Epilepsy Nurse Specialist in Learning DisabilitiesNHS

Job summary

A post has been created within the Bexley Community Learning Disability Team for a B6 Epilepsy Specialist Nurse to work alongside the Senior Epilepsy Nurse Specialist, to improve the quality of life and care provided to individuals with a learning disability living with epilepsy.

You will support the further development of the service, which aims to close the gap between the specialist epilepsy services provided in secondary care and those in the community.

You will join a multidisciplinary team consisting of other specialist health professionals including Psychiatry; Psychology; Occupational Therapy; Speech and Language Therapy; Physiotherapy and Behavioural Support.

The post holder will provide more intensive epilepsy support to patients when compared with a conventional ESN's work and have close involvement in assessing risk. You will also receive support and guidance from the Bromley LDES team who will be based in the same office suite.Whilst at base you will be sat directly amongst your colleagues and be able to access peer and multidisciplinary support easily.

We welcome applications from candidates who may not have worked specifically within an epilepsy service, although knowledge and experience of this physical health need is advantageous. Training specific to epilepsy and orientation to learning disabilities nursing (if you are not a learning disabilities nurse) is an integral part of the role to develop your career as an Epilepsy Specialist Nurse.

Main duties of the job

• Direct involvement in the clinical management of epilepsy in partnership with the Consultant Psychiatrist in Learning Disabilities with a Special Interest in Epilepsy
• Providing specialist assessment and intervention in the management of epilepsy and risk in close partnership with service users, their families, carers and other community health and social care providers.
• Providing advice, support and training to the wider learning disability nursing team in Bexley, as well as other community based health and social care services.
• Establishing links with the local Neurology Departments to encourage partnership working, and other Epilepsy Specialist Nurse networks across South-East region.

Job description

• Under the guidance and supervision of the consultant and epilepsy specialist nurse, manage a highly complex clinical caseload ensuring high standards of care that is flexible to the needs of the service user.
• Responsibility to manage epilepsy confidently and safely under the support and supervision of the consultant and senior epilepsy nurse.
• When appropriate, provide direct nursing support and / or facilitate access to generic health services in accordance with individual needs.
• In collaboration with the Senior Epilepsy Nurse Specialist, contribute to the development and implementation of Policies, Procedures and Clinical Guidelines in the community setting particularly in areas associated with epilepsy.
• To be responsible for delivering specialist epilepsy assessment, (including screening, risk assessment and management planning).
• Participate and when appropriate, run nurse led clinics for people with learning disabilities and epilepsy.
• Participate in consultant led clinics for people with learning disabilities and epilepsy.
• Develop formal links and working relationships with local Adult Neurology, Paediatric and Acute Service in Bexley.
• Support to develop and maintain links and working relationships with local and national voluntary epilepsy groups / organisations, to ensure access to relevant information and support for service users and their carers.
• Work jointly with other professionals within the Learning Disability Partnership and ensure prompt and appropriate delivery of services.
• To support the epilepsy specialist nurse in the delivery of epilepsy awareness training and emergency medication administration training to service providers, carers and staff.
• Be computer literate and to be able to use the trusts record keeping system and use documents such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Teams etc.

About us

Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children's centres, schools and people's homes.We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.

Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:

• We're Kind
• We're Fair
• We Listen
• We Care