Eye Care Liaison Officer

Job summary RNIBis pleased to announce this exciting opportunity to join our Eye Care SupportService in Bridlington and District Hospital.
This is a rewarding roleproviding the right individual the opportunity to make a difference every dayworking with people affected by sight loss.You will provide critical emotionalsupport, information and guidance face to face within a hospital setting,remotely via digital platforms and in community locations, as required.
Eachday you will support people affected by sight loss to identify their needs,access information and make informed choices which enable and empower them tomaintain their independence.Admin tasks are a large part ofthis role, you will create and input accurate patient records into a variety ofdatabases and use Microsoft 365 each day.
Main duties of the job You will have proven experience of delivering information and adviceservices working directly with the people you are supporting as well asmaintaining professional relationships.
Key to this role will be your excellentcommunication and relationship building skills with patients, clinicians and awide range of cross sector partners.You will have the ability to work in different hospital locations asrequired.
You should be confident to work on your own initiative, have excellentorganisational skills and be a confident user of IT systems.
Impeccable recordkeeping skills are also key to this role.As an RNIB ECLO, you will alsocomplete the RNIB and City University Eye Clinic Support Studiesqualification: essential for the role, access to Clinical Supervision, peersupport and the opportunity to support RNIBs priority of no diagnosis withoutsupport.WhatWe OfferRNIBprides itself on being a great place to work with a positive, progressiveculture.
We offer a wide range of benefits including 26 days of holiday peryear (plus bank holidays) which rises with service, enhanced family friendlybenefits, a contributory pension scheme with an employer contribution of up to11 percent and a rewards platform with employee discounts across over 800 retailers.
About us Were theRoyal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and were here for everyoneaffected by sight loss.
Working for us means working for one of the UKsbiggest charities, supporting almost two million people living with sight lossin the UK.RNIB is leading the creation of a world where thereare no barriers for people with sight loss.
One of our key priorities is to askpeople to see sight loss differently, reversing inaccurate perceptions andchanging public behaviours so everyone expects equal participation from peoplewith sight loss and the creation of a fully accessible society.
Job description Job responsibilities This is anexciting opportunity to join RNIBs Eye Care Support Service at Bridlington andDistrict Hospital and throughout the surrounding areas in the East Coast ofEngland.
In this role,you will be a vital member of the team working directly with people diagnosedwith conditions causing sight loss, their family membersand carers.
You will provide critical emotional support, information andguidance face to face within hospital settings, in community locations and viatelephone or digital platforms as required.
Each day youwill support people affected by sight loss to identify their needs, accessinformation and make informed choices which enable and empower them to maintaintheir independence.You will be critical in developing referralpathways and partnerships with Statutory and Third Sector partners, NHS EyeCare Services and community-based partners to develop referral routes,relationships and partnership working to support the needs of people livingwith a sight condition in Bridlington and the surrounding areas in the East Coast ofEngland.
Financial ResponsibilityNo budget responsibility.Decision Making Responsibility Required to makejudgements and to solve problems within discipline and within defined area.Main Accountabilities:Provide advice, information, practical andemotional support, to people of all ages affected by sight loss.
Provide a person-centred screening of needs bytelephone, in person and via digital platforms, ensuring those affected bysight loss feel more confident about where and how to get support, advice andguidance, signposting and referring patients to a wide range of services andorganisations, as identified in the screening of needs.Develop positive working relationships to establish and maintain referral routes with a range of health,statutory and third sector organisations.
Provide basic visual awareness training to eyeclinic staff and others as required.
To provide informationand guidance on the certification and registration process for people withsight loss.
To support eye clinic staff with the processing of the Certificateof Visual Impairment (CVI) Maintain an up-to-date and comprehensiveinformation resource relating to services available for people with sight loss.Support patients, family and carers with advice onfalls prevention and refer to available services where appropriate.
When needed, act as an advocate for patients tonavigate the complexities of the sight loss pathway to ensure they receiveappropriate services.
Collate and maintain accurate patient records,inputting quality data, using multiple IT systems.
Undertake high-quality caserecording in line with the highest standards and best practice principles, whilstensuring compliance with all GDPR and information governance policies andprocedures.Engage patients,their family members or carers to gather feedback on the ECLO service.Positively contribute to RNIB evaluation, monitoring and continuous improvementof the service.
