Senior Sexual Health Nurse

Job summary
The post holder will work as part of the multisite community based multidisciplinary team to provide comprehensive nursing interventions within the integrated sexual health services and will work closely with other staff across all disciplines to facilitate continuity of care 6 days a week.

Main duties of the job
The post holder is responsible for the assessment of care needs and the development, implementation and evaluation of programmes of care on both a daily and on-going basis. He/She is responsible for providing competent and efficient sexual health and contraceptive care and advice to promote health and wellbeing. He/She would be supported to achieve enhanced clinical skills such as the Letter of Competence in Sub Dermal Implants and Intrauterine Techniques, enabling patients to have greater access to LARC services.The post holder will take an active role in the planning and provision of training of staff within the department working closely with the Charge Nurse in the implementation of national and local strategies in sexual and reproductive health services. The role includes coordinating clinics and the provision of specific nurse led clinics. He/She will provide leadership, management and support to the cross site nursing team in the absence of the person who has continuing reasonability. The post holder will support clinic service developments such as evening, weekend and outreach service provision as required.

About us
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK's largest and most innovative NHS organisations, providing care to over 1.6 million people across north London and Hertfordshire. With a proud history of pioneering healthcare, excellence in research, education, and specialist services, we are committed to delivering world-class treatment and local care for our communities.

As a Band 6 Sexual Health Nurse, you will join a dynamic multidisciplinary team delivering high-quality, patient-centred sexual and reproductive healthcare. This exciting role provides the opportunity to develop advanced clinical skills in STI management, contraception, HIV prevention, health promotion, safeguarding, and holistic patient care, while working with diverse populations and helping to reduce health inequalities.

At the Royal Free London, we value our staff and are committed to supporting career development through specialist training, leadership opportunities, quality improvement projects, and participation in service innovation. You will be encouraged to develop your expertise, contribute to service improvements, and achieve your professional aspirations within a supportive and forward-thinking environment.

Our culture is guided by our Shared Commitments: Care with Compassion, Champion Inclusion, Act with Integrity, and Deliver Excellence .

Job responsibilities
1. CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• 1.1 Observe Departmental and Trust policies, protocols and working guidelines to ensure high standards of clinical nursing care are achieved.
• 1.2 Provide information, counselling and health advice to patients with contraception and sexual health needs.
• 1.3 To maintain high standards of care for the prevention, treatment and management of sexually transmitted infections including HIV.
• 1.4 Independently manage asymptomatic and non-complex symptomatic patients within the clinic and outreach settings.
• 1.5 Independently examine patients and perform specific techniques as necessary, e.g venepuncture, speculum insertion, proctoscope insertion, perform bimanual examination.
• 1.6 Provide nurse led clinics, which necessitate skills and competencies within advanced practice guidelines and patient group directions.
• 1.7 Process specimens and samples to achieve an investigation outcome and/or diagnosis as per BASHH and FSRH standards.
• 1.8 Competent delivery of clinical skills relevant to reproductive health, or working towards, e.g. initiate all methods of hormonal contraception including sub-dermal implants and intrauterine device.
• 1.9 To keep up to date with current issues in sexual health and contraception and develop clinical competence.
• 1.10 Exercise clinical judgement in all aspects of clinical care

2. RESPONSIBILITY FOR PATIENTS

• 2.1 Assist patients in navigating sexual health and contraception services to meet their own care needs.
• 2.2 Work independently or working towards the confines of Patient Group Directions or Non-Medical Prescribing when supplying and administering medication to appropriate patients.
• 2.3 Understand and support adherence to treatments and care programmes.
• 2.4 Form a sound understanding of both hospital based services and community agencies to facilitate continuity of care.
• 2.5 To recognise and act upon abnormal patient results within an agreed framework or with the medical team in order to recall patients as necessary and facilitate early intervention for health-related problems
• 2.6 To work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to promote good communication and collaborative approach to patient care.
• 2.7 Play a proactive role in facilitating a young persons clinic, explicitly considering guidance such as Fraser guidelines in the assessment of the patients capacity to provide valid consent. To also possess the ability to recognise any potential child safeguarding issues and act appropriately Management

