Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist

NHS; London; On-site; GBP 54,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job description

Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist

Salary: AfC Band 7 £54,320 - £60,981 pa dependent on experience (includes HCA Supplement)

Hours: Full time (37.5 hours per week) which include weekends, bank holidays and overnight on call duties.

Royal Trinity Hospice's community catchment area spans across south east, south west and north west London integrated care systems and the team supports patients with identified specialist palliative care needs wherever they call home.

We are looking for an experienced, enthusiastic, and highly motivated individual to take up the post of Clinical Nurse Specialist within our specialist community nursing service.

This post is suited to a nurse with significant experience of caring for patients with life limiting illnesses, and who possesses expertise and skills in holistic assessment, symptom management and psychological support.

As a CNS, you will be a key member of the specialist community nursing team, working with other key members of the MDT to support the coordination and delivery of specialist palliative care to patients on a shared locality team caseload. You will also have responsibility for providing advice, support and education to professionals from key partnership agencies that form part of the wider MDT supporting patients at home.

Main duties of the job

Responsibilities of a Royal Trinity Hospice Palliative Care Nurse Specialist

• To carry out holistic assessments and formulate a plan of care which addresses the identified SPC priorities of the patient and is in accordance with their expressed wishes and any pre-existing medical care.
• To provide specialist support to the families and carers of individual patients, considering their physical, psychosocial and spiritual needs.
• To communicate and liaise with the patient's usual care team including their GP, District Nurses, existing specialist palliative care professionals, and hospital teams to report on the condition and needs of the patients and any changes to the plan of care.
• To provide training and education in a wide range of specialist palliative care topics to non-specialist professionals.

About us

• We match Agenda for Change/NHS terms and conditions for maternity, paternity and long-term sickness pay.
• Length of service for those joining directly from another CQC regulated organisation (NHS, social care, hospice) is recognised in annual leave, maternity, paternity and long-term sickness pay.
• A pension scheme is offered with employer contributions of up to 7.5% or a continuation of your existing NHS pension.
• A generous 27 days annual leave increasing to 29 after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years, plus bank holidays (any bank holidays worked will be given back in lieu).
• Cycle to work scheme and interest-free season ticket loans available.
• Free eyesight test for DSE users and a contribution towards the cost of glasses.
• 25% store discount in Trinity shops.
• Life assurance cover.
• Lots of opportunities to attend exciting and high-profile events e.g. a staff lottery to attend our regular biannual Gala dinner; participating in Royal visits, and the annual summer garden party.
• Regular ballots for donated free tickets and prizes.
• Access to courses of free counselling.

Job responsibilities

Main Job Purpose

• To carry out comprehensive holistic needs assessments of patients, carers and families referred to Community Services to understand their immediate and ongoing priorities, concerns and goals in relation to their palliative and end of life care needs. Deliver expert evidence-based patient-centred advice, care and support working in close collaboration with other health and social care professionals.
• Utilise advanced communication skills to communicate information which may be distressing to individual patients, carers and families.
• Provide expert advice, care and information to patients and their carers which is appropriate to their needs and in accordance with their priorities.
• Receive and convey sometimes highly complex and highly sensitive information to relevant stakeholders (where due consent is provided), often including detailed clinical information which may be contentious requiring empathetic and reassurance skills to address barriers to acceptance.
• Establish excellent internal working relationships with peers and colleagues.
• Be resilient to manage individuals and groups (staff, patients, formal meetings and the public) who are emotionally distressed, angry, and/or in conflict with the information given to them.
• Ensure the specific needs of the patient are addressed in a timely manner through liaison with colleagues within Community Services, wider-Trinity services, GPs/District Nurses and other external agencies.
• Establish excellent relationships with clinical colleagues within the NHS and other institutions, providing relevant information about Trinity services in order to facilitate patient access to hospice services.
• Regularly teach about the palliative care needs and management of patients with a life limiting illness at both internal and external training sessions.
• Actively participate in local and national palliative and end of life care professional networks.

For more information, please find Job Description, Person specification and Recruitment pack attached.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse
• Evidence of continued professional development
• Additional training in Palliative and end of life care.
• Skills training or working towards.
• Advanced Communications skills training or working.
• Bachelors degree in palliative care or a related subject.
• Evidence of masters level learning or prepared to work.
• Research qualification.

Experience

• IT literate
• Teaching/assessment and presentation skills
• Organisation and negotiation skills
• Ability to motivate self and others
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team
• Evidence of ability to use advanced communication skills
• Driving Licence (desirable)

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Depending on experience includes high cost area supplements.