The role of Diabetes Specialist Practitioner has been developed to broaden the scope of recruitment and offer developmental opportunities for other healthcare professionals seeking to specialise in diabetes care and support the service to become fully multi-disciplinary within its diabetes workforce. We welcome applications from registered nurses, dieticians, pharmacists and podiatrists.

Applicants are required to have experience in working with people with Type 1 and/or Type 2 diabetes with demonstrable experience within the specialism of diabetes care. The person should have experience of providing autonomous diabetes inpatient and/or outpatient clinics and discussing areas of clinical need with the broader diabetes multidisciplinary team. Inpatient experience would be advantageous and a working knowledge of emerging diabetes technology.

Main duties of the job

• Provide specialist diabetes practitioner advice to support and facilitate high quality, individualised care to patients/clients and relatives/carers without supervision in collaboration with the multi-disciplinary team in line with local and national targets and in accordance to NHS standards and guidelines.

• Act as an autonomous expert practitioner in forming decisions and complex management of Type 1 & Type 2 diabetes across inpatient and outpatient settings.

• Assess, plan, implement and evaluate programmes of care for adults with diabetes, through the development of individual care plans in partnership with the patient, their family and relevant others including structured education.

• Work in collaboration with all members of the Multi-professional team to promote excellent standards of care to people with Diabetes in line with evidence based practice.

About us

With our staff and partners, we have developed a clear and ambitious vision as well as a set of core values that shape everything we do. Together they guide our organisational strategy and our behaviours framework:

• Kind: we are considerate and thoughtful so everyone feels valued, respected and included

• Collaborative: We actively seek others views and ideas so we can achieve more together

• Expert: We draw on diverse skills, knowledge and experience so we provide the best possible care

• Aspirational: We are receptive and responsive to new thinking, so we never stop learning, discovering and improving

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key areas of responsibility

• To act as a point of contact and clinical expert for patients, relatives and clinician colleagues with the support of Consultant diabetologists.
• To provide support and develop the Inpatient Diabetes service (Tri-Site) & specified specialist Outpatient Diabetes clinics in line with job plan and service requirements.

• To perform an effective key role within the MDT to deliver expert Diabetes care.

• Promote excellence in clinical practice, and the setting of quality standards within the specialty.

• Responsibility for the day to day provision of diabetes care and service provision at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, outlined within a portfolio of work.
• Deliver specialist care to patients in the use of insulin pump, CGM, and hybrid closed loop technology (following required training, aligned portfolio responsibilities and service demands).
• To be able to develop clear and safe diabetes plans for people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes and arrange appropriate follow up care.
• To be a registered / or willing to undertake training to become a t1 educator for the delivery of face to face & /or online DAFNE (Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating), or a similar programme.

Clinical/Patient Care

• To work with the multi-disciplinary team to provide specialist care, education and support for those patients and their carers using intensive insulin therapy and/or diabetes technologies- insulin pumps continuous glucose monitoring and Hybrid closed loops.
• To act as a point of contact and clinical expert for patients, relatives and clinician colleagues for these technologies with the full support of the Consultant Diabetologists/Endocrinologists and the nursing team.
• To provide expert advice and support to patients regarding lifestyle adaptations required as part of a diabetes care plan, across multiple specialties.
• To work with the multidisciplinary team to implement National Service Framework for Diabetes, NICE guidance, local guidelines and GIRFT recommendations.
• Provide initiation, education, advice and support to patients requiring insulin and injectable therapies.
• Provide advice and support to patients, families, carers, on the importance of any prescribed oral hypoglycaemic agents
• Assess the needs of patients, diagnosed with diabetes initiating and accepting referrals as appropriate.

• Work autonomously across specified specialist clinics and/or alongside members of the broader MDT,
• Liaise with the Point of Care Team (POCT), patient safety team, Directorate leadership team and pharmacy in response to patient care and educational sessions.
• Experienced in starting patients on Flash Glucose Monitoring and in the interpretation of data (if contained within your individualised job plan or service development).

Communication

• To liaise with staff from other disciplines regarding patient care and ensure effective communication is implemented and maintained.
• To communicate assessment results and highly complex, condition specific, nutrition information to patients, their carers and families and professional colleagues in a clear and understandable manner.
• To negotiate an individual treatment plan with patients and carers, overcoming emotional, cultural, social and psychological barriers to change and using persuasion and motivational techniques in the agreement of treatment goals in a chronic population where non-compliance is a factor and long-term adherence is essential.
• To represent the department at directorate level as required by the service managers.
• To take responsibility for the development of clear, evidence based written educational resources for patients, carers, relatives and staff, which meet the needs of a diverse multicultural population for, use internally and externally.
• To take responsibility for disseminating information regarding clinical audit proposals, results and action plans within diabetes nutrition and dietetics to the Clinical Governance Committee
• Provide feedback to inpatient ward teams regarding plans of care.
• Ensure that clinical documentation is maintained to the Professional body and Trust standards (including electronic records) and implement audits of records to measure and evaluate care planning.

