About this role
Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a clinical specialist in Multiple Sclerosis to join our team and work with people in HWLH area for a 12 month fixed term period.
You will enhance and maintain the service provided for people with Multiple Sclerosis, continue to develop the service, and act as an ambassador and clinical specialist in Multiple Sclerosis, maintaining and developing professional standards and practices across the organisation.
Promote the service both locally by contact with GPs and nationally by involvement in groups providing input to nationally agreed standards.
You will empower those affected by Multiple Sclerosis, and support family members and carers from time of diagnosis and throughout the disease spectrum, assessing individual needs and implementing programmes of care.
By adopting a holistic, collaborative approach, the post holder can help those people where possible reach their goal of self-management.
You will co-ordinate service provision for those living with Multiple Sclerosis, determine the level of care needed and direct resources accordingly.
You will promote and initiate research-based practice, monitor the quality of service provided and initiate new specialist support developments within the community. They will act as an autonomous practitioner and an excellent role model in a primary care setting.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will provide advanced clinical care management for clients with MS living in the community. They will also provide support to patients in clinics for follow up, for those undergoing treatment with DMTs and newly diagnosed clients. Whilst based within the HWLH area, there is close liaison with local neurologists and other agencies providing input for this client group.
About us
We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex, with 6,000 staff serving 1.3 million people. We deliver essential care to adults and children, helping them manage their health, avoid hospital admissions, and reduce hospital stays.
Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community. We offer opportunities across medical, clinical, support, and corporate services.
Why work for us?o Positive 2024 NHS Staff Survey results, highlighting compassionate leadership and wellbeingo Varied environments: community hospitals, patients' homes, and bases across Sussexo Flexible working options: part-time, flexi-time, annualised hours, and flexi-retiremento Excellent training, development, and research opportunitieso Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove, and Brightono Active EMBRACE, Disability & Wellbeing, LGBTQIA+, and Religion & Belief networkso Level 3 Disability Confident Leader and Veteran Aware Trusto Beautiful Sussex location near the South Downs and coast
Our values--Compassionate Care, Working Together, Achieving Ambitions, Delivering Excellence--guide everything we do.
We embrace diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from ethnically diverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We aim to create an inclusive environment and support reasonable adjustments during recruitment.
This post may close early if sufficient applications are received.
Job description Job responsibilities
Lead, co-ordinate and provide case management in own area of specialist practice, working autonomously with a caseload of patients with Multiple Sclerosis.
Possess advanced skills for assessing and interpreting the needs of patients with a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis and demonstrate the appropriate action.
Work with the lead clinician in neurology to provide and coordinate a specialist service by defining objectives and planning activities to maintain high standards of Multiple Sclerosis care and management throughout the Trust.
Maintain a knowledge base that reflects contemporary issues in Multiple Sclerosis management to enable selection and application of the most appropriate treatment regime.
Act as an expert to other healthcare professionals on the management of Multiple Sclerosis providing specialist clinical advice, guidance and support.
Establish and maintain liaison amongst all disciplines in patient care within the Trust to ensure the provision of a quality and coordinated service. Participate in interdisciplinary discussion, relaying relevant information and ensuring appropriate referral, management and treatment of patients with Multiple Sclerosis.
Participate in the solving of actual and potential needs and problems of the patients as they relate to Multiple Sclerosis.
Liaise with other professionals in order to achieve the appropriate help and support for people with Multiple Sclerosis who may have multiple needs.
Work closely with pharmacists in relation to drug-related issues, liaising with pharmaceutical companies regarding the efficacy and safety profile of best drugs available to the patient with Multiple Sclerosis.
Initiate and monitor treatment for relapses, and other conditions associated with MS (such as urinary tract infections), either as an independent prescriber or in conjunction with GP/ Neurologist.
Provide on-going support and monitoring of prescribed DMTs in conjunction with prescribing neurologist.
Consider the emotional and psychological needs of the person with Multiple Sclerosis particularly in situations when the problem cannot always be deal with immediately, or may require the input of a more specialised practitioner.
Participate in approved/expanded practitioner role procedures as required by the Trust.
Arrange and facilitate meetings including multi-professional case reviews and conferences.
Represent the local health economy and Multiple Sclerosis practitioners at professional meetings as requested and feedback information accordingly.
Discuss highly specialised advice in regards to Multiple Sclerosis, symptom control, disease modifying drugs and general drug regimes.
Liaise with Specialist Funding Authorities regarding the implementation of new funding and continuing funding of existing patients on Disease Modifying Drugs.
Participate in the development of audit tools and the collection, analysis, publication and dissemination of audit data/results in conjunction with the audit department to evaluate Multiple Sclerosis management services using the appropriate IT equipment.
Work collaboratively with the Research and Development team to support research initiatives, including the recruitment of patients to clinical trials where appropriate.
Personal duty of care in relation to equipment.
Person Specification
Qualification Essential
NMC or HCPC registration Post registration specialist wualification
Desirable
Indepedent Prescriber or willingness to undertake
Experience Essential
Significant experience post registration Significant experince in the community Experience of working within a team environment, and holding a caseload Experience of working with people with neurological conditions Experience of teaching
Skills and knowledge Essential
Excellent verbal and written communication skills Good numeracy and literacy skills IT skills Current knowledge of local and national policies informing health and social care Demonstrates leadership in practice Demonstrates an ability to apply research to practice Knowledge of clinical governance, audit and supervision.
Other requirements Essential
Need own transport to move between sites and patients homes.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check 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.
Certificate of Sponsorship 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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust
Address Uckfield Community Hospital
Uckfield
TN22 5AW
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.sussexcommunity.nhs.uk/work-with-us/ (Opens in a new tab)