Job summary
- Main area
- Corporate
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 5
- Contract
- 22 months (FIXED TERM CONTRACT until 31st MARCH 2027)
- Hours
- Full time
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 435-C035-25
- Employer
- East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
- Town
- Burnley
- Salary
- £29,970 - £36,483 pro rota
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 22/05/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Health Independent Sexual Violence Advisor
NHS AfC: Band 5
At East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care. We currently provide high quality services and treat over 600,000 people across East Lancashire and the surrounding area. We employ over 9,500 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work.
Job overview
East Lancashire NHS Trust (ELHT) seeks to appoint a Health Independent Sexual Violence Advisor to be part of a service transforming the access to sexual violence services for victims in Lancashire. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of small team providing proactive empathetic, practical advocacy support for victims/survivors of sexual violence. The successful applicant will be required to work between Blackburn and Burnley hospital sites.
The role includes building and maintaining relationships with allied partners and stakeholders and raising awareness of the project and the issues facing victims/survivors of sexual abuse. The role will also include guiding and supporting health professionals at the hospital on the identification and referral route into the service. Ensuring robust pathways are in place to support clients. You will specifically aim to reach victims who may or may not have reported the sexual violence or abuse to the police and health care professionals, providing initial information, advice and support and facilitate referral into appropriate community-based ISVA services for longer term support. The role will be an integral part of the Trusts safeguarding team, working collaboratively with Victim Support, and adhering to Lime Culture best practice guidelines providing.
Main duties of the job
To provide support and safety planning to victim’s sexual violence and domestic abuse Follow appropriate pathways for referrals into community services.
To provide guidance and training about the service to health professionals in order for them to identify and refer potential victims of sexual violence
To maintain key working relationship with professionals including but not limited to health, social care, police, charities and other agencies.
· Assess the needs and risk of victims of sexual violence, offering information about their options to enable them to make an informed decision about their care
· Manage referrals as needed
· Maintain records of all cases and provide data as requested and contribute to monitoring information for the project. Making senior managers aware of any successes or escalate issue.
Consider child protection issues when engaging with clients assaulted in a domestic setting and follow child protection policies
Support colleagues, through peer supervision, and partner agencies, through awareness raising and institutional advocacy, to provide the best possible service to victims of sexual violence
Work within a multi-agency setting and keep the client’s safety central to all coordinated responses.
Respect the diversity of the community in which the project works, and support clients to access services on an equitable basis
Working for our organisation
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) was established in 2003 and is a large integrated health care organisation providing high quality acute secondary healthcare for the people of East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen.
We employ 10,000 staff, some of whom are award winning and internationally renowned for their work and achievements. We treat over 700,000 patients a year from the most serious of emergencies to planned operations and procedures. Our high quality healthcare services are offered across five hospital sites and various community sites.
We have a total of 1041 beds:
- 709 beds at Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital
- 240 beds at Burnley General Teaching Hospital
- 32 beds at Clitheroe Community hospital
- 67 beds at Pendle Community Hospital
At ELHT our objectives are to:
- Put safety and quality at the heart of everything we do
- Invest in and develop our workforce
- Work with key stakeholders to develop effective partnerships
- Encourage innovation and pathway reform, and deliver best practice
Our values are:
- Put patients first
- Respect the individual
- Act with integrity
- Serve the community
- Promote positive change
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To provide support and safety planning to victim’s sexual violence and domestic abuse
Follow appropriate pathways for referrals into community services.· Contribute to the development and maintaining of health’s role in service provision for victims of Sexual Violence.
To provide guidance and training about the service to health professionals in order for them to identify and refer potential victims of SVA
· To maintain key working relationship with professionals including but not limited to health, social care, police, charities and other agencies.
· Liaison with and working in conjunction with a variety of internal departments and external agencies..
· Assess the needs and risk of victims of sexual violence, offering information about their options to enable them to make an informed decision about their care
· Provide impartial and accurate information on reporting to the police and/or civil justice remedies;
· Operate within legal and professional boundaries at all times and ensure a thorough understanding of the legal limitations of ISVA support.
· Work with victims of sexual violence to help them access services to keep them safe
· Make sure that ISVA national standards and procedures are observed, particularly those relating to safe practice, confidentiality, and information sharing.
· Manage referrals as needed
· Maintain records of all cases and provide data as requested and contribute to monitoring information for the project. Making senior managers aware of any successes or escalate issue.
· Follow procedures and protocols with other services so that the safety of the clients is kept central to any process
· Consider child protection issues when engaging with clients assaulted in a domestic setting and follow child protection policies
· Support colleagues, through peer supervision, and partner agencies, through awareness raising and institutional advocacy, to provide the best possible service to victims of sexual violence
· Promote the Health ISVA service externally and represent the organisation when required.
· Engage with regional ISVA colleagues and specialist agencies to share learning and best practice
· Work within a multi-agency setting and keep the client’s safety central to all coordinated responses.
· To demonstrate a strong commitment to delivering high standards to the service with an emphasis on quality at all times
· Respect the diversity of the community in which the project works, and support clients to access services on an equitable basis
· Comply with legal, regulatory, ethical and social requirements.
· Promote a health and safety culture within the workplace.
· Attend line management supervision and clinical supervision.
· Be able to work flexible hours where necessary.
· To be responsible for improving your performance by participating in the
continuous Personal Development (CPD) process with your manager.
Person specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential criteria
- GSCE English and Maths (grade C or above) or equivalent
- An approved and accredited ISVA qualification or willingness to work towards an accredited ISVA qualification
Desirable criteria
- Teaching/training qualification or experience
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Skills and Ability
Essential criteria
- Excellent communication skills with ability to communicate effectively across all disciplines
- Ability to work in partnership, network, influence, problem solve, overcome barriers and apply solution focused approaches
- Good time management skills with ability to work under pressure and to deadlines.
- Excellent presentation skills with ability to support and educate others in relation to sexual violence and domestic abuse.
- Ability to work well within a team and under own initiative
- Ability to maintain professional boundaries with service users and staff
- Computer IT literate
Experience and Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Experience of working with victims of sexual violence or similar trauma and supporting victims
- Knowledge of Sexual Violence; its impact on victims and their children. Including child protection and legal responsibilities
- Has an understanding of the myths and facts of sexual violence, rape trauma syndrome, the long term mental health effects of sexual violence, self-harm, suicidal feelings and attempts
- Knowledge of perpetrators abusive behaviours within relationships including family relationships, male victims, same sex relationships and older adults.
- Good understanding of the criminal justice system and civil options available to victims
- A good understanding of the importance of confidentiality and safeguarding.
- Experience of advocacy work including undertaking of risk and needs assessment, safety and support planning and management of cases where complex/multiple needs are present.
- Knowledge and understanding of legal frameworks, national and local policies and strategies in all aspects of violence against women and girls and in particular in relation to Health’s statutory responsibilities.
- Experience in working collaboratively with other professionals and agencies with complex issues and in complex situations
Desirable criteria
- Experience of managing projects
- Thorough knowledge of safeguarding practice, procedures and legislation
Personal Attributes
Essential criteria
- Highly motivated and enthusiastic
- Adaptable, flexible and approachable
- Knowledge and confidence around escalation, respectful professional challenge and conflict resolution
Other
Essential criteria
- Access to a vehicle for work purposes – ability to travel and provide cross-site cover
- Flexible working to meet the needs of the service around 9am to 5pm core hours
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Catherine Walton
- Job title
- Named Midwife for Safeguarding
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01282 803125
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