Clinical Specialist, Learning Disabilities

Integrated Care System; London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in London seeks a Clinical Specialist for Learning Disabilities. The role involves providing expert clinical input, supporting patients and teams, and contributing to local and national learning initiatives. Candidates should have relevant nursing qualifications and experience with learning disabilities. You will work flexibly across multiple sites to enhance patient care and champion best practices.

Benefits

Professional development support

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Registered Learning Disability Nurse or equivalent required.
• Experience in working with learning disabilities and autism.
• Knowledge of safeguarding procedures and clinical governance.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert clinical input for patients with learning disabilities.
• Offer advice and education to clinical teams.
• Engage in local and national learning initiatives.

Skills

Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Ability to teach individuals and teams

Coordinating care for challenging behaviors

Innovating and influencing service delivery

Computer literacy and willingness to learn

Education

Registered Learning Disability Nurse

Relevant Degree or equivalent

Teaching qualification

Job description

Clinical Specialist, Learning Disabilities

Working closely with our Lead Nurse for Learning Disabilities and the wider Learning Disabilities Team, you will act as a visible clinical expert, advisor, and advocate, championing reasonable adjustments, reducing health inequalities, and ensuring our services meet national best practice standards.

You will support patients, families, carers, and clinical teams through direct care, advice, education, training, and system improvement. While this post will be based at Whipps Cross Hospital, you will be required to work across Barts Health, building strong partnerships with colleagues in acute, community, social care, and voluntary services. You will also contribute to local and national learning and innovation through active engagement in initiatives such as the LeDeR programme and the NHS England Learning Disability Improvement Standards.

Main duties of the job

To deliver ongoing expert clinical input for patients with learning disabilities and autism across all sites and departments within Barts Health, aiming to reduce inequalities, ensure safe care, and improve patient experience.

To offer clinical teams across all settings expert advice, support, and education regarding patients, resources, and guidance related to people with learning disabilities and autism, to reduce harm and ensure equality of outcomes.

About us

Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country and a leading healthcare provider in Britain.

The Barts Health group is entering an exciting new era on its improvement journey to becoming an outstanding organization with a world-class clinical reputation. Having lifted itself out of special measures, it now has the momentum to continually improve all services for patients.

Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, providing safe and compassionate care in east London and beyond. We aim to deliver high standards of harm-free care and ensure patients receive the right care in the right place at the right time. We are committed to being an outstanding place to work, guided by our WeCare values and behaviors that promote an inclusive environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging.

Job responsibilities

We are dedicated to being an outstanding place to work and will support your professional development. We recognize that flexible working means different things to different people, and we encourage you to discuss your needs with the recruiting manager.

The full job description and person specification outline the key tasks, responsibilities, qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required for the role. Please refer to the attached documents for detailed information.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Registered Learning Disability Nurse, Registered Adult Nurse, Registered Mental Health Nurse, or Registered Allied Health Professional
• Relevant Degree or equivalent
• Teaching qualification
• Post-registration courses in physical health care

Experience

• Experience working with people with learning disabilities and autism in various settings
• Experience working as an autonomous practitioner, prioritizing and coordinating workload
• Supervision of others
• Multidisciplinary and multi-agency working
• Teaching diverse groups
• Leading projects
• Managerial experience

Knowledge

• Understanding of the role of a Clinical Specialist in Learning Disability within an acute hospital setting
• Awareness of national and local guidelines, including the Mental Capacity Act, Equalities Act, and LeDeR programme
• Expertise in safeguarding procedures related to learning disabilities
• Knowledge of clinical governance, risk management, audit, and quality improvement cycles
• Postgraduate study in relevant fields
• Research experience and willingness to participate in research activities

Skills

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with patients, families, and multidisciplinary teams
• Ability to teach patients, families, and teams about caring for individuals with learning disabilities
• Delivering person-centered care to highly complex and challenging individuals
• Coordinating care for individuals displaying challenging behaviors
• Risk assessment, workload prioritization, and meeting deadlines
• Innovating and influencing service delivery
• Carrying out audits and service development initiatives
• Computer literacy and willingness to learn new software and technologies

Other

• Passion for learning disability care and improving treatment and care
• Self-motivated, proactive, and resourceful
• Enthusiastic about teaching and sharing knowledge
• Assertive yet professional
• Warm, compassionate, and flexible
• Adaptable to changing circumstances
• Flexible attitude towards working hours and methods
• Committed to personal learning and development

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975. A Disclosure check will be required to confirm no relevant criminal convictions.