Band 7

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust (SCFT) is the largest community healthcare provider in Sussex.

• Over 8,400 full time, part time and bank staff members
• Medical, nursing and therapeutic care provided to over 10,000 children and adults a day
• July 2018 Care Quality Commission (CQC) rating of 'Good' with 'Outstanding' features
• Flexible working patterns offered across all services
• Thriving BAME, Disability and Wellbeing, LGBT+ and Religion and Belief staff networks
• Accredited Level 3 Disability Confident Leader

SCFT is an inclusive employer that promotes equality and challenges discrimination, and welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds. Applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates, disabled candidates and LGBT+ candidates are particularly encouraged, to ensure the Trust's workforce reflects the diverse communities it serves.

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a clinician with a passion for improving patient safety and clinical services to join our team of Digital Clinicians within the Trust's Digital Transformation team.

Working to support our Trust Digital Strategy, the key focus of our Digital Clinical Team is to ensure that all healthcare IT used to support care within SCFT is developed, implemented and used in a safe manner. We provide a clinical perspective so that digital technologies and innovations are introduced with an understanding of the needs of the clinician whilst keeping patient safety at the heart of what we do.

The role requires a registered health professional with excellent communication skills to support effective engagement with staff at all levels to identify and clinically assure digital changes as required.

Main duties of the job

You will be required to support clinical services to safely introduce digital innovation e.g. apps, medical devices or other digital healthcare technologies to improve clinical services and patient care. You will also be involved in ongoing support and review of SCFT services' use of SystmOne and other existing technology, to enhance safe and effective use of the functionality whilst supporting the standardisation of this across the Trust. Ensuring patient safety whilst introducing digital innovation, you will use risk assessment and management skills to identify any potential harm which may come to patients and define appropriate mitigations to reduce risk.

The role involves working as part of a project team alongside colleagues from the wider digital team as well as working closely with clinicians. You will be expected to develop effective working relationships and have experience of leading change in working practices.

Working for our organisation

You will be part of a friendly and supportive team with shared responsibility for looking at clinical and patient safety aspects of digital projects to ensure quality, safety and reporting standards are upheld, whilst supporting teams to meet their digital needs.

We continually seek to develop and nurture our team, helping you to achieve your ambitions and deliver excellence. We will support your wellbeing and provide you with opportunities to develop your skills and knowledge as you progress on your career pathway.

Although we are based at the Trust's head office, Brighton General Hospital, we are very supportive of remote working, with the team working a mixture of home and office working. Occasional travel across Sussex is required when service support requires this, and you should have the ability to travel to and reach any of our sites.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The Digital Clinical Specialist role delivers support for a portfolio of clinical services through digital transformation and innovation projects, introducing new technology and providing ongoing maintenance of systems to align with service change and development.

You will engage with clinicians to support our digital champion user network and help front line staff in implementing innovative technology to support them in delivering safe and effective care.

The following article written by one of our Digital Clinical Specialists gives a good insight into what this role involves:

Day in the life of a Digital Clinical Specialist

Person specification

Skills
Essential criteria

• Ability to champion change in clinical working practices to colleagues
• Analytical with the ability to develop solutions to issues

Desirable criteria

• Ability to work with stakeholders at all levels of seniority
• Advanced IT literacy (for example, in Excel, Visio and PowerPoint)

Qualifications
Essential criteria

• Relevant qualification or specialist interest in health informatics
• Registered Health Care Professional

Experience
Essential criteria

• Highly experienced in leading staff in changing their working practices
• Experience of developing effective working relationships
• A passion for improving patient safety and clinical services

Desirable criteria

• Process mapping and process redesign

This post may close earlier than the published closing date if sufficient applications are received.

Correspondence relating to this vacancy will be conducted electronically. If you have not heard from us within two weeks please assume that your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion. Please ensure that you check your emails, including your junk folder, on a regular basis. References will be requested electronically as well; please ensure you provide correct contact details for referees.

Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

Documents to download

• Job Description ( PDF , 103.6 KB )
• Person Specification ( PDF , 90.4 KB )
• Day in the life of a Digital Clinical Specialist ( PDF , 237.6 KB )
• Staff Benefits Brochure ( PDF , 484.5 KB )