Senior Sexual Health Adviser

A Senior will be appointed with the same essential qualifications and previous knowledge/ relevant experience as a health adviser but will also have:

• At least two years as a Health Adviser
• Management experience of both people and projects

ACCOUNTABLE TO:Clinical Issues to the Consultant in GUM/ HIV

MANAGERIALLY RESPONSIBLE TO: Principal Health Adviser where they are in post or a relevant senior member of staff e.g. a directorate manager.

JOB SUMMARY

• To manage, supervise and develop the HA service to ensure provision of:
  Advice, information, education and counselling to patients diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea, herpes, syphilis and hepatitis B & C.
• To carry out partner notification, to ensure the attendance and treatment of contacts.
• To provide ongoing support and counselling for those with associated concerns e.g. rape, termination of pregnancy, sexual identity, relationship and psychosexual issues etc.
• To provide pre test HIV discussion and post test discussion and/ or counselling.
• To provide follow up counselling and psychosocial care for HIV antibody positive patients as required.

CLINICAL RESPONSIBILITIES

1. To provide information to patients diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection: how they are acquired, transmitted and treated.
2. To provide education and counselling on preventing or minimizing the risk of infection.
3. To provide effective partner notification to ensure contact(s)’ attendance and treatment by index (patient) referral as detailed in the SSHA PN policy.
4. To stress the importance of medical treatment and follow-up.
5. To discuss HIV with patients who may have been at risk or are worried.
6. To provide pre HIV test discussion and post HIV test counselling.
7. To provide initial post-test HIV counselling for newly diagnosed patients, their partners, significant others and offer ongoing counselling and psychosocial care dependant on the health advisers training, experience and supervision.
8. To provide a safe environment whereby patients can discuss their concerns and ask questions.
9. To provide comprehensive assessment of patients’ other social, emotional or sexual difficulties and to follow up or refer on as appropriate.
10. To record interventions accurately and concisely in patient files.
11. To ensure patients are followed up adequately if they need to reattend for results treatment or counselling by letter, phone, or home visit, or through GP, FHSA or other means.
12. To keep confidential records for the purpose of partner notification.
13. To take a lead in sexual health promotion work within the clinic and community.
14. To keep statistics on all patient contacts and interviews to enable audit and evaluation of services.
15. To liaise with other health advisers in GUM and exchange relevant information in order to facilitate partner notification.
16. To liaise with other local or national agencies as appropriate.
17. To establish good working relationships with medical, nursing, and administration staff within the clinic, as well as with professionals from other departments e.g. Accident and Emergency, Gynaecology, Psychiatry.
18. To take part in teaching programs as required for nursing staff, medical students or other statutory or voluntary bodies.
19. To continue professional development and training by attendance and contribution at relevant clinic/ Trust/ regional/ national meetings, seminars, workshops and conferences.
20. To participate in regular supervision and staff appraisal.
21. To be aware of the confidential nature of the clinic and work within the legal responsibilities as laid down in the Venereal Diseases Regulations 1974 and the NHS Trust Act 1991
22. To work within SSHA guidance e.g. Code of Ethics, Code of Conduct, Guidelines for Good Practice, PN Policy

MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

1. To supervise and develop the health adviser service, to ensure the provision of their key duties which are: partner notification, pre and post test discussion/ counselling, sexual health promotion, counselling and administrative duties i.e. recall of patients.
2. To coordinate and supervise the health advisers rota and ensure continuous provision of a health adviser service
3. To recruit new health advisers to the service. To provide an induction, orientation and training programme for new staff.
4. To implement a system of appraisal incorporating individual performance reviews for all health advisers.
5. To provide regular ongoing management supervision of health advisers, to promote and encourage their professional development.
6. To coordinate the clinical supervision of the health advisers.
7. To act as a first line manager to health adviser(s) i.e.-coordinate annual leave, rotas, statistical returns.
8. To attend, promote and represent health advisers at all multidisciplinary, departmental and other appropriate meetings.
9. To initiate coordinate, implement and evaluate health advising policies, protocols through research and audit.
10. To develop and maintain close working relationships with the appropriate medical and nursing staff within the clinic/ Trust.
11. Liaise with other principal/ senior health advisers within the region/ nationally in order to standardise the quality of the health adviser service.
12. To develop and maintain links with related health, social and educational services available in the area and to liaise as necessary with statutory and voluntary agencies.
13. To set up, coordinate the appropriate teaching/ training for other health professionals as required e.g. for nursing staff, medical students or other statutory or voluntary bodies i.e. school teachers or pupils.
14. To manage health adviser community led projects/ services.
15. To ensure the effective use of resources within the HA team.
16. To ensure staff work within the legal responsibilities as laid down in the Venereal Diseases Regulations 1974 and the NHS Trust Act 1991.
17. To ensure staff work within SSHA guidance e.g. Code of Ethics, Code of Conduct, Guidelines for Good Practice, PN Policy

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