Job responsibilities

Specialist assessment and clinical practice

The post holder will:

• Undertake comprehensive, person-centred specialist assessments for people referred to the service with suspected dementia or cognitive impairment.
• Obtain a comprehensive clinical history and relevant collateral information to support the assessment process.
• Undertake and interpret appropriate cognitive assessment tools within their professional competence.
• Assess the person's mental health, physical health, medication, functional ability, risk, social circumstances and other factors that may contribute to their cognitive presentation.
• Apply advanced clinical reasoning to integrate information from different sources and contribute to a clear clinical formulation.
• Identify where further investigations, assessment or specialist opinion may be required to support diagnostic decision-making.
• Exercise a high degree of professional autonomy whilst working within professional competence and the agreed Memory Service pathway.
• Contribute to multidisciplinary discussion and diagnostic formulation.
• Recognise presentations in which cognitive symptoms may be influenced by other mental or physical health conditions and arrange or recommend appropriate onward assessment.
• Assess capacity and consent as appropriate and apply the principles of the Mental Capacity Act throughout the assessment process.
• Identify and respond appropriately to clinical risk and safeguarding concerns arising during assessment.
• Ensure assessment considers the person's communication requirements, culture, background, individual circumstances and preferences.
• Communicate complex and potentially sensitive assessment findings in a clear, compassionate and accessible way.
• Produce high-quality clinical documentation detailing the assessment, formulation and recommendations.
• Communicate relevant findings and recommendations to GPs and other professionals involved in the person's care.

Multidisciplinary and partnership working

• Work closely with colleagues within the Harrow Memory Service and Older Peoples Mental Health Services.
• Contribute specialist nursing expertise to multidisciplinary diagnostic discussions.
• Work collaboratively with GPs, primary care and other health and social care professionals as required during the assessment process.
• Seek appropriate professional or specialist opinion where complexity falls outside the post holder's scope of practice.
• Make recommendations or appropriate onward referrals where needs are identified that sit outside the Memory Service assessment pathway.
• Provide specialist dementia and cognitive assessment advice to colleagues and partner services.
• Promote effective communication between services involved in the person's assessment.

Clinical leadership and education

• Provide visible specialist clinical leadership in dementia and cognitive assessment.
• Act as a source of specialist knowledge and professional advice.
• Support colleagues with complex assessments and clinical decision-making.
• Role model compassionate, inclusive, person-centred and evidence-based practice.
• Contribute to the development of clinical standards, assessment pathways and guidance.
• Support consistent and evidence-based approaches to cognitive assessment.
• Provide teaching and educational support relating to dementia, cognitive impairment and assessment.
• Contribute to supervision, reflective practice and development of colleagues where appropriate.

Quality improvement and professional responsibilities

• Contribute to audit, service evaluation and quality-improvement work relating to the Memory Service and dementia assessment pathway.
• Support implementation of evidence-based practice and relevant NICE guidance.
• Contribute to development and review of clinical pathways, standards and procedures.
• Maintain professional competence through continuing professional development, supervision and reflective practice.
• Maintain current NMC registration and practise in accordance with the NMC Code.
• Comply with relevant Trust policies and professional requirements, including safeguarding, information governance, risk management and health and safety.
• Promote dignity, equality, inclusion and respect in all aspects of practice.
• Practise in accordance with relevant legislation, including the Mental Capacity Act and Mental Health Act.

Person specification: desirable

I would specifically include:

Desirable

• Registered Non-Medical Prescriber (V300) or equivalent prescribing qualification.
• Advanced clinical assessment qualification or evidence of equivalent advanced clinical assessment competence.
• Experience undertaking specialist cognitive assessment within a Memory Service or comparable clinical setting.
• Experience contributing to multidisciplinary diagnostic formulation and decision-making.
• Experience delivering education or training relating to dementia and cognitive impairment.
• Evidence of involvement in audit, quality improvement or service development.

Registration and qualifications

Essential

• Current registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a nurse in a field relevant to the duties of the post.
• Relevant degree or evidence of equivalent professional learning and capability.
• Evidence of continuing professional development relevant to dementia, cognitive impairment, specialist assessment and clinical leadership.

Desirable

• Registered Non-Medical Prescriber, V300 or equivalent prescribing qualification.
• Advanced clinical assessment qualification
• Practice assessor, practice supervisor or recognised teaching qualification.

Relevant experience

Essential

• Relevant post-registration experience demonstrating autonomous assessment of people with suspected dementia, cognitive impairment or comparably complex presentations
• Evidence of undertaking comprehensive assessment, clinical formulation, risk assessment and multidisciplinary decision making
• Experience of working collaboratively with carers, families and a multidisciplinary team.
• Experience of recognising and responding to safeguarding, capacity and consent issues.

Desirable

• Experience undertaking specialist cognitive assessment in a Memory Service or comparable setting.
• Experience contributing to multidisciplinary diagnostic formulation and decision making.
• Experience delivering education or training concerning dementia or cognitive impairment.

Knowledge

Essential

• Advanced knowledge of dementia, cognitive impairment and factors that may affect cognitive presentation.
• Knowledge of person centred, culturally responsive assessment practice.
• Knowledge of relevant NICE guidance and evidence based approaches to dementia assessment.
• Sound knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act, Mental Health Act, safeguarding adults, equality and human rights, consent and information governance.
• Understanding of health inequalities and barriers that may affect access to assessment.

Desirable

• Knowledge of local Harrow pathways and community resources.
• Understanding of audit, service evaluation, research and quality-improvement methods.

Clinical skills and abilities

Essential

• Advanced assessment, clinical reasoning and formulation skills.
• Ability to gather, interpret and integrate complex clinical and collateral information.
• Ability to undertake and interpret appropriate cognitive assessment tools within professional competence.
• Ability to recognise when further investigation, specialist opinion or onward referral is required.
• Ability to identify and respond to risk, safeguarding concerns, capacity and consent issues.
• Ability to communicate complex or sensitive findings clearly and compassionately.
• Ability to work autonomously, prioritise assessment activity and seek support appropriately.
• Ability to produce clear, comprehensive clinical records, reports and recommendations.

Desirable

• Ability to contribute to medicines optimisation within scope of practice.
• Skills in analysing or presenting data for service improvement.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).