Sexual Health Clinician

NHS; Tees Valley; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Teesside is seeking a Sexual Health Clinician to deliver comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care. The role includes patient assessments, STI screenings, and providing contraception. Candidates must possess Level 1 Nurse registration and relevant sexual health qualifications. This position emphasizes patient-centered care and offers opportunities for professional development.

Benefits

Flexible working

Supportive workplace

Friendly management

Qualifications

• Experience of working in a sexual health service.
• Experience of teaching and/or mentorship in a clinical setting.

Responsibilities

• Meet the nursing care needs of patients.
• Assess patients attending walk-in clinics.
• Carry out intimate examinations efficiently.
• Perform appropriate tests or screening for STIs.
• Provide immunisations against STIs.
• Support effective partner notification.

Skills

Effective communication skills

Excellent interpersonal skills

Ability to provide individualised care

Ability to plan and prioritise workload

Basic computer skills

Ability to multi-task

Education

Level 1 Nurse / Midwife registration with the NMC

Recognised sexual health course

Independent prescriber qualification

Cervical cytology qualification and registration

Mentoring / teaching qualification

Job description

Teesside Together is excited to be actively recruiting for Sexual Health Clinicians to join our dynamic team providing gold standard sexual health care to patients across Teesside.

From patient consultations and fitting internal contraception, to screening for STIs and providing immunisations,you will play a vital and varied role in the clinical team.

We are looking for a dedicated team-player who believes in putting the patient first and working at all times to improve the health of local people.

Main duties of the job

The main purpose of this job is to provide high-quality sexual and reproductive healthcare to meet the needs of the patient population of Teesside Together.

As a Sexual Health Clinician, you will work independently, treating patients within their booked treatment slots, guided at all times by our organisations current standards, policies and procedures. The care you will provide covers all aspects of sexual and reproductive healthcare, from screening and advice, to treatment and contraception fittings.

The post holder will be expected to travel to various locations across the catchment area of Teesside Together Sexual Health Service.

About us

Teesside Together is a sexual health service run by a collaboration of three organisations: Elm Alliance, Hartlepool and Stockton Health, and University Hospitals Tees.

We are guided by our core aim: to improve the sexual health, and therefore overall health, of everyone living in Teesside.

Relationships are key to everything we do, because we believe that by creating a strong, communicative network of local teams, we can ensure that patient care is centred in the work that we do.

When you join our team, we want to help you to do your best for our patients, so we offer flexible working, friendly management, and a supportive workplace. Having the right attitude is the start all good care, so if you are positive, enthusiastic, and treat people brilliantly, then this could be the place for you.

We operate to a gold standard in everything we do, because that's what our patients deserve. So, if job satisfaction, for you comes from knowing that you made a difference, we would love to hear from you!

Job responsibilities

In accordance with service requirements, you will:

Clinical

• Meet the nursing care needs of patients as you identify them yourself, or as reported to you by another clinician, when care is being transferred, ensuring that all patients receive individualised care appropriate to their circumstances.
• Assess patients attending walk-in clinics, adjusting appointment lengths as appropriate, and supporting other clinicians, where possible.
• Carry out intimate examinations efficiently and with dignity, offering a chaperone to every patient.
• Perform appropriate tests or screening for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), including phlebotomy, microscopy, and HIV testing.
• Support patients with regards to self-testing for STIs, including giving instructions on swab use and sample storage.
• Ensure all samples taken are logged appropriately and available for collection by the pathology supplier.
• Provide patients with appropriate treatments for STIs.
• Provide immunisations against STIs to eligible patients from high-risk groups.
• Fit coils and implants.
• Perform PEPSE assessments for patients who have been exposed to HIV and issue it, where appropriate.
• Assess patients, start them on PrEP treatment and re-issue as appropriate.
• Perform cervical screening.
• Ensure patients who have tested positive for HIV are referred appropriately to ongoing care.
• Support effective partner notification, ensuring that as many people as possible are contacted, tested, and given treatment, if necessary.
• Follow the Make Every Contact Count framework, to ensure that you are supporting the patient with holistic care wherever possible.
• Liaise efficiently and consistently with other clinicians, teams, and agencies to ensure consistency of care, where necessary.

