The closing date is 23rd Aug 2026
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Anticipated Interview date(s) 3/9/26
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Job summary
This is more than a nursing role its an opportunity to develop specialist clinical skills build leadership experience and make a real difference to children and young people with complex health needs Every day is different from delivering hands on care and managing medicines to training school staff and leading on clinical decisions
Youll gain experience in epilepsy and seizure management enteral feeding medicines management clinical assessments and respiratory care alongside skills in care planning safeguarding and multidisciplinary teamwork
We cover nine schools across Hampshire Portsmouth Southampton and the Isle of Wight offering a structured rotational induction to help you develop a broad skill set Our blended learning training package leadership training and regular supervision will give you the confidence to delegate make clinical decisions and progress in your career You ll also have opportunities to become a link nurse in a specialist area of interest take on supervisory responsibilities and access tailored CPD funding to support your professional growth
A valid UK nursing registration experience with children and young people learning disabilities and complex health needs as well as a full driving licence are essential
Current role based In Portsmouth area working 22.5 hours per week
This is an opportunity for a current Band 5 nurse to work with the SSN team to develop wider skills and knowledge in a safe and experienced nursing team
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Main duties, tasks & skills required
To meet the needs of patients and their families to achieve improved health outcomes and promote health and wellbeing while demonstrating care compassion competence communication courage and commitment
Care is based on comprehensive assessment, ensures continuity and is patient centred culturally sensitive and evidence-based and which promotes independence
- To develop and maintain a culture of service improvement which promotes quality and safety and striving to do better
- This is in line with the requirements set out in the NMC code which require all registered nurses to
Prioritise people Practice effectively Preserve safety Promote professionalism and trust
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About us
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust provides joined-up mental and physical healthcare for around two million people across our communities. With over 13,000 staff working in the community and local hospitals, we deliver care at every stage of life, helping people live their best and healthiest lives.
Our mental health services include community-based support and early intervention in psychosis (EIP) for both adults and young people, alongside a network of specialist inpatient wards covering forensic, learning disability, eating disorder and older person's care.
We deliver extensive physical health services too, from urgent community response teams helping frail and older patients remain safely at home, to hospitals at home teams providing acute-level care in familiar surroundings. Our neurological services offer rehabilitation and treatment for conditions including Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, Motor Neurone Disease, Head Injury, Cerebral Palsy and Stroke. Across Hampshire, our community hospitals provide inpatient rehabilitation as a step down from acute care, and our dedicated teams also staff Treetops Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Portsmouth, offering expert, compassionate support.
Everything we do is underpinned by our CARE values of compassion, accountability, respect and excellence
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Job description
The Special School Nurse SSN is responsible for the ongoing assessment of care needs and the development implementation and evaluation of programmes of specialised care for children who attend specific special schools
The SSN will provide and manage specific skilled nursing care to children with a variety of nursing needs including long term conditions and complex and multiple needs life limiting conditions learning disabilities and those with challenging behaviour and or autism related diagnoses
The care will be provided in the special schools with potential for meetings and learning to be carried out off site in other community settings
The role requires a nurse with paediatric and or learning disabilities expertise to work in collaboration with the special schools to ensure the children attending are able to access health promotion public health programme and specialist nursing programmes alongside their multidisciplinary team The nurse will be providing specialist advice to other professionals promoting evidence based practice
The SSN will have a good understanding and or experience of children with Profound and Multiple Learning disabilities PMLD and Severe Learning Disabilities SLD
Provide essential training and updates to staff for all delegated tasks and health promotion activities carried out in school including staff competencies
Support with Education Health Care Plans Annual reviews in school for children with health needs on the caseload
Provide guidance advice and support to schools regarding management of pupils with complex health needs See person specification
Ensure school staff are trained and advise on best practice guidance regarding medicines management medicines waste disposal and medicines administration techniques
Create referrals to other professionals where required which includes continence service CCN service CPMS Respite centres and wider allied health professionals AHPs
Provide advice support and referrals for children who are aged 14 plus to help with transition planning processes to adult services
Provide advice support and liaison for children transitioning into school from early years settings home and provide the necessary care planning training and referrals as required
Provide advice support and liaison for children transitioning between schools eg primary to secondary or to new locations where necessary
Provide routine monitoring of children on the caseload as necessary including height weight and clinical observations as dictated by the Childs health needs
Support with advise on desensitisation programmes and or use of social stories for children and young people to access wider health care interventions
Support and contribute to CPMS and other community review clinics
Signpost families to other services and resources as required supporting their childs needs
Ensure school staff are aware of infection prevention and control measures and any changes in practice
Raise any safeguarding concerns in line with trust and national policies and guidelines
Work collaboratively with our social care education and AHPs to provide holistic care for the children and families on the caseload
