Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical Responsibility 

• Ensure processes are in place to plan and co-ordinate the completion of statutory Initial and Review Health Assessments for LAC
• Ensure that assessments take place within the statutory time scale and that all identified health needs are included in the health care plan and actions are progressed.
• All completed health assessments are reviewed against a quality assurance practitioner checklist to ensure a high-quality health assessment. Regular audit will be required to provide evidence of this.
• Process highly complex information through critical analysis of subject matter to ensure correct professional judgements are made as to when and how to share information in relation to minimising risk to children.
• Ensure that systems are developed and implemented to ensure a smooth transfer of health care arrangements when children change placements, when they move out of the Trust area, and consideration for transition to adult services.
• Provide health care professionals and statutory partners and foster carers with specialist advice and support to enhance the health

and well-being of children and young people during their time in care.

• Attend multi-disciplinary strategy and LAC review meetings held for LAC children and foster carers to contribute specialist health knowledge and recommendations 

2.    RESPONSIBILITY FOR PATIENTS

• Lead professional for co-ordinating and undertaking specialist health assessments, interpreting health information, and reaching conclusions based on clinical judgement, research evidence and management of risk to promote and improve individual health outcomes for LAC.

3.    RESPONSIBILITY FOR POLICY AND SERVICE DEVELOPMENT

·       Advise and contribute to the development and implementation of practice guidance and policies for all health staff and lead on auditing services to ensure continuing evaluations of practice standards.

• Work with other professionals taking a strategic overview of the service to ensure robust clinical governance of local NHS services for LAC.
• Act as a lead specialist in their field, with freedom to take action, based on interpretation of board clinical and professional policies, and advising the organisation on how these should be interpreted.

4.    RESPONSIBILITY FOR FINANCIAL AND PHYSICAL RESOURCES

·       Responsible for authorising expenditure and accounting for expenditure within the allocated delegated budget for LAC service.

·       Authorise travel expenses in line with Trust policies and procedures.

·       Work with commissioners to ensure quality assurance and skill mixing of staff to provide excellent care and value for money. 

5.    RESPONSIBILITY FOR LEADING AND MANAGING

• Responsible for the effective leadership, management and supervision of the Specialist LAC Health Team ensuring that staff receive regular supervision and appraisal in line with organisational policies.

·       Develop and deliver specialist training programmes for health professionals, foster carers and social workers to promote the improvement of health outcomes for LAC.

·       To evaluate and review practice in line with current government assessment tools and working guidelines.

·       To ensure that all Performance Indicators in accordance with Department of Health and Department for Education targets are prioritised for LAC

6.    RESPONSIBILITY FOR INFORMATION RESOURCES

·       Work with provider health organisations across the health community to ensure that appropriate training is in place to enable health staff to fulfil their roles and responsibilities for LAC.

·       Provide specialist health advice to multi agency care assessment and operational planning of services for LAC and Care Leavers, working closely with Local Authority Social Care Departments.

7.    RESPONSIBILITY FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 

·       To promote the development and maintenance of a clinical learning environment.

·       To lead on ensuring that the recommendations of all internal audits, reviews, external inspections, statutory and other guidance are incorporated into changes in practice, escalating any concerns or gaps to the Designated Nurse and Commissioning Leads for LAC