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Practice Educator (Nursing Apprenticeships)

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust • Full-time • Remote (Anywhere) • 1w ago

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Practice Educator (Nursing Apprenticeships)

NHS AfC: Band 6

Main area
Mental Health

Grade
NHS AfC: Band 6

Contract
18 months (Fixed term for 18 months)

Hours

Full time
Job share
Flexible working
Compressed hours

37.5 hours per week

Job ref
354-CO-21598-B

Site
Portland House

Town
Worthing

Salary
£37,338 - £44,962 per annum

Salary period
Yearly

Closing
24/04/2025 23:59

Come and join us

We're looking for people who share our values (compassion, accountability and optimism) to help us provide high quality care to the patients, carers, families and local communities we serve. We specialise in providing NHS mental health and learning disability services.

So what can we offer you in return?

We're an organisation which puts people first. We'll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. We'll help you learn, acquire new skills and gain further experience to support your career development. And we'll provide the opportunity for you to bring your fresh ideas to work about how we can do things differently and continue improving.

You will also be joining a health and care system committed to working together to do the best we can for the communities we serve. Above all, at Sussex Partnership you'll have the chance to make a difference to the lives of the patients, carers and families across our communities.

As a Trust we are committed in making a difference. Your development is important to us, so don't forget to ask us during interview what opportunities we can offer. We can offer fully funded lifelong learning opportunities such as an apprenticeship from GCSE to Masters level.

If you like the sound of that, then come and join our team.

Job overview

The person in this role will work directly with the Practice Education Facilitators, counterparts in Workforce and The Education and Development Team to positively support, influence and improve the recruitment, retention, development and career aspirations of potential nursing apprentices and apprentices across the trust.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will need to work with minimal supervision contributing to supporting team managers, Workforce and recruitment, Divisional Directors of Nursing and Quality, Lead Nurses and NRED to enhance the experience of the potential apprentices and apprentices. Support will include guiding and supporting access to apprenticeship training, linking with university partners and providing practice assessor and practice supervisor with Supporting Learners in Practice (SLiP) training.

To help support apprentices in their roles. the post holder will be expected to work 50% of their time in practice areas supporting apprentices' development and training and provide pastoral support to improve induction and retention.

Work alongside all members of NRED, assisting in the development and implementation of quality education and training programmes that reflect contemporary nursing practice, standards and guidance that promotes high quality patient care, whilst supporting the Trust's clinical governance agenda.

Work with external education providers to support recruitment of potential apprentices and promote the trust as an employer of choice.

Please see the job description for full information.

Working for our organisation

Sussex Partnership provides mental health and learning disability care for all age groups across Sussex.

Our values:

People First - People are at the heart of everything we do
Future Focused - We are optimistic, we learn and we always try to improve
Embracing Change - We are bold, innovative and disciplined about making use of our resources to continuously improve
Working Together - We provide services in partnership, with patients, families and others.
Everyone Counts - We value, appreciate and respect each other

We encourage flexible working. We know that a positive work/life balance brings about huge health-related benefits, which has a positive impact on the care we provide. Please speak to us about flexible working, for example, home-working, part time hours, flexible start/finish times or anything else. If it works for you and works for the role, we'll do our best to make it happen.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Scope & Authority

Communications and Relationship skills

Provide effective written and verbal feedback on performance using tact and diplomacy, handling sensitive and confidential information as per Data Protection and Trust guidelines.
To appropriately challenge poor practice sensitively, escalating and documenting as required.
Working with administrative staff in NRED to support the needs of apprentices.
To re-assess previously identified areas of poor practice and feedback on changes in performance.
To competently demonstrate effective communication skills with underpinning knowledge whilst establishing rapport with apprentices and their managers.
To create a positive learning environment wherever teaching occurs and promote a culture of reflective practice to underpin learning for support workers.
Provide written and verbal reports to the Director of NRED, Practice Education Facilitators and Lead Nurse for Education and Training on work in progress or as requested.
Assist in facilitation of Practice Assessor and Supervisor training/updates as requested.
Contribute to the delivery of student induction days and workshops as preparation for practice, and employment.
Contribute and support relevant conferences and NRED events.
Work closely with the Workforce recruitment department to ensure clear connections with education providers to support recruitment of apprentices.
Engage with apprentices to guide and enhance their interviewing skills and curriculum vitae writing skills.
Promote and contribute to the Preceptorship Programme in the trust.

Analytical and Judgemental skills

Contribute to a positive culture, demonstrating effective professional attitudes and behaviours internally and external to the Trust, to enable continuous quality and service improvement, and maintain good working relationships.
To use judgement skills to analyse complex situations and formulate solutions from several options to provide advice and guidance for support workers, nursing apprentices, practice assessors and supervisors and other colleagues.
To support the multidisciplinary team in the development of clinical areas for nursing apprentices and act as a clinical and educational resource to all members of the multidisciplinary team.
To positively promote the use of clinical supervision and reflective practice amongst the teams.
To develop facilitation skills for the post holder to be able to facilitate action learning sets.