3. RESPONSIBILITY FOR POLICY AND SERVICE DEVELOPMENT

• 3.1 To undertake all nursing procedures in accordance with Trust policies and ensure that these procedures and policies are understood and adhered to by all staff, within own management reasonability.
• 3.2 To participate in the writing and introduction/implementation of policies, protocols, Patient Group Directives and patient information leaflets.
• 3.3 To be aware of local and national changes within sexual health.
• 3.4. Keep senior colleagues informed of significant clinical events or development.
• 3.5 Liaise with other departments, both within the trust and outside.

4. RESPONSIBILITY FOR FINANCIAL AND PHYSICAL RESOURCES

• 4.1 Ensure safe custody and administration of drugs according to Trust policy and procedures.
• 4.2 To participate in the monitoring and control of the use of resources within budgetary limits.
• 4.3 To participate in developing the financial awareness of the team so that individual staff contribute to the efficient use of resources.
• 4.4 To be responsible for ordering pharmacy stock teaching.

5. RESPONSIBILITY FOR LEADING AND MANAGING

• 5.1 Supervise and develop junior staff or unqualified staff, in all aspects of care.
• 5.2 Ensure that all staff have the knowledge, skills and resources to carry out care delegated to them.
• 5.3. To work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to promote good communication and collaborative approach to patient care.
• 5.4 To be responsible for the management and appraisal of lower band staff. Financial responsibilities.
• 5.5 Teach pre and post registered students as appropriate.
• 5.6 Participate in on-going education programmes and attend in-service training programmes as required.
• 5.7 Participate in and develop Health Education teaching
• 5.8 Help with induction of new staff Personal Work at all times within the NMC code of conduct

6. RESPONSIBILITY FOR INFORMATION RESOURCES

• 6.1 Maintain detailed accurate, legible and contemporaneous records. All entries to be signed and dated in black ink.
• 6.2 Complete statistical returns when required.
• 6.2 To be aware of North Middlesex NHS policy on safe handling of medicines.

7. RESPONSIBILITY FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

• 7.1 Participate in research as requested.
• 7.2 To participate with Clinical Governance, quality assurance, standing setting, audit and appraisal.

Person Specification
Education & professional Qualifications
Essential

• Registered Adult Nurse (Level 1)
• Educated to 1st degree level
• Recognised post registration qualification in Contraception and Sexual Health at degree or diploma level or willingness to complete
• Experience of providing care and treatment to patients with sexual health and contraceptive needs
• General post registration experience and current integrated sexual health experience required
• Provision of medication under patient group direction
• Counselling and provision of contraception
• Microscopy and Cryotherapy

Desirable

• Master's degree
• Non-Medical Prescriber/Independent Nurse Prescriber
• Experience/training in Sexual Health and Contraception including Subdermal Implant and Intrauterine Device

Skills and aptitudes
Essential

• Ability to develop higher level clinical skills in the assessment, treatment and management of patients attending with sexual health and contraceptive needs
• Highly developed communication skills
• Developed teaching and assessing skills
• Demonstrates the ability to influence others, share ideas and utilise feedback effectively
• Computer and IT skills
• Ability to self-reflect, carry out tasks of own job and identify what s/he needs to learn to able to do current job better
• Ability to be flexible and adaptable towards service needs.
• Willing to work across all network integrated sexual health sites.

Desirable

• Ability to insert and remove subdermal implants
• Ability to insert and remove intrauterine device
• Demonstrates the ability to critique, interpret and utilise research information effectively
• Demonstrates the ability to interpret and utilise numerical and financial information

Personal qualities and attributes
Essential

• Compassionate and patient-centered
• Resilient and emotionally intelligent
• Organized and able to prioritize workload effectively
• Adaptable in a fast-paced clinical environment
• Confident decision-maker

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).