Learning Disability and Autism Acute Liaison Nurse

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust; Slough; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Registered Learning Disabilities Nurse to enhance the care experiences and outcomes for adults with learning disabilities and autistic people in acute hospital settings. You will provide specialist advocacy and support to patients, families and staff across the Trust.

Within the Learning Disability and Autism Team, you will aid care planning, communication needs, risk assessment and person-centred approaches, ensuring reasonable adjustments and

Qualifications

• Registered nurse with current NMC registration in Learning Disabilities or equivalent.
• Post-registration development relevant to LD and/or Autism practice.
• Evidence of ongoing professional development and mentoring/leadership potential.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist nursing advice to patients, families and staff across the trust.
• Support care planning, risk assessment and implementation of reasonable adjustments.
• Promote inclusive, person-centred care and contribute to safeguarding and education initiatives.

Skills

RNLD Registration

Advocacy & communication

Care planning

CPD development

Leadership potential

Education

NMC Registered Nurse (RNLD/RNMH/RNA/RNC)

Degree or equivalent professional qualification

Job description

Job Overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Registered Learning Disabilities Nurse to make a meaningful difference to the experience, safety and outcomes of people with a learning disability and autistic people accessing acute hospital care.

Working as part of a dynamic and supportive team, the post holder will provide specialist advice, advocacy and practical support to patients, families, carers and staff before, during and after hospital visits, appointments and admissions. They will promote person-centred, safe and inclusive care, ensuring that individual needs, preferences and communication requirements are understood and supported.

The successful candidate will be a self-motivated and collaborative nurse with excellent organisational, communication and interpersonal skills, and the confidence to work effectively with colleagues across a wide range of professional backgrounds.

The post holder will contribute to improving the quality of care by supporting reasonable adjustments, reducing health inequalities and promoting the implementation of local and national best practice. As a clinical expert and role model in learning disability nursing, they will support clinical teams with care planning, risk assessment, communication needs and person-centred approaches to care.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work within the Learning Disability and Autism Team, which forms part of the wider Safeguarding Team, providing specialist nursing advice and support for adults, children and young people with learning disabilities and autistic people across the Trust.

Key responsibilities will include working collaboratively with patients, families, carers, clinical teams and partner agencies to promote safe, inclusive, equitable and person-centred care. The post holder will support the identification and implementation of reasonable adjustments, advise on communication needs, care planning, risk assessment and appropriate approaches to care, and advocate for individuals to ensure their needs, rights and preferences are recognised.

The post holder will provide specialist advice to staff, promote good practice and strengthen confidence and understanding in supporting people with learning disabilities and autistic people. They will contribute to the delivery of education and training, awareness-raising and workforce development across the Trust.

The role will also involve supporting quality improvement initiatives, monitoring and promoting compliance with relevant legislation, safeguarding requirements, equality duties and local and national best practice guidance. The post holder will work with colleagues to identify barriers to care, reduce health inequalities and improve patient experience and outcomes.

Why Join Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust?

At Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, our people are at the heart of everything we do.

As a Disability Confident Employer and recipient of the Gold Award in the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme, we actively champion equality, diversity and inclusion, creating opportunities for people from all backgrounds to build rewarding careers within the NHS.

We also recognise the importance of a healthy work-life balance. By supporting flexible working arrangements wherever possible, we enable our colleagues to balance their professional and personal commitments while continuing to deliver outstanding care to our patients. Whether flexibility means adjusted hours, part-time working, hybrid arrangements or alternative working patterns, we work in partnership with our staff to meet both individual and service needs.

Join Us

Whether you're at the start of your career or looking for your next challenge, Frimley Health offers the opportunity to be part of a inclusive, forward-thinking organisation that is committed to excellence, innovation and compassionate care. Together, we can shape the future of healthcare and make a real difference to the lives of the communities we serve.

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Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

For a full list of responsibilities and tasks associated with this role, please refer to the job description/person specification attached to this vacancy.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Registered Nurse with current NMC registration (RNLD, RNMH, RNA, RNC or equivalent)
• Degree level qualification or equivalent professional qualification and experience.
• Evidence of post-registration professional development relevant to Learning Disability and/or Autism practice.
• Practice Assessor/Mentor qualification or willingness to undertake.

Desirable criteria

• Leadership or management course/module

Experience

Essential criteria

• Post-registration experience working with people with learning disabilities and/or autistic people.
• Supervision of junior staff
• Experiencing of co -ordinating a shift

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Evidence of developing specialist knowledge through CPD
• Ability to assess, plan, implement and evaluate specialist care delivered to patients/clients and give relevant advice/information to patients and relatives
• Ability to administer prescribed medication including transfusion of blood and blood products
• An understanding of audit and research -based nursing practice

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust (FHFT) is proud of its strong reputation, record of achievement and ambition for the future. We serve a population of over 900,000 people across Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey and South Buckinghamshire, and remain committed to improving the health and wellbeing of our communities.

Our new organisational strategy – FHFT 2030 – sets out our ambition to be the best place to receive care and the best place to work in the NHS. Underpinned by our Trust values – Committed to Excellence, Working Together, Facing the Future, and being a modern, compassionate, Healthcare Organisation – we are creating a culture where our people can thrive and patients always come first.

We continue to invest heavily in our services and facilities. This includes the development of a new hospital at Frimley Park, major expansion of diagnostics and inpatient capacity, and the continued transformation of services across our sites. We have already delivered a brand-new £100m state-of-the-art Heatherwood Hospital, a £49m Emergency Assessment Centre at Wexham Park, and a £10m upgrade to maternity services.

We are also committed to sustainability and the NHS Net Zero ambition. Our new hospital and estate developments are being designed to be environmentally responsible, energy efficient, and future-proofed, featuring on-site renewables energy and intelligent energy systems. Through our green plan, we are embedding sustainable practices across all areas of care and operations, ensuring we reduce our environmental impact while improving population health and wellbeing. Our staff are key to helps us deliver on our ambition and to ensure sustainability is a core component of care delivery and our operations.

Alongside estates’ investments, we are embedding a strong focus on digital innovation and quality improvement. Our electronic patient record (Epic), launched in 2024, is already enabling safer, more connected, and more effective care for patients, while giving staff the tools they need to do their best work. Our electronic patient record also supports safe and effective digitised care pathways, savings time and carbon, whilst delivering excellent quality of care.

Everything we do is guided by our values, shaping how we care for patients, support colleagues, and build a sustainable future for healthcare together.