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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Emotional Support

To provide counselling support and health education for those patients attending the HIV clinic or after admission to the ward in relation to any aspect of their HIV care.

• To provide crisis intervention and on-going support as appropriate.
• To identify patient risk and work with clients in promoting a healthier lifestyles approach, using evidence based motivational and risk reduction techniques.
• To work with local services to support patients facing challenges around their alcohol/drug use.
• To provide support, where appropriate, to partners, significant others and family members.
• To provide psychological support for patients under the Infection Care Group.

Patient Safeguarding

• To attend and take a key role in organising and managing a regular monthly HIV patient MDT meeting and other MDT meetings as needed in the service.
• To organise and attend relevant internal and external safeguarding meetings as required.
• To complete safeguarding referrals to social services and other organisations as necessary.
• To attend relevant safeguarding meetings.
• To ensure all potential vertical HIV transmission cases are handled according to national guidelines.

Partner Notification

• To identify sexual contacts of patients diagnosed with HIV or sexually transmitted infections and facilitate their attendance at a clinic for testing and treatment. To fully document partner notification outcomes.
• To audit PN outcomes on a regular basis.
• To liaise with other HIV and sexual health clinics nationally to facilitate partner notification.

Administration

• To action positive results received in the HIV clinic and review patient’s notes and make decisions about recall of patient’s to the service. To co-ordinate the follow up and recall of patients needing treatment, care or advice by letter, telephone or home visits as appropriate.
• To maintain accurate computerised and patient records on all patients with whom interventions take place including the management of the health adviser recall and partner notification systems.
• To undertake health adviser clinical audit and research in order to develop the health adviser role.
• To maintain an up to date information system on relevant statutory and voluntary sector services.

Health Education

• To co-ordinate enquiries from other health professionals and the general public about iissues related to HIV.
• To co-ordinate the production, supply and display of HIV and relevant health promotion materials.
• To undertake training of other health care professional and any new members of staff, for example doctors, medical students, care assistants.

Professional Responsibilities

• To attend regular managerial, supervision and appraisal meetings.
• To develop and maintain effective communication and liaison with the MDT, working in close co-operation for the benefit of patients in order to improve services at the clinic.
• To be fully conversant with related health, social, welfare, counselling and education services in the area and to liaise as necessary with statutory and voluntary agencies.
• To attend and contribute at the relevant HIV team meetings with other members of the multidisciplinary team.

Service Development

• To provide Health Adviser input into service developments as required.
• To initiate, develop and manage outreach services as appropriate.
• To provide and develop training with statutory, community and voluntary agencies promoting HIV testing and awareness.
• To ensure that pathways to signpost patients needing sexual health services to other local providers work efficiently and effectively.

Other Duties

• To take a lead within the clinic of managing challenging situations.
• To co-ordinate referrals from, and offer specialist advice regarding HIV antibody tests to other hospital departments and community agencies.
• To support the service offered by St George’s at HMP Wandsworth.