Planning and Organisational skills

Support the planning of Trust focused apprenticeship events, including programme completion.
Advise and support apprentices who are failing. Escalating serious concerns to the Practice Education Facilitator, adhering to NRED processes.
Actively monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the clinical area as a learning environment for the apprentice engaged in education and training.
Deputise for the Practice Education Facilitator at Trust and Higher Education Institution (HEI) meetings as a department representative by developing and maintaining strong communication links to enhance partnership working.
To contribute with other members of NRED, participating in university teaching.
Support the planning and organising of practice placements and spoke opportunities ensuring that their educational outcomes are met whilst ensuring equity of capacity across the Trust.
To monitor educational audits and ensure appropriate action plans are agreed to address identified issues, supporting the placement learning environment for apprentices.
Contribute to projects and project teams that relate to the practice educator role and responsibilities.

Patient/ Client Care

Ensure that all planning and delivery of care reflects best evidence-based practice.
Ensure that best practice in care is delivered.
To work alongside clinical teams ensuring effective communication with apprentices and professionals within the clinical teams and across all disciplines.
Recognise and act on situations that may be detrimental to the health and well-being of an individual.
Recognise own limitations and only work within own scope of professional practice and competence

Policy and Service Development Implementation

To read and comment on proposed policies under review.
Understand local audit processes and take opportunities to initiate audits and participate in NRED audits.
To support the implementation of any changes because of Regulatory Body recommendations. For example, Ofsted or the NMC.
Assist Practice Education Facilitators in maintaining and expanding the quantity, quality and diversity of learning opportunities.
Contribute to university practice learning meetings as required.
Ensure all the regulatory requirements for apprenticeships are met for the trust.

Financial and Physical Development

Have an awareness of cost implications and assist in the management of resources e.g. equipment and supplies.
Have the knowledge, understanding and competence when using equipment. Ensures its safe use and maintains clinical equipment.

Human Resources

Undertake training as necessary in line with the development of the post and as agreed with line manager as part of the personal development planning process.
To achieve and demonstrate agreed standards of personal and professional development within agreed timescales.
Participate in the recruitment and selection of staff as required.
To promote the principles of Improving Working Lives amongst learners ensuring fairness and equality.

Information Resources

Manage and keep up to date own electronic calendar and book meetings as required.
General duties required to facilitate courses such as register preparation and photocopying.
Maintain electronic course/education records in line with Trust requirements.
Keep contemporary and accurate records of clinical and non-clinical meetings, action plans, evaluations and outcomes.
Create reports on clinical learning environments & student and mentor experiences as required
Accurate and timely data input and validation of the designated databases.

Research and Development

Assist in promotion of a culture of research mindedness and assist in ensuring that links between research recommendations are established by changes in education and training practice.
Support the Director of Nursing Research, Education and Development to promote the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) Research Strategy Plan.
Contribute to the overall development of apprentice placement experiences through involvement in education and training to ensure quality improvements focus on the fundamentals of care.
Participate in research studies when opportunities arise to support the development of own practice and that of others.
Attend any HEI or Integrated Care Board education /learning research and development events and feed back to team

Please see attached job description and person specification for full details.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

RN - learning disability or mental health nurse registrant
Degree or equivalent level study
Practice Assessor (must be able to demonstrate being up to date)

Knowledge/Experience

Essential criteria

Evidence of professional development since qualification
Recent clinical experience
Understanding of own accountability and responsibilities
Current experience of being a practice assessor with undergraduate students/trainees/apprentices

Sussex Partnership NHS FT is committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our communities. Our workforce is currently under-represented from Black and Minority, Ethnic and disabled communities and we would welcome applications from these communities.

We regret that we are unable to advise candidates if they have not been shortlisted. If you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date please assume that you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

In the event of an excessive number of applicants the Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy earlier than indicated.

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust takes its responsibilities for the safeguarding and protection of children and young people and vulnerable adults very seriously and expects this of all its employees and bank workers. The Trust works with adult and children's social care to ensure that the integrated service has systems in place to equip staff and bank workers with the knowledge and skills to recognize abuse, and take action to safeguard and protect vulnerable adults and children and young people. It is expected that all staff and bank workers familiarise themselves with the appropriate structures and policies and with the Sussex child protection and safeguarding procedures and the Sussex multi-agency policy and procedures for safeguarding vulnerable adults and undertake the relevant essential training and further training appropriate to their role.

Successful candidates are normally offered salaries at the bottom of the relevant salary range. However, where previous or equivalent NHS experience in a similar role can be demonstrated and evidenced, this may be taken into consideration when setting the starting salary.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.