Dementia and Delirium Specialist Nurse | Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust in Knowsley

Dementia and Delirium Specialist Nurse | Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

• Company: St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
• Job type: Permanent
• Posting date: 4 Aug 2026

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Dementia and Delirium Specialist Nurse to join our team.

A Dementia and Delirium Specialist Nurse evaluates, plans, and supports person-centred care for patients admitted with acute confusion, delirium, or living with dementia.

They act as expert clinical advisors to ward teams, provide hands-on training to hospital staff, and offer guidance and reassurance to distressed patients and their families

• To support staff in identifying signs, facilitating assessment, information gathering and formulating individual care plans for patients living with dementia or who have a diagnosis of delirium.
• To support staff and teams across the Trust in providing the safest and best environment possible when caring for patients with dementia or delirium.
• Provide support and advice for patients, relatives and carers of patients with dementia or delirium.
• Provide education, support and advice to staff caring for patients with dementia and delirium.
• Support delivery of the dementia strategy in Mersey West Lancashire NHS Trust and input into the development of the strategy and service developments.
• Support service change and development in line with best practice for dementia and delirium.

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 10,500 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.

Our services

Acute Care

Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.

Primary Care

Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.

Community Services

Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire.

Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation.

We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.

Specialist Regional Services

We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.

• Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
• Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
• National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme.
• To support staff in assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating care for patients at Mersey West Lancs hospitals who have delirium, or live with dementia, for planned and unplanned admission throughout the whole of the journey in the Trust
• To ensure the cognitive screening pathway is implemented appropriately for all patients
• To support staff in assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating care for all patients with delirium or living with dementia, offering advice and support to staff in all areas of the Trust.
• To provide specialist advice and clinical practice in line with the current evidence base.
• To work collaboratively and co-operatively with clinical colleagues to develop service and promote the quality of care delivered, participating in service development.
• To provide and receive complex and sensitive information to patients and relatives or carers, including to people living with dementia or with a diagnosis of delirium who have barriers to communication and may be distressed.
• To provide empathy and reassurance, support and education to patients and their relatives or carers especially those who are newly diagnosed or demonstrating significant deterioration which can be highly complex, distressing, and sensitive, overall improving and delivering a positive patient, family and carer experience.
• To demonstrate specialist knowledge specifically about dementia but including delirium, communication, carer support, best practice and initiatives which include the care provided to patients living with dementia or diagnosed with delirium.
• CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
• To assist in the development of policies and protocols relevant to the speciality and work within the guidelines and policies set.
• To assist in manpower studies and the collection and collation of statistical data for audit purposes such as the National Audit od dementia, hospital passport, forget-me-not and clinical audits to inform service development and change.
• To work with all areas, staff groups and departments who provide care for patients living with dementia supporting their dementia care provision and education.
• To ensure optimal and economical levels and usage of supplies in clinical areas – monitor the resources and devices for patients living with dementia ensuring that they are maintained and monitoring of stock of equipment and resources.
• Ensure compliance with the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and any other associated legislation.
• To assist in setting and monitoring the achievement of dementia standards and objectives in line with local policies and Trust Strategy.
• To promote dementia and delirium related quality initiatives within the Trust and be aware of current local and national drivers.
• To participate in the monitoring and measuring of the quality of dementia care provision in the Trust relating to hospital passports, forget-me-nots, individualised care plans and support for carers and relatives.
• To inform Matron if acceptable levels of care, standards, practice and patient safety cannot be sustained.
• To deputise for the Dementia lead in his/her absence.
• To promote effective lines of communication with other departments within the Trust.
• To assist in setting and monitoring standards of care and intervention within the speciality.
• To act in a consultative capacity on care and service provision matters within the speciality.
• To liaise with medical staff and other disciplines on the management of patients with dementia and delirium.
• To be responsible for assessing, planning, implementation and evaluation of patient care for those with delirium or dementia.
• To promote the involvement of patients and their relatives in the management and evaluation of care.
• To have shared responsibility for the delivery of patient care by all members of the MDT on the ward/department
• To undertake appropriate training to expand clinical skills and knowledge relevant to the speciality
• To ensure that patient care is delivered within the individual’s Scope of Professional Practice.
• To ensure compliance with all Trust Risk, Infection Control and Risk Management Policies and Procedures.
• To maintain Professional Registration.
• To adhere to the individual’s relevant Code of Professional Practice.
• ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
• To ensure accurate record keeping in line with Trust and Professional Body Standards and in adherence with Information Governance requirements
• TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSIBILITIES
• To promote and environment conducive to learning
• To assess learning and developmental needs of members of staff specifically in dementia care provision, risk factors, identification, assessment, management, intervention and support.
• To assist in the development, implementation and monitoring of programmes od speciality-based teaching ensuring learning objectives are achieves – specifically in line with the Core Skills Framework at Tier 1 and 2.
• LINE MANAGEMENT/SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
• To assess and plan action to meet individual development needs.
• To assist in the planning and implementation of orientation programmes of Trust Staff specifically delivering Tier 2 dementia training
• To encourage and motivate ward/departmental staff on personal and professional development at all levels
• To deploy and utilise staff resources effectively and efficiently
• To support and counsel members of the Dementia team
• To provide support and advice to staff who also have a caring role for a loved one with dementia, escalating concerns regarding health and wellbeing to the consultant Admiral Nurse to manage appropriately.
• RESEARCH & AUDIT
• To develop and implement methods of auditing practice within own speciality
• To initiate/participate in local research to inform practice and ensure compliance with current evidence base and best practice guidelines
• To introduce and apply research findings to ward/department, training and practice where relevant
• To promote and disseminate local/national/international research findings to other ward/units/forums/departments.
• This advert closes on Monday 31 Aug 2026
• Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
• About Disability Confident

Disability Confident is a government scheme. It encourages employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term health conditions.

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