Band 4 Registered Nursing Associate - Early Health Screening

The new Early Health Screening Practitioner post, a Nursing Associate role, sits within the surgical and pre-operative assessment teams at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. It uses digital tools to find patients who need optimising before planned surgery, who could be triaged to a high-volume, low-complexity site, or who are at risk of deterioration, then contacts them to gather information and signpost services.

Training covers pre-operative care, healthcare IT systems and brief intervention conversations, and the work follows national perioperative screening guidance. NMC registration as a Nursing Associate is required.

• Using digital tools to identify patients who need optimising before planned surgery
• Identifying patients suitable for triage to a high-volume, low-complexity site
• Identifying patients at risk of deterioration within emergency admission avoidance pathways
• Contacting patients to gather information, signpost them and encourage engagement with appropriate services
• Supporting the Trust to follow national guidance and developing learning for the Trust
• Delivering safe, compassionate, dignified, patient-centred care and being accountable for own practice
• Planning and prioritising own workload and implementing evidence-based care
• Coordinating and delivering direct care for a designated group of patients, including care planning and patient review
• Completing work-based training and the competencies the role requires
• Delegating appropriate duties to junior staff and supervising students and learners
• Promoting health, preventing ill health, monitoring care, working in multidisciplinary teams, improving safety and quality, and contributing to integrated care

• GCSE or equivalent, plus Level 2 Functional Skills in maths and English
• Level 5 Foundation degree in nursing associate practice
• Passed End Point Assessment, for apprentices

• NMC registration as a Nursing Associate

• Multidisciplinary team working
• Managing and prioritising own caseload and workload under pressure, using initiative
• Clinical skills relevant to the scope of practice
• Delegation, supervision and supporting students and learners

• Accountable practice, revalidation and the Nursing Associate scope of practice
• Health promotion, monitoring care, safety and quality, and integrated care
• Safeguarding, Mental Capacity Act and health and safety principles
• Good IT skills for electronic recording
• Following policy, procedure, guidelines and care plans

• Spoken and written English, communicating persuasively and empathetically with patients, carers and the multidisciplinary team on sensitive issues
• Willingness to work a range of shift patterns
• Trust values of kind, connected and bold, with a positive, flexible and dependable attitude

• Experience of clinical audit
• Willingness to undertake further education and training for the practice setting or speciality