MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE ASSOCIATION
JOB DESCRIPTION
POST TITLE:
Regional Care Development Adviser
TEAM:
Care
RESPONSIBLE TO:
Regional Delivery Manager
JOB PURPOSE:
To work proactively with statutory, voluntary and independent
sector providers to promote and influence provision of timely and
equitable access to a co-ordinated network of care for people with
MND and their carers that meets the Association’s standards of
care within the designated region
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
 Promote and influence availability of the services that lead to achievement of the Association’s
standards of care for people with MND and their carers within the designated region to ensure
timely and equitable access to:
-
a multidisciplinary team
equipment via statutory services
nutritional and respiratory management
palliative care
support for carers
social care

Ensure that Association Visitors (AVs) within the region are able to provide effective frontline
support to people living with MND (plwMND)

Work in partnership with the local Care Network teamto influence the achievement of the
Association’s strategic objectives building an integrated and coordinated network of care
throughout the region

Gather and share with colleagues, as appropriate, local intelligence on matters relating to the care
of people affected by MND within the designated region, in order to contribute to the development
of policy, practice and influencing strategies within the Association

Implement the Association’s education plan within the region promoting and influencing the ability
of statutory health and community care and independent sector service providers to understand the
impact of MND, and plan and deliver the highest standards of care (in relation to the above
priorities)

Maintain clinical/social care knowledge and expertise in the overall management of the disease,
appropriate services and standards of care

Ensure that all functions are performed with due regard to the Association’s policy on Equality and
Diversity and other policies, and to undertake any other duties as required within the job purpose.
January 2016

To raise regional awareness of the Department of Health Information Standard certification for care
information as produced at David Niven House and ensure the marker is not being used
inappropriately in their area
Key areas of activity: to be realistically prioritised with the Regional Delivery Manager dependent
upon access to, and availability of, local care standards within the statutory services, volunteer
resources and development opportunities within the specific region. Many areas of activity overlap
Promote and influence the Association’s standards of care, through:
 taking/making opportunities to influence health and social care decision makers on matters
relating to the care of people affected by MND contributing to local policy development and
implementation of national guidelines, e.g.: the NICE guidelines and relevant policy for people
with neurological conditions in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. This would be in
partnership with the Campaigns Managers
The development of a co-ordinated team of Association Visitors:
Working with Volunteer Development Coordinators (VDCs), and other Association colleagues:
 assist on the recruitment of AVs
 lead the development of co-ordinated AV teams to provide effective support to people living
with MND in partnership with health and social care professionals (ie: Model of Care)
 identify and provide support in the appointment of potential AV Co-ordinators (AVC)
 support the delivery of AV induction training, development/update programmes and the training
programme for AVCs in full, providing training as appropriate to enhance skills, knowledge and
expertise
 ensure the provision of effective day-to-day support of AVs through:
- AV Co-ordinators
- the Care Information Service
- MND Connect
- directly, in the absence of the above
- provide regular support meetings for the AV Co-ordinators
Work strategically with Care Centre/Network Programme:
 participate as a key member of the Care Network management/steering group
 identify potential key members of the MND regional network from local individuals/teams of
health and social care professionals to ensure the regional network is representative of all
disciplines within health, social services and the voluntary sector
 promote the development of effective communication channels across the network to enable
the spread of good practice
 identify areas which require further development to meet the Association’s standards of care,
working with the Care Network team to develop systems to promote the spread of good
practice
 promote effective links between the Care Network and the MND Association locally and
nationally ensuring:
- the Care Network team are aware of the MND Association’s priorities
- the MND Association locally and nationally is aware of any developments within the Care
Network thus enabling the sharing of good practice and avoiding duplication of initiatives, ie
education or literature
January 2016
Advising the Association:
 joint working with the Campaigns Manager on the specified national priorities, including
participation in working groups developing the influencing and campaigning activity (as
appropriate and relevant to expertise)
 capture the experience of plwMND via AV teams in accessing timely and appropriate care
services, and proactively influence the development of services
 maintain accurate records and statistical data to inform colleagues within Care Information
Service, Support Services (Equipment Loan, Support Grants and Care Admin) about key local
contacts, and services
Educational activity:
 work in partnership with the Head of Information and Education, Care Network Coordinators,
and regional colleagues to deliver the educational plan within the region
 develop the network of Special Interest Groups with the key aim of promoting and influencing
the Association’s standards of care locally
 review and identify the educational needs of health and social care professionals within the
region in order to inform the planning and implementation of the Association’s educational plan
regionally and nationally as appropriate
 identify and link with training leads within statutory and independent sector organisations to
inform the development of their training plans and inclusion of topics relevant to the
management of MND.
Partnership development:
 underpinning the above activity is the intention to work in partnership with organisations to
enhance service provision, and influencing. This would include:
- identifying and developing potential partners within the statutory and voluntary sectors
in order to enhance the standard of care for plwMND through service development eg:
Hospices, Carers Trust
- working with other organisations, e.g. regional neurological alliances, to influence
access to services in a timely and equitable manner
Maintain clinical knowledge and expertise:
The focus of the Regional Care Development Adviser (RCDA) role is to promote and influence the
achievement of the Association’s standards of care. It will be important that RCDAs have, and
maintain, a level of relevant professional knowledge/experience about the overall management of the
disease, availability of, and access, to services. It is anticipated that this will be achieved and
maintained through a variety of ways, e.g.:
 education and training opportunities
 local intelligence gathered via volunteers supporting plwMND
 involvement in advising on management of plwMND with complex needs, and
 involvement in face to face contact with plwMND (if no other statutory
services or locally
based support is available)
January 2016