• To be a highly visible Named Nurse.
• The post holder will be expected to provide knowledge, advice and clinical expertise to all staff in services in all areas of safeguarding children/child protection for University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHPNT).
• To work collaboratively with the Multi-disciplinary Team and partner agencies to ensure children who come into contact with UHPNT services are safeguarded and their welfare is promoted.
• To act as an expert resource on safeguarding issues providing accessible, accurate and relevant information to staff within the Trust.
• To work with management and multi-agency partners to ensure safeguarding services within the Trust are prioritised
• To co-ordinate and plan Safeguarding training for staff, to ensure that staff are adequately trained and supported with Child Protection issues, co-ordinating and contributing to the Trust Safeguarding Training Strategy.
• To provide empowerment and support to clinical staff working in high risk areas such as the Emergency department.

Plan and develop safeguarding services to evidence good practice and develop services to provide service exigence

Main duties of the job

• Provide professional advice and support regarding safeguarding to staff at UHPNT.
• Work closely with multi-agency professionals from the community to safeguard patients, the public, staff and the organisation
• Ensure supervision systems are robust, monitored and evaluated.
• Oversee and support staff regarding attendance at court and preparation of safeguarding reports.
• Attend multi-agency safeguarding groups and meetings.
• Ensure that accurate and informative clinical safeguarding records are maintained and monitored through Audit.
• Ensure robust delivery of the Safeguarding Training Strategy
• Work autonomously using effective decision-making skills on day-to-day operational and strategic issues
• Provide effective operational and strategic leadership for the development and delivery of care for the safeguarding of children across the acute Trust
• Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams and partnership agencies
• Act as the Trust's local clinical expert for all aspects around Safeguarding Children, support staff in implementing The Children's Act (1989/2004), Working Together to Safeguard Children (2019) and other legislation.
• Review protocols, policies and standards of practice, representing the Trust in the multi-agency arena and at strategic level if needed.
• Empower staff to be competent in caring for and managing safeguarding matters.

About us

• Work to the Trust values - Put patients first, Take ownership, Respect others, Be positive, Listen, learn and improve.
• Adhere to Trust policies and procedures, e.g. Health and Safety at Work, Equal Opportunities etc.
• Maintain personal and professional development to meet the changing demands of the job, participate in appropriate training activities and encourage and support staff development and training.
• Attend statutory, essential and mandatory training.
• Respect the confidentiality of all matters relating to their employment and other members of staff. All members of staff are required to comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998.
• Ensure the welfare and safety of children within their care. This includes staff who come into contact with children and families in the course of their work as well as those staff who have a specific role with children and families.
• Ensure they attend Child Protection training at the appropriate level within the specified time frame.
• Staff must comply with Safeguarding Policies and Procedures in order to promote safeguarding and prevent abuse to vulnerable people using Trust services

Please note that applications from temporary workers who have been engaged with the Trust for a minimum of 3 months are welcome.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Provide advice and support to staff across all disciplines in relation to legislation, policy, local inter-agency structures and procedures for safeguarding children

Ensure PREVENT is a priority for the Trust and excellence in practice can be evidenced.

Act as clinical lead, role model and as expert resource in all aspects of Safeguarding Children

Support senior staff in the investigation of complaints (formal and informal) and Safeguarding Childrens serious incidents requiring investigation. Empowering staff at all levels to develop and implement action plans to improve care.

Represents the Trust through attendance and involvement in Safeguarding meetings and forums at a regional/national level.

Work collaboratively with commissioners and local providers of care to ensure best practice for all patient groups.

Work in partnership with Safeguarding leads across health and social care and other colleagues, to maintain compliance with agreed quality and standards framework.

Ensure Safeguarding Childrens systems and procedures within the Trust are regularly monitored, evaluated and developed to ensure that patients are safe.

Ensure that Safeguarding systems of referrals are clearly accessible and patients who suffer abuse are promptly referred for advice and support.

Be responsible for providing expert advice to staff for safeguarding issues and referrals to social care.

Provide feedback and clinical supervision to staff affected by safeguarding issues.

Represent the Trust at the safeguarding meetings as required minimising risk and ensuing timely completion of reports.

Ensure effective audit, allowing close monitoring, analyses of information and effective evidencing of service improvement..

Develop and maintain the Safeguarding databases and ensure that reports for assurance boards are provided in a timely manner.

Insure important information is disseminated throughout the Trust as needed. Provide updates and feedback of issues on safeguarding to directorate governance groups, forums and wards for dissemination and action as needed.

Address services gaps and report appropriately.

Participate in service improvement projects or development programmes that contribute to the modernisation of patient services, providing both professional and clinical advice as necessary.

Plan, develop and deliver training packages relating to safeguarding to staff in line with the training needs analysis and in accordance with legislation, national policies and guidance and also with reference to local policies and procedures, evidencing excellence in practice.

Promote and maintain relationships with partner agencies and community groups to ensure inter-agency working together.

Undertake safeguarding audits and contribute to governance processes

Deputise for Head of Safeguarding as appropriate.

Provide relevant information to agencies in line with information governance legislation to enable the safeguarding children.

To support wards and departments and act as advisor and link to multi-agency partners as needed

To keep up to date with Government and National research findings and developments.

Person Specification

Knowledge

Essential

• Clinically up to date/competent in own area of expertise
• Significant experience within safeguarding children
• Demonstrable experience and evidence of staff management and leadership
• Proven working knowledge of current health and social care policy development
• Good understanding of operational safeguarding children, local and national safeguarding policies, procedures and agendas, clinical and integrated governance / quality assurance.
• Familiar with all aspects of national directives and strategy relating to safeguarding
• Demonstrable experience of Safeguarding Children's services, issues and providing supervision

Desirable

• Ability to think strategically and plan ahead
• Teaching qualification
• Post graduate qualification or relevant experience equivalent to Masters level

Skills

Essential

• NMC registration
• Can demonstrate change management
• Ability to risk assess

Desirable

• IT literate
• Proven evidence of strategic leadership

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Address

UHP

Plymouth

PL6 8DH

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

216-LD-A5816474