Job overview

Sirona Care & Health is seeking a dedicated and compassionate Community Specialist Nurse to join our Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Assessment Service. This role is full-time, with 37.5 hours per week, although part-time applicants will also be considered. You will be based at out of our Autism Hubs, providing diagnostic assessments to children and young people aged 3-17 years across Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG). Please note that home visits may be required in this position. 

In this role, you will work as part of a clinical team to deliver specialist diagnostic autism assessments for children and young people on the ASD assessment waiting list. You will be responsible for conducting streamlined assessments following triage by an expert clinical team, with assessments taking place in school settings, clinics, and health hubs.

Collaboration will be key as you liaise with other agencies, such as education and social services, as well as professional groups to ensure comprehensive support for the children and young people we work with. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to an important service while making a meaningful difference in the lives of children and families across BNSSG.

Main duties of the job

• Be able to demonstrate a high level of clinical judgement & autonomous practice
• To carry out ASD-specific developmental history-taking with parent/carers.
• To carry out social communication observations and assessments in a clinic, educational or home setting
• To meet with teaching staff to understand the child’s presentation in school
• To observe children in a school setting and provide information from this observation as a contribution to the diagnostic decision making. To use collated information from parent/carers and teaching staff to populate the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) criteria for a diagnosis of ASD
• To have the skill and competency to use collated evidence and information to make a decision about whether or not a child meets the DSM V criteria for the diagnosis of autism.
• To contribute to multidisciplinary diagnostic reports
• To participate in the multidisciplinary diagnostic feedback to families
• To provide clinical advice, interpretation and differential diagnosis on the client group, this includes an analysis of facts and a comparison of a range of options for appropriate intervention.
• To negotiate with carers/clients /others around individual case management, and can recognise breakdown/conflict when occurs and 
• To provide written and/or verbal reports that present clinical information that is accessible for both carers and/or clients and other professional colleagues
•  

Working for our organisation

Ever dreamt about a career that sparks excitement and fosters your professional growth? Picture yourself waking up eager to make a real difference in our community, surrounded by teams who value your unique ideas.

We are Sirona care & health – England’s largest provider of Adult’s and Children’s Community Services and we’d love for you to join us in Bristol, North Somerset or South Gloucestershire.

Agenda for Change Salary, full NHS benefits, 27+ days’ annual leave, and participation in the NHS Pension Scheme – just a glimpse of the benefits you’ll receive.

We welcome and encourage all applicants. We are committed to having a workforce that reflects the communities we support and are proactively seeking to improve the diversity of our workforce. We know diversity fosters creativity and innovation.

We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong. We aim to draw upon the widest possible range of views and experiences to meet the changing needs of our colleagues, partners and communities we serve.

Whether you're starting your journey in healthcare, looking for a fresh challenge within the NHS, or contemplating a career change, don't be daunted by the prospect of something different – we create development opportunities for all our colleagues and apprentices.

Interested? View our benefits leaflet which you can find attached to this vacancy.