Signpost and refer families to necessary charities agencies in relation to their childs health needs eg DLA CHC CCC applications make a wish dream flight holiday havens etc
Assess patients clients plan develop implement evaluate programmes of care and carry out nursing procedures
Provides direct nursing care for patients clients to achieve best health outcomes
Ensures use of nursing knowledge and skills to assess plan implement and evaluate patients clients family health needs as well as actively promote health and wellbeing
Evaluate clinical outcomes and reports variance to clinical pathway protocols or best practice guidelines
Contributes to effective discharge planning and or referral processes to health care providers and support agencies to meet identified health needs
Applies diagnostic reasoning and professional judgement to nursing practice issues decisions
Manage care of patients clients on a day to day basis and when required manage care of all patients clients in the absence of senior colleagues
Fosters inquiry and critical thinking amongst colleagues to advance nursing practice and patient client care to ensure the provision of positive patient client outcomes and person centred care
Accurately documents assessments of patients clients health status diagnosis and response to nursing and other interventions and treatments on the Trust Clinical Records System
Effectively manage the clinical care and clinical area through the implementation of clearly defined policies and procedures
Educate and provides information to patients clients family to improve knowledge of disease illness self management prevention of complications and promotion of recovery
Identifies when a child may be at risk and knows how to refer to the local multi agency safeguarding hub MASH when appropriate
Identifies when a vulnerable adult may be at risk and knows how to refer to the local authority adult safeguarding service
Role models culturally safe nursing practice and able to report poor practice when observed
Practices in accordance with legal ethical culturally safe and professional standards including the Code of practice
Provides and receives complex sensitive information to patients relatives and colleagues and with empathy persuasion and reassurance and ensure information is clearly understood where there maybe barriers to understanding
Ensures effective collaboration and communication with multidisciplinary team patients carers family and significant others always seeking consent of the client in doing so and in coordinating care and fostering effective working relationships to achieve best health outcomes
Actively listens drawing out information and checks understanding
Empathises with others and considers their needs and feelings
Expresses information effectively and accurately both orally and in writing adjusting language and style to recipients and considers their frame of reference
Accurately records patient information progress and status ensuring changes in patients clients condition are shared with the multidisciplinary team in a timely manner
Ensures patient confidentiality is always maintained
Promotes Solent NHS as a centre of excellence for nursing practice through effective communication both internally and externally
Pro actively participates in own performance development and review to identify learning needs and take necessary steps in order to reach personal professional objectives
Attends educational opportunities relevant to nursing role and scope of practice
Provide day to day clinical supervision of junior colleagues and students including safeguarding supervision when appropriate
Participates in peer review feedback and actively contributes to the provision of an effective learning environment
Actively participate in the induction of new staff in accordance with Trust policy and when required act as a buddy assessor supervisor and resource person within your team
Be personally accountable for actions and omissions in your practice and have the ability to justify decisions taken
Provide opportunities for junior colleagues to assess their work and to provide them with clear sensitive and appropriate feedback that will help them improve and develop
Actively participates in student placements and staff training within the organisation
Maintains and develops own clinical expertise and knowledge in speciality evidence based nursing practice and personal portfolio to demonstrate fitness to practice in line with expectations for revalidation
Actively participate in clinical and management supervision
Further information about the Trust and this role can be found on the Job Description and Person Specification document attached. It is important to us that we ensure our recruitment processes are accessible and inclusive to everyone - if as a potential candidate you are concerned a person specification may prevent or restrict your application for employment as a result of unintentional barriers on the grounds of your sex, race, age, sexual orientation, religion/belief or disability please initially contact the Trust's Recruitment team - detailed in the advert. The Trust will seek to resolve this issue wherever possible.
We are happy to talk Flexible Working - all requests for flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process.
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Person specification
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Qualifications
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Essential
Qualifications
BSc Nursing or RN in Child or Learning Disability Nursing and currently registered with NMC
Practice assessor supervisor
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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.
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UK Professional Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.
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For help with your application, contact:
Heather Kelly
[email protected]
07742068971
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Pay scheme
Agenda for Change
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Band
Band 5
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Salary
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£32073.00 to £39043.00 Yearly
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Contract
Permanent
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Working pattern
Part-Time
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Reference number
348-CFS-12048
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Job locations
Adelaide Health Centre, Western Community Centre
William Macleod Way
Southampton
Hampshire
SO16 4XE
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Attachments
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Job Description
Special School Nurse JD.pdf – 534KB Opens in a new window
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Additional document 1
EmployeeBenefits_hiowh_v1-compressed_3.pdf – 1001KB Opens in a new window
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