Attend clinicalaudit meetings, steering groups, forums and other events to promote thebenefits of the service.
Positivelycontribute to a range of local and national ECLO team meetings, networks,training and information events.
Attend mandatory ECLO seminars and takeresponsibility for own CPD.
Ensure thatspecific safeguarding risks, GDPR and regulatory requirements are understood,applied and managed in line with relevant NHS and RNIB policies.
Support volunteerswithin the ECLO service and wider RNIB activities, where appropriate.GeneralThe following points are common to all jobdescriptions:Undertake any other duties commensurate with the postAdhere to all RNIB policies and proceduresSafeguarding of Vulnerable Adults To completetraining on Safeguarding of Vulnerable Adults and be able to understand andimplement the training accordance with Safeguarding policies and procedures.Takingresponsibility for reporting any safeguarding concerns to the Safeguarding Teamand Line Manager.Person Specification1Specialist Knowledge, Skills and Experience Proven experience ofdelivering information and advice services, preferably within a health, social careor community setting.
Demonstrable experience of deliveringperson-centred support to customers and their family and carers.
Demonstrable experience ofworking in health, social care or community support services and understanding thefunctions of their practitioners.Proven advanced communication skills, includingpositively influencing other professionals across health, social care or community services.
DemonstrableIT literacy with proven experience of working with Office 365 and bespokesystems whilst adhering to GDPR Information Governance Policies and maintainingappropriate customer records.
Planning and Organisational skillsAbilityto organise and manage time effectively and to prioritise workload in order tomeet deadlines.
Flexibilityand adaptability in order to meet the demands of the role and to work withinvarying locations and different settings.
Self-motivationand an ability to work independently and on own initiative.
CommunicationskillsAbilityto communicate clearly and effectively in a structured way and with a range ofindividuals, both verbally and in writing.Experience of the preparation and delivery ofpresentations to varied audiences in a manner which meets their needs.Abilityto listen to and have empathy with patients whilst remaining impartial andnon-judgemental.
ForECLOs working in Wales the ability to speak Welsh is desirable but not essential.Equality,Diversity and InclusionRNIB expects an understanding of and demonstrated commitment toits Equality Diversity and Policy and to ensure all activities and behavioursare consistent with the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.
This includesall staff activities and their interface with all employees, customers andservice users.RNIB expects an ability to understand anddemonstrate commitment to its Equal Opportunities Policy and to ensure allactivities are consistent with the Equal Opportunities Policy.
This includesall staff activities and their interface with all employees, customers andservice users.
Special Conditions RNIB & City University Eye Clinic SupportStudies qualification, or a willingness to undertake and obtain thequalification is essential.
(includes a one-off 4 day stay in Birmingham)Adhering to the RNIB ECLO Services Quality Frameworkand Practice Guidelines.Must beprepared to travel and attend meetings and training as required which mayinvolve occasional overnight stays.Appointmentis subject to an Enhanced DBS check/PVG checks, as appropriate.Safeguarding iseveryone's responsibility.
Safeguarding is about preventing and stopping boththe risks and experience of abuse or neglect, while at the same time makingsure we promote people's wellbeing.
It isfundamental to high quality health and social care services.
You must always bevigilant in your role and if you are concerned about a child or vulnerableadult report your concerns immediately following the processes set out in theRNIB child and adult protection procedures.
Person Specification Qualifications Essential 1.1Proven experience of delivering information and advice services, preferably within a health, social care or community setting.
1.2Demonstrable experience of delivering person-centred support to customers and their family and carers.
1.3Demonstrable experience of working in health, social care or community support services and understanding the functions of their practitioners.
1.4Proven advanced communication skills, including positively influencing other professionals across health, social care or community services.
1.5Demonstrable IT literacy with proven experience of working with Office 365 and bespoke systems whilst adhering to GDPR Information Governance Policies and maintaining appropriate customer records.
Experience Essential 1.1Proven experience of delivering information and advice services, preferably within a health, social care or community setting.
1.2Demonstrable experience of delivering person-centred support to customers and their family and carers.
1.3Demonstrable experience of working in health, social care or community support services and understanding the functions of their practitioners.
1.4Proven advanced communication skills, including positively influencing other professionals across health, social care or community services.
1.5Demonstrable IT literacy with proven experience of working with Office 365 and bespoke systems whilst adhering to GDPR Information Governance Policies and maintaining appropriate customer records.