Job description

Job responsibilities

In accordance with service requirements, you will:

Clinical

• Meet the nursing care needs of patients as you identify them yourself, or as reported to you by another clinician, when care is being transferred, ensuring that all patients receive individualised care appropriate to their circumstances.
• Assess patients attending walk-in clinics, adjusting appointment lengths as appropriate, and supporting other clinicians, where possible.
• Carry out intimate examinations efficiently and with dignity, offering a chaperone to every patient.
• Perform appropriate tests or screening for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), including phlebotomy, microscopy, and HIV testing.
• Support patients with regards to self-testing for STIs, including giving instructions on swab use and sample storage.
• Ensure all samples taken are logged appropriately and available for collection by the pathology supplier.
• Provide patients with appropriate treatments for STIs.
• Provide immunisations against STIs to eligible patients from high-risk groups.
• Fit coils and implants.
• Perform PEPSE assessments for patients who have been exposed to HIV and issue it, where appropriate.
• Assess patients, start them on PrEP treatment and re-issue as appropriate.
• Perform cervical screening.
• Ensure patients who have tested positive for HIV are referred appropriately to ongoing care.
• Support effective partner notification, ensuring that as many people as possible are contacted, tested, and given treatment, if necessary.
• Follow the Make Every Contact Count framework, to ensure that you are supporting the patient with holistic care wherever possible.
• Liaise efficiently and consistently with other clinicians, teams, and agencies to ensure consistency of care, where necessary.

Reporting

• Record work activities, in line with local policies, procedures, and standards.
• Record complaints, errors, concerns, and other untoward occurrences to the appropriate person.
• Participate in clinical governance and audit activities to ensure continual service improvement.

Patient Education

• Understand the key role that patient education and knowledge plays in sexual health topics, including contraception, STI prevention, and other sexual health risks
• Offer advice and education to patients regarding safe sex practices, including contraception and STI prevention, and signpost to further help where appropriate.
• Ensure all patients receiving a new-to-them form of contraception receive appropriate training or demonstrations.

Communication

• Present yourself at all times in a manner that is open and honest and work in partnership with patients, clients, colleagues, and the public to enhance confidence, competence, and best practice, in line with our mission statement.
• Deal with patients, clients, and colleagues in a polite and respectful manner, using appropriate language and behaviour.
• Liaise closely with the immediate team, and other agencies, in a professional and respectful manner.

Professional Development

• Keep up to date with all mandatory training to ensure compliance and competence.
• Attend training courses in house, online, and externally, to develop expertise and further knowledge.
• Take responsibility for updating, documenting and maintaining your own knowledge and skills framework, and sharing professional development with Teesside Together.
• Express needs or desire for further training and work within own remit at all times.
• Participate in appraisals, performance reviews and professional development plans on an ongoing basis with Teesside Together when required.
• Engage in clinical supervision.

Equality and Diversity

• Ensure all patient groups accessing the service receive a safe, welcoming, non-judgemental, and confidential service.
• Support our culture, which promotes equality and values diversity.
• Be aware of, and committed to, our equality and diversity policies, and actively promote equality and diversity issues relevant to the post.
• Through your own actions and the example you provide to others, uphold the principle that all co-workers, patients, and visitors have the right to be treated equally and with respect.
• Ensure that individuals are given equal access to care and services.

Confidentiality

In the performance of the duties outlined in this Job Description, you may have access to confidential information relating to patients and clients, their carers, and staff from a number of organisations. You may also have access to business information. All such information, from any source, is to be regarded as strictly confidential.

Safeguarding

The safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults is the responsibility of all staff members, regardless of role. H&SH is committed to the prevention of abuse in all its forms and asks all our staff to be vigilant and compassionate when in contact with others. To this end, you will:

• Work within the safeguarding framework, including understanding Spotting the Signs and Fraser Competencies, reporting any concerns as per local standard operating procedure.
• Be aware of the risk of child sexual exploitation and female genital mutilation, sharing any concerns with the clinician on duty
• Assess all patients for concerns regarding domestic abuse, signposting and/or reporting as appropriate.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Level 1 Nurse / Midwife registration with the NMC
• Current, full UK driving licence and daily access to a car with business insurance
• Recognised sexual health course
• Independent prescriber qualification, or knowledge of working to patient group directions
• STIF Intermediate Competency (BASHH) and/or Level 2 and 3 NHIVNA Nurse HIV Competencies
• Letter of Competence IUT / SDI
• Cervical cytology qualification and registration
• Mentoring / teaching qualification
• Demonstrable commitment to continuing professional development

Experience

• Experience of working in a sexual health service
• Experience of teaching and/or mentorship in a clinical setting

Skills

• Effective communication skills, especially when talking to patients, relatives, and carers
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to provide individualised care with empathy
• Ability to plan and prioritise your own workload
• Basic computer skills
• Ability to multi-task

Knowledge

• Awareness of quality and diversity concerns / measures, particularly in healthcare
• Awareness of the importance of confidentiality, privacy, and dignity

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.