• Utilisation of EPR to effectively document patient care, outcomes, plans, dictation of outcome letters and effective communication to GPs and community teams.

• Contribute to the delivery of staff education across the Trust.

Professional

• Promote excellence in clinical practice, and the setting of quality standards within the specialty.

• To spend time in clinical practice to maintain and update own clinical expertise and to contribute as role model to ensure the delivery of care at the highest possible level to meet patient care requirements.

• Maintain a personal, professional profile, identifying role and skill developments in line with the Scope of Professional Practice.

• Participate in the programme for clinical supervision as required.

• Maintain professional registration.

• Plan leave in accordance with Trust policy.

Managerial/Organisational/Leadership

• Line management and development of junior diabetes nurse/practitioners when applicable.

• Undertake job plan reviews when appropriate for junior diabetes team members.

• Monitor sickness and absence of team members drawing on HR processes to support the management of staff performance for specified team members.

• Maintain, update and develop personal and professional knowledge and skills, using the Trusts Performance Review System, enabling standards of patient care to be monitored constantly and improved.
• Develop tools to improve the quality of the service and lead on local audits.

• Participate fully as a team member, sharing knowledge and information and supporting colleagues, including support staff to promote a cohesive team and the achievement of team objectives
• Actively manage own annual leave in line with Trust and local Policy and Procedure.

• To support and develop in-house education for diabetes care and insulin safety driven by audit results, clinical incidents and organisational feedback.

• Owns and delivers on a portfolio of departmental responsibilities.

• Identify clinical risks and ensure that appropriate action is taken, in accordance with the Trust Risk Management policy.
• Investigate complaints, accident reports and untoward incidents within own clinical speciality and in conjunction with the Line Manager and implement recommendations for action.
• Have knowledge of and adhere to Trust policy and guidelines for the storage of medication.
• Ensures departmental process adhere to CQC standards and regularly participates in the updating and review of local service guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures.
• Contribute to the safe delivery of care through the investigation of clinical incidents and a working knowledge of patient safety, quality assurance, complaints and patient feedback.

General responsibilities

• Contribute in Audit processes & where appropriate specialist research with published outcomes.

• Active involvement in the development of the service locally and nationally.

• To work across Inpatient Diabetes care (Tri-Site) & specified Outpatient Diabetes clinics.
• Collate annual report relating to own and team activity.
• Undertake training for electronic information systems in place & under development.
• Adhere to Trust / local guidelines for ordering relevant tests and access results reported on Web OCS and follow them.
• To have an active email account and use this as one of the methods of disseminating information to ward team.
• Role model use of Trust intranet and internet to staff.
• Actively seek evidence based practice which will support clinical outcomes as appropriate.
• In conjunction with the MDT and Head of Specialty develop a mechanism for setting goals and benchmarking standards of care.
• Plan, lead and delegate local audit and research as required, ensure findings are disseminated appropriately and recommendations implemented.
• Monitor the quality of multi-professional care and action audit information to achieve agreed standards.
• Participate in Trust wide research awareness sessions for nurses and midwives and recommend innovations for clinical practice.
• Work seamlessly with all professional groups within the diabetes service to promote collaborative working and in line with Trust Values.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Current NMC Registration (Nurse).
• or
• Current HCPC Registration (Dietician).
• or
• GPhC registration as a pharmacist non-medical prescriber or working towards.
• or
• HCPC Registered Podiatrist.
• Recognised Degree and/or postgraduate diploma
• Evidence of specialty related CPD (diabetes).

Desirable

• DAFNE/BDEC training or similar
• Degree/MSc level module in Diabetes
• Management and leadership qualification
• Non-medical/independent prescribing course.
• Basic counselling skills

Experience

Essential

• Initiation and adjustment of medications including insulin therapy.
• Developed and demonstrable leadership skills.
• Lead and participate in care delivery and support safe discharge or referral to other teams/GP care.
• DAFNE (dose adjustment for normal eating) or Equivalent Certified.
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary clinical diabetes setting.
• Experience of organising and implementing training programmes for staff, patients and students.
• Relevant clinical experience in the area of Diabetes, including experience of insulin dose adjustment.
• Able to supervise and support junior members of the team.
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously as a specialist within department guidelines.
• Able to analyse data.
• Demonstrates knowledge of national and local guidelines relating to specialism that need to be adhered to.
• Demonstrates an awareness of diversity.

Desirable

• Experience of conducting audit and/or research.
• Advanced clinical reasoning
• Motivational speaking.
• Demonstrable use of audit/research to improve practice.
• Knowledge of writing protocols and standards.
• Clinical experience of caring for patients using insulin pumps.

Employer details

Employer name

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

Address

The Bays

S Wharf Road

London

W2 1NY

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

C9290-24-1672