School Health Centre Manager
Overall Purpose
The Health Centre is a purpose-built medical facility which opened in September 2023 and provides space and facilities for a range of wellbeing support for pupils including physiotherapy and counselling, and provides a warm and welcoming space for pupils to recuperate.
The Health Centre Manager is responsible for managing the day-to-day operational activities of Canford’s busy Health Centre, ensuring that the team provide a clinically effective, high-quality service for pupils health and wellbeing. This includes medical assessments, evaluation, treatment and support for ongoing medical conditions as well as supporting pupils with daily challenges and minor injuries.
In addition, the Health Centre Manager is responsible for ensuring compliance of all medical records, developing and implementing medical policies and procedures, and for maintaining positive working relationships with the medical team, other staff, parents and pupils.
Duties
Management
- Adhere to NMC Code of Conduct for nurses and be conversant with the scope of professional practice and other NMC advisory papers.
- Liaise regularly with the School Doctors and ensure the smooth running of the GP clinics.
- Responsibility for ensuring all medical and pupil records are kept up to date online and ensure appropriate liaison with parents and relevent medical professionals takes place.
- Organise and liaise with other medical establishments as required, for external pupil health care.
- Continually assess requirements within the Health Centre for additional support required e.g. Counselling services or Physiotherapy.
- Manage the administrative requirements of the Health Centre and update procedures as necessary.
- Support introduction of new technology for management of Health Centre practice records.
- Ensure that records kept comply with the School’s Data Protection Policy.
- Ensure medical information and parental consent forms on entry to the school and at agreed stages of the school career are obtained in a timely manner and retained, keeping the Deputy Head Pastoral informed of any missing information
- Ensure any complaints are handled professionally and in line with school procedures.
- Provide confidential advice and support to all pupils and staff as necessary while remaining mindful of the contextual safeguarding in a boarding school setting.
- Responsible for the management of the Medical Centre budget, liaise with the Director of Finance as necessary.
- Develop, review annually and revise medical policies and procedures.
- Ensure adequate medical supplies and equipment are purchased and maintained. Ensure safe storage, usage and disposal in line with relevant policies and procedures.
Staff and clinical practice
- Act as a role model and motivate team members to work towards innovative high
- Responsible for ensuring that the Health Centre staff rota provides appropriately qualified members of staff to meet the demands of the School’s operation, 24/7 during term-time.
- Pro-actively manage the team of 6/7 Nurses, the Health Care Assistants and alternative therapists, ensuring timely communication of information and that handovers between shifts are effectively managed.
- Responsible for ensuring a high standard of nursing care of all patients attending the Health Centre.
- Continually assess training and development needs to ensure that the Health Centre continues to offer first class medical care in line with the NMC Code for Nurses and Guidance.
- Complete regular audits and be responsible for the continuous professional development and appraisals of the Health Centre staff.
- In conjunction with Human Resources, responsible for the recruitment and selection of the Health Centre staff.
- To support the Health Centre team to assess and implement in-patient care of pupils and provision of first-aid and emergency care to the highest standards.
- To continually liaise with appropriate medical professionals regarding pupil health, including local hospitals, medical officers and other healthcare facilities. In addition to use professional judgement to ensure that interested parties are advised of specific situations as quickly as possible.
- Facilitate medical training for staff as appropriate to include annual anaphylaxis training.
Health & Safety
- Responsibility for health and safety within the Health Centre and involvement with the Health and Safety advisor on issues affecting staff, pupils or the environment.
- Ensure all accidents either on site or in School related activities externally are reported in accordance with HSE guidelines.
- Maintain up to date records on all hazardous substances used and stored in the Health Centre.
- Responsible for maintaining treatment room stock and hygiene equipment and be aware of recommended storage and disposal guidelines.
- Ensure that first aid supplies and medical kits are checked and replenished annually or as requested.
- Ensure Medical Centre staff liaise with trip leaders regarding pupils’ medical Provide first aid kits and medication for external trips and visits as required.
- Attend termly H&S Committee meetings.
Within the Safeguarding Team:
- To be a DDSL for the school and act as part of the safeguarding team. This involves attending a weekly safeguarding review meeting.
- Keep up to date with the DDSL Training requirements – Level 3.
- Review emails from MyConcern
- Liaise with the safeguarding and pastoral teams regarding any concerns about individual pupils as needed.
- Stay up to date with your own professional knowledge and understanding but attending local forums and online training.
- Ensure the code of confidentiality is maintained.
- Maintain records on the School’s safeguarding system MyConcern.
- Ensure that the Health Centre team understand their responsibility to report any safeguarding concerns, including low-level to the DSL and or in accordance with safeguarding procedures.
Within the Housemasters and Matrons’ Teams:
- Maintain direct contact with parents and housemasters where necessary.
- Ensure correct procedures and records are maintained both in the Health Centre and in the Boarding and Day houses for the dispensing of medication and controlled drugs. Provide training to staff as necessary.
- Promote health education throughout the School, keeping up to date on current health promotion initiatives, ensuring that the Health Centre staff are aware of on any such initiatives.
- Liaise with Housemasters and the Head of PSHE and input into the School’s educational provision.
- To be an advocate for positive mental and physical health promotion in the school, liaising with the School’s Health & Wellbeing staff.
- To support pupils with disabilities (including hidden disabilities), chronic and acute health conditions, formulating individual health care plans and liaising with the pastoral team and the pupil, as well as community primary health care teams and advisory services as required.
- Support pupils who are returning to school after a significant period of illness.
- Consider having a linked nurse as a point of reference for each house, to provide open professional dialogue between the Nurse and house staff to discuss pupils needs and medication.
- Attend Hsm and Matron meetings as required.
Knowledge / Experience
- Registered General Nurse
- NMC Registration and Current PIN
- Membership of the Royal College of Nursing
- Evidence of continuous professional development
- BSc (Hons) or BA (Hons) in health-related field
- Qualified Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL)
- Current First Aid Certificate
- At least 2 years in an operational leadership and management role within a medical establishment, or similar environment
- Experience of managing and supporting a team of nurses/medical staff
- Experience in sports injury, minor illness, adolescent mental health, chronic disease management (eg: asthma, eczema, diabetes, epilepsy, anaphylaxis)
- Knowledge of legislative requirements in a school setting, including HSE, ISI/Ofsted etc
- Experience of providing support and guidance to staff and pupils in Child Protection and Safeguarding matters
- Must be IT literate with good administration skills
- A strong work ethic and ability to prioritise competing demands
- A passion for working within the School community and to continuously develop a first-class medical provision in line with the needs of the School
- A collaborative approach to working both as a team with Health Centre colleagues and the wider staffing community
- An ability to effectively and respectfully challenge staff, pupils and the team when required.
- A desire to continuously update and improve processes and provision within the Health Centre, within regulatory and professional guidelines.
- A friendly, caring and approachable manner for pupils and staff
- Trustworthy and able to maintain confidentiality aware of GDPR
- Excellent communication skills (both written and oral)
- Willing to undergo further training as required by the position
Canford School is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion in all areas of our Community and encourages applications from all suitably qualified candidates.
Canford School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
The successful applicant will be required to undergo child protection screening.
