Job summary
A post has been created within the Bexley Community Learning Disability Team for a B6 Epilepsy Specialist Nurse to work alongside the Senior Epilepsy Nurse Specialist, to improve the quality of life and care provided to individuals with a learning disability living with epilepsy.

You will support the further development of the service, which aims to close the gap between the specialist epilepsy services provided in secondary care and those in the community.

You will join a multidisciplinary team consisting of other specialist health professionals including Psychiatry; Psychology; Occupational Therapy; Speech and Language Therapy; Physiotherapy and Behavioural Support.

The post holder will provide comprehensive support to services users through the assessment of risk, development of reports, teaching of their families and care givers as well as dealing with clinical matters as they arise. Working autonomously is a key aspect of the role. You will receive specialised support and guidance from the Bromleyepilepsy team to support with your ongoing learning and development needs.

We welcome applications from candidates who may not have worked specifically within an epilepsy service, although knowledge and experience of this physical health need is advantageous. Training specific to epilepsy and orientation to learning disabilities nursing (if you are not a learning disabilities nurse) is an integral part of the role todevelop your career as an Epilepsy Specialist Nurse.

Main duties of the job

• Direct involvement in the clinical management of epilepsy in partnership with the Consultant Psychiatrist in Learning Disabilities with a Special Interest in Epilepsy
• Providing specialist assessment and intervention in the management of epilepsy and risk in close partnership with service users, their families, carers and other community health and social care providers.
• Providing advice, support and training to the wider learning disability nursing team in Bexley, as well as other community based health and social care services.
• Establishing links with the local Neurology Departments to encourage partnership working, and other Epilepsy Specialist Nurse networks across South-East region.

About us
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

Job responsibilities

• Under the guidance and supervision of the consultant and epilepsy specialist nurse, manage a highly complex clinical caseload ensuring high standards of care that is flexible to the needs of the service user.
• Responsibility to manage epilepsy confidently and safely under the support and supervision of the consultant and senior epilepsy nurse.
• When appropriate, provide direct nursing support and / or facilitate access to generic health services in accordance with individual needs.
• In collaboration with the Senior Epilepsy Nurse Specialist, contribute to the development and implementation of Policies, Procedures and Clinical Guidelines in the community setting particularly in areas associated with epilepsy.
• To be responsible for delivering specialist epilepsy assessment, (including screening, risk assessment and management planning).
• Participate and when appropriate, run nurse led clinics for people with learning disabilities and epilepsy.
• Participate in consultant led clinics for people with learning disabilities and epilepsy.
• Develop formal links and working relationships with local Adult Neurology, Paediatric and Acute Service in Bexley.
• Support to develop and maintain links and working relationships with local and national voluntary epilepsy groups / organisations, to ensure access to relevant information and support for service users and their carers.
• Work jointly with other professionals within the Learning Disability Partnership and ensure prompt and appropriate delivery of services.
• To support the epilepsy specialist nurse in the delivery of epilepsy awareness training and emergency medication administration training to service providers, carers and staff.
• Be computer literate and to be able to use the trusts record keeping system and use documents such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Teams etc.

Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential

• Registered Learning Disability, Mental Health, Adult General Nurse or Paediatric Nurse
• Additional CPD relevant to the role being applied for

Experience
Essential

• Sufficient post-registration experience of working with individuals with epilepsy
• Experience of supporting adults with learning disabilities
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team

Skills, Abilities and Knowledge
Essential

• Clinical assessment skills
• Communication and relationship skills
• Works autonomously
• Teaching others

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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).