Dementia Clinical Nurse Specialist

Job description

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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

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.

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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

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.