Occupational Health Nurse Specialist

at  Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

Post Title: Occupational Health and Wellbeing Nurse Specialist Pay Band: Agenda for Change Band 7 Contract: Permanent Location / Department: Working Well Centre Newtown Road Worcester Accountable to: Head of OH and Wellbeing Services Reports to: Head of OH and Wellbeing Services Key Working Relationships: All stakeholders Other NHS Occupational Health and Wellbeing Services, Other non NHS Organisations, Clinical Commissioning Groups. Risk Assessment: Working with VDUs, some manual handling/repetitive tasks. Potential exposure to distressed and or verbally aggressive individuals. The role can be emotionally challenging at times.
Job Purpose: To support and contribute to the effective provision of a high quality Occupational Health and Wellbeing Service to the Trust and other public sector and private organisations. The postholder may liaise with other agencies in the planning programmes of care and/or health education programmes. To promote and maintain a systematic, holistic approach to occupational health and wellbeing provision, its implementation and evaluation. To participate in identifying and maintaining a safe working environment and preventing ill health that may be associated with work.
Receive, interpret and manage highly complex health information from employees, managers and/or HR which may lead to restrictions being placed on an employees job role, such as addictions, blood borne viruses or RIDDOR reportable incidents; providing highly specialised advice regarding work health assessments and fitness for work assessments in line with professional standards, legal obligations and local policy. Undertake formal clinical audit programmes and evaluation, supporting the strategic direction of the service and provide assurance regarding the quality of clinical care and advice. To provide clear visible professional advice to employees within the Trust and external clients. Provide management and professional leadership to Occupational Health Nurse Advisors and the wider multidisciplinary team within the Occupational Health department.
To assist the Head of OH and Wellbeing in leading and advancing clinical practice in line with DH guidelines and legislation. To provide all aspects of Occupational Health clinical practice. Assessing patients/clients, planning and implementing care, providing specialist advice and maintaining associated records in accordance with departmental protocols. Key Duties: Coordinate daily clinics and provide professional leadership, advice, support and guidance to the Occupational Health Nurse Advisors.
Act as a professional role model and provide strong, facilitative, and effective clinical leadership. Manage own caseload of management referrals for the purpose of sickness absence management through assessment and planning of Occupational Health care of an individual. Provide specialist expertise and advice on highly complex cases such as those with multiple complex health or neurodiverse conditions for which managers require coaching and guidance to be able to support the employee in the workplace. Develop highly specialised programmes of care to employees to mitigate health issues within the workplace.
Work autonomously as a specialist practitioner and be able to use own initiative and act independently, to take action when required. Will be required to work alone as well as within the team. Maintain and safeguard accurate confidential clinical records including the recording of clinical outcomes and observations, tests results, and the secure storage of patient identifiable information on the OH management system Cority in in accordance with Data Protection Act and Caldicott Principles, information governance and relevant legislation. Undertake complex fitness for work assessments, using evidence-based practice to provide highly specialist appropriate advice and support to managers, employees and HR whilst considering relevant legal requirements e.g.
Equality Act. This will require the analysis of a range of possible options. Assess any employee following an inoculation injury, undertaking a risk assessment for blood borne viruses and appropriate action in accordance with the DH guidelines. Act as an expert adviser on specific programmes of work as required, for example employee infection prevention or health surveillance interventions/programmes Contribute to strategic OH work, including attendance at key meetings representing OH e.g.
Health and Safety, Infection Prevention and Control. Participate in Health and Wellbeing initiatives. Take a senior role in the development and provision of a high profile and pro-active Occupational Health Service that will meet SEQOHS accredited standards. Assist in the development of the departments business plans and strategy.
Undertake defined projects as agreed with the Head of OH and Wellbeing to support the delivery of high quality clinically effective care. Assist the Head of OH and Wellbeing to monitor, review and develop Occupational Health policies and procedures to ensure they meet legislation and DH recommendations and reflect standards of best practice. To support the Head of OH and Wellbeing/Deputy OH Manager and deputise as necessary. Use high level specialist knowledge to develop and deliver training programmes to address specific health and wellbeing issues.
Communication and relationship skills: Provide and receive highly complex, sensitive and sometimes contentious information with clients where there are significant barriers to acceptance which need to be overcome, requiring a high level of interpersonal and communication skills and ensuring advice is in line with legal standards e.g. fitness to drive, safeguarding Communicate effectively within the multidisciplinary team, with departments and organisations to ensure services are well planned and co coordinated. Establish and maintain effective communication channels with all colleagues, managers and other professionals. Respond to verbal / electronic/ written and telephone enquires in a helpful manner, prioritising messages and taking responsibility for ensuring the appropriate member of the clinical team is informed where action is required.
Maintain and respect patient confidentiality at all times. To escalate cases to Head of OH and Wellbeing / Occupational Health Physician when appropriate. Planning and Organisational skills: The postholder will plan delivery of specialist occupational health nursing care and take overall responsibility for the department in the Head of Occupational Health/Deputy OH Managers absence. The postholder will take responsibility for dealing with clinical queries and complex case management.
Undertaking blood borne virus risk assessments, identification of high-risk incidents and ensuring the correct follow up is planned following an incident. The postholder will act in a senior capacity to support more junior members of the clinical team and ensure best practice is maintained within the department in accordance with legislation relevant to occupational health practice. Client Care: Prompt production of reports to support clients and managers. Provide specialist advice in relation to care and develop specialised programmes of care/care packages to staff who require occupational health support.
Provide highly specialised occupational health advice and be accountable for direct delivery of occupational health care within the department. All clinical care will be in line with the NMC Code of Professional Conduct regarding record keeping and obtaining informed consent. Provide appropriate Occupational Health advice which complies with the ethical guidance from the Faculty of Occupational Health medicine. Assess individual risk for employees presenting with perceived stress and taking appropriate action.
Provide support and signposting to employees through potentially difficult or distressing situations. To undertake any other duties which is deemed appropriate to the band when requested by Senior Staff. The above indicates the main duties of the post which may be reviewed in the light of experience and developments within the service. Any review will be undertaken in conjunction with the post-holder

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