effectiveness of care.
• Undertake holistic assessments using a range of evidence-based approaches to identify patients physical, psychological, social, communication, and emotional needs.
• Incorporate health promotion, prevention, and early intervention strategies into care planning, identifying risk factors and supporting improved health outcomes.
• Utilise theMaking Every Contact Count (MECC)approach to support individuals, families, and carers in making positive changes to their physical and mental health and wellbeing.
• Plan, coordinate, and evaluate episodes of care, referring to and working collaboratively with other professionals as appropriate to optimise patient outcomes and the effective use of resources.
• Work within the boundaries of professional practice and exercise sound clinical judgement in the management of care, using learning from experience to improve service delivery and patient outcomes.
• Safely and appropriately utilise Patient Group Directions (PGDs) in accordance with local policies and professional standards, where applicable.
• Ensure patients experience a coordinated and seamless journey through services, supporting safe transitions of care, effective discharge planning, and timely communication with multidisciplinary and multi-agency teams.
• Promote and embed a culture of person-centred care within multidisciplinary teams, ensuring that patients, families, and carers are actively involved in decisions about their care.
• Foster a caring, compassionate, and inclusive environment in which equality, diversity, and human rights are respected and valued.
• Ensure that all individuals are treated with dignity, respect, compassion, and sensitivity, recognising and responding to their individual needs and preferences.
• Support patients, families, and carers to understand health conditions, treatment options, and care plans by providing information in an accessible format and adapting communication to individual learning needs, motivation, and developmental stage.
• Seek and utilise patient, family, and carer feedback to inform service development and quality improvement initiatives.
• Support the effective management of concerns and complaints in accordance with organisational policies, ensuring that learning is identified, shared, and implemented.
• Be proactively involved in activities that monitor, evaluate, and improve the quality, safety, and effectiveness of healthcare services and professional practice.
• Communicate effectively with patients, carers, colleagues, and partner organisations across a wide range of situations, adapting communication styles to meet individual needs, including those of people with learning disabilities and/or autism.
• Promote the use of reasonable adjustments and accessible communication to improve patient experience, engagement, and outcomes for people with learning disabilities and autism.
• Contribute to the development of a culture that promotes continuous learning, professional development, innovation, evidence-based practice, and succession planning.Please see JD and PS for full list of main responsibilities

About us

Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust is an integrated Trust and the only provider of NHS acute care in Walsall, serving a population of 284,300. It provides inpatient and outpatient services at the Manor Hospital as well as a wide range of services in the community. Walsall Manor houses the full range of district general hospital services under one roof. The £170 million development was completed in 2010, and ongoing upgrades ensure the Trust now has state-of-the-art facilities, including a Critical Care Unit, Neonatal Unit, Obstetric Theatre, and Integrated Assessment Unit. A new Urgent and Emergency Care Centre, opened in March 2023, has significantly improved emergency care facilities and capacity, providing almost 5,000 square metres of additional clinical space.