Health Visitor

The Health Visitor/School Health Advisor (HV/SHA) is responsible for the delivery of Universal Health Services to designated areas, Children's Centres and Schools. Reporting to the Team Leader they will be support the development of the service and work with colleagues to ensure the delivery of a safe and effective Universal Health Provision.

1. To manage a caseload of families/designated schools as the named health professional, with responsibility for the planning and delivery of the Child Health Promotion Programme to the caseload.
2. To be responsible for identifying need within a family, school or community. To use child, young person and family centred public health approaches address health inequalities. Including the promotion of good health and the prevention of ill health in the community and school, and the implementation and evaluation of individualised programmes of care.
   
3. To support the implementation of service development, standard setting, clinical audit and benchmarking, to deliver needs-led evidence based care that supports the local and national priorities and policies.
4. To be the principal point of contact for allocated GP Practices in an area. To develop and deliver co­ operative working arrangements with GP services that support healthy outcomes for children, young people and their families, and facilitate partnership working across Primary Care and other partner organisations.
   
5. To be the principal point of contact for allocated Children's Centres and schools in an area. To develop and deliver co-operative working arrangements with Children's Centres and schools that support healthy outcomes for children, young people and their families, and facilitate partnership working across Children's Centres, schools and other partner organisations.
6. To work with local statutory, private and voluntary providers, and users to develop and promote practice that is accessible and responsive to all section of the local community, ensuring that services are targeted to the most vulnerable groups and individuals to support social inclusion.

Main Duties and Responsibilities: 

Leadership

1. To support the development of well functioning integrated teams by modelling effective team working and communication skills, and by supporting change within the service.
2. To ensure that individuals within the teams are aware of and work within the Trust policies and procedures. To ensure the maintenance of up to date, accurate records that comply with local and national standards.
   
3. To develop and maintain effective and appropriate communication systems with staff and colleagues within the PCT, Children's Centres and GP Practices.
4. To take every reasonable step to see that the working environment is safe, healthy and hazard free for staff and users, including ensuring that infection control procedures are in place. 
5. To facilitate the use of information technology and ensure that relevant and up to date information on clinical and service developments are provided to agreed time-scales. 
6. To promote a continuous learning environment for colleagues and students within the Trust. Ensure that all staff have access to information that enables them to practice safely and effectively
7. To participate in audit, research projects and/or innovations following agreed policy and protocol.
   
8. To participate in the education and training of pre-registration nurses, and the induction of newly appointed team members.

Clinical

1. To carry out and support community/schools needs assessments in conjunction with Children's Centres, Extended and Healthy Schools. 
2. To be responsible for the delivery of Child Health Promotion, Health Protection and Screening Programmes for a designated area or school.
3. To undertake evidence based child and family health assessments, and develop child/family health plans in partnership with children, young people and carers. To refer and treat and review as appropriate.
4. To undertake the Common Assessment Framework, and act as Lead Professional for a family as appropriate.
5. To provide and promote access to information and other services, to refer as appropriate. To liaise and work in partnership with statutory and non-statutory agencies, and other health services colleagues. 
6. To contribute to the curriculum planning and implementation of Healthy Schools including Sex & Relationships Education in line with local Teenage Pregnancy Strategy, as appropriate. 
7. To participate in community development programmes in partnership with the local authority and voluntary agencies as appropriate.
   
8. To identify children in need and children in need of protection, and work with other agencies to support vulnerable families. To adhere to current Local Safeguarding Board and London Child Protection Procedures. To participate in regular discussion with Locality Managers and Child Protection Advisors about children giving cause for concern.
9. To identify, refer and support children with special educational needs or disabilities. To liaise with other agencies in health and social care to facilitate programmes of care.
10. To maintain and develop clinical skills in response to the changing needs within primary, including programmes of immunisation and child health promotion. To work within Patient Group Directions to plan and implement immunisation programmes as part of the public health role and to meet agreed targets.
11. To take responsibility for nurse prescribing in line with the Nurse Prescribing Formulary and the Islington PCT Protocols for Nurse Prescribing, as appropriate.
12. To take responsibility for the delivery of extended health services and specialist community clinics as appropriate.