Senior Sexual Health Nurse

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Lancashire; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading health services provider in Lancashire is seeking a skilled Registered Nurse to join the Sexual Health Services team. The role involves assessing and treating patients, providing confidential sexual health advice, and performing diagnostic procedures. The ideal candidate will have strong clinical skills, a background in sexual health, and the ability to independently manage patient care. The position offers a supportive environment for professional development and a chance to make a significant impact on community health.

Benefits

Flexible working hours

Professional development opportunities

Supportive work environment

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse qualified and experienced in Sexual Health Services.
• Ability to assess, plan, and deliver sexual health care.
• Independent practitioner able to manage clinical sessions.

Responsibilities

• Provide sexual health advice and treatment to patients.
• Manage patient care and provide thorough documentation.
• Administer vaccinations and perform diagnostic procedures.

Skills

Assessment and treatment skills

Knowledge of STIs and contraception

Excellent communication skills

Education

Registered Nurse qualification

Tools

Clinical protocols

Patient management systems

Job description

About the Trust

We have three main hospitals providing acute services to around 330,000 local residents. The organisation also provides specialist tertiary care for cardiac and haematology services, delivers community health services to over 445,000 residents including those in North Lancashire and hosts the National Artificial Eye Service across England. Plus, we provide urgent and emergency care services to an estimated 18 million people who visit the seaside resort each year. We employ over 7000 people from 68 different countries.

Equal Opportunity

We welcome and encourage application from anyone with protected characteristics, as well as supporting reservists and Veterans who are looking for a rewarding and challenging career within the NHS.

Flexible Working

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals encourages flexible working in all our roles to support staff in maintaining a healthy home‑life balance. Working patterns such as part time working, self‑rostering, compressed hours, annualised hours, term time, reverse term time and flexitime working can be explored.

Responsibilities

• The post holder will work as part of the Sexual Health Services team and will assess, plan, and provide sexual health advice, screening, and treatment (including contraception) to patients in a supportive confidential environment, recognising when to refer a problem onto a doctor or Specialist Nurse within the service.
• The post holder will be responsible for co‑ordinating with the support of the Nurse in Charge and Health Care Support Workers within the clinical area.
• The Nurse will contribute to the continued development of nursing, including the supervision and support of junior nurses and support staff.
• There will be an expectation that the post holder will work across all areas of Sexual Health Services including all outreach clinics as required.
• To provide sexual health advice to patients following a positive sexually transmitted infection (STI) diagnosis, initiate treatments as per Patient Group Directions (PGDs) and implement partner notification measures as per local guidelines.
• To have sound knowledge and experience to provide appropriate health advice and results management in line with BASHH guidelines.
• To administer vaccinations and immunisations (e.g., Hepatitis A/B and HPV vaccines) in conjunction with clinical protocol and PGDs.
• Perform testing and interpret specimens using bench microscopy as an aid to support diagnosis (or being willing to undertake training as required).
• To provide sexual health information, advice, teaching, and support to patients, enabling them to select and use a method of contraception suited to their needs.
• To independently undertake and be responsible for sexual health clinical sessions, assessing patients and taking a sexual history, formulating diagnoses, and where required initiating treatments using patient group directions and agreed protocols or utilising non‑medical prescribing, where suitably qualified, in the management of patients under the care of Sexual Health Services for the treatment of conditions within the practitioner’s scope of competence.
• To provide specialist nursing interventions to the clinical management of patients with sexual health problems, in collaboration with other health professionals.
• Independently perform comprehensive male and female genital examinations and investigative procedures for patients including HIV testing and point of care HIV testing including cervical cytology sampling where appropriate.
• To follow agreed clinic protocols and PGDs to supply emergency contraception, start and re‑issue combined oral and progestogen only contraceptive methods and Depo‑Provera injections (following a period on preceptorship/consolidation) along with being able to insert and remove contraceptive implants (or being willing to undertake training as required), and to take the relevant histories in relation to these methods.
• To provide long‑acting reversible contraception to clients (LARC), to be able to fit, remove and exchange sub‑dermal implants, in line with Faculty guidelines.
• Utilise non‑medical prescribing, where suitably qualified, in the management of patients under the care of Sexual Health Services for the treatment of conditions within the practitioner’s scope of competence.
• Support the Nurse in Charge/CNS to maintain a high level of service to patients in the absence of a doctor, and refer to alternative clinics/agencies as appropriate.
• Be responsible for the continuity of patient care during their clinic visit.
• To ensure excellent documentation of patient care in the electronic patient records.

Background Checks

If the role you have applied for requires a Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) check we will administer this as part of your pre‑employment checks. Please note, you will be required to repay the cost on appointment. This will be collected via a salary deduction. You can choose whether to pay this over 1–3 months from your salary or as a one‑off payment on commencement in post. The level of check required depends on the role that you have been offered. Currently the charges are – Basic DBS check £25.50, Standard DBS check £25.50 and Enhanced DBS check £53.50.

You are encouraged where possible, to register for the DBS update service. This is an annual registration fee of £16. By registering for the update service you will not have the additional cost of repeated disclosures.

Should you withdraw your application, you may be required to reimburse the cost of the DBS check. DBS checks remain free of charge for volunteer positions. By submitting an application for this vacancy you are confirming your agreement to the above in the event you are successfully appointed. The DBS Code of Practice can be accessed here.

Other Information

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is situated on the west coast of Lancashire, with services covering the local authority areas of Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre. The Trust is part of the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System (ICS) supporting a population of around 1.6 million people.

Please ensure that you read the Person Specification attached below as your application will be judged against this. Please note that every effort will be made to keep the vacancy live until the published closing date, though there may be instances where such interest is generated, that for administrative reasons the post may close earlier.

In line with national NHS guidelines this Trust operates a strict non‑smoking policy. Members of staff are not permitted to smoke on Trust premises or grounds at any time nor take breaks during working hours for the purposes of smoking.

The Trust does not offer interview expenses to shortlisted candidates unless indicated in the advert.