This Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist post sits within the adult services of Keech Hospice, which provides free specialist palliative care to adults in Bedfordshire. The senior role combines hands-on clinical work with management oversight of the adult service, including inpatient referrals and mentoring junior staff. What sets it apart is a 5-day outpatient symptom control clinic rota, weekend and bank holiday duty cover, and teaching responsibilities at a teaching hospice. Applicants need NMC registration and a non-medical prescribing qualification, or willingness to undertake one.
What the job involves
- Act as the point of contact for inpatient referrals, managing the full referral process and coordinating admissions to the Adult Inpatient Unit
- Provide management oversight of the adult service while on duty, keeping service needs met safely
- Take day-to-day responsibility for inpatients with the duty doctor, including assessment, planning, daily review and discharge preparation
- Run nurse-led outpatient symptom control clinics on a 5-day rota, with signposting and triage
- Act as a specialist resource for healthcare professionals, patients and carers, liaising with referrers and primary care
- Mentor junior colleagues, including probation, 1:1 and appraisal reviews, and coach them through competency programmes
- Lead parallel planning discussions with patients and families, as agreed at multidisciplinary meetings
- Provide senior clinical support across adult services on weekend and bank holiday duty, working with the duty doctor
- Deputise for the Lead Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist and support unit management and shift leaders
- Investigate complaints, incidents and accidents as requested, and respond to complaints under hospice policy
- Maintain own clinical competencies and deliver teaching and education programmes within and outside the hospice
- Lead or take part in audit, research and the development of policies for the non-medical prescriber role
Qualifications
- Degree in healthcare or a relevant subject
- Palliative care qualification, or significant relevant experience
- Non-medical prescriber qualification, or willingness to undertake one
- Principles of physical assessment and diagnosis, or willingness to undertake
Registration & licences
- NMC registration (RN level 1)
Experience
- Understanding of the specialist palliative and end of life care philosophy
- Team and service management
- Clinical audit
- Teaching health and social care professionals
- Presentation experience to a wider audience, with good IT skills
- Identified specialism of clinical expertise
Skills & knowledge
- Advanced nursing skills in assessment, care planning and symptom management
- Advanced communication skills
- Excellent organisational and time management
- Leadership skills
- Competent in catheterisation (male and female), CSCI, IV administration, venepuncture, cannulation and blood transfusion, or willing to achieve competency
Nice to have
- Teaching qualification
- Management training
- Service development experience
- Change management experience
- Current non-medical prescriber working as a palliative care practitioner
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Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist employer: Keech Hospice Care
Keech Hospice is an exceptional employer, offering a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the lives of individuals and families facing end-of-life challenges. With a strong commitment to employee well-being, the organisation provides flexible working hours, generous leave policies, and a supportive work culture that fosters personal and professional growth. Located in Luton, Keech Hospice not only champions compassionate care but also empowers its staff to lead innovative fundraising strategies, ensuring a lasting legacy for future generations.
