Hospice at Home Team Leader in Kidderminster

Full time | Permanent | 37.5 hrs per week | Hours of work between 08:30 and 22:00 across 5 days Monday to Sunday. Shift patterns will vary weekly to meet service needs and may include night shifts and on‑call duties.

Main duties of the job

Purpose of the Post

The Hospice at Home Team Leader is an exciting new position at KEMP Hospice, offering the opportunity to be directly involved in the implementation and launch of our new Hospice at Home service, a significant and inspiring development for our community. The post holder will provide clinical, operational, and professional leadership to ensure the delivery of high‑quality, compassionate, patient‑centred palliative and end‑of‑life care in the community. The role combines clinical expertise with service coordination and team leadership, holding a patient caseload, managing shifts, and ensuring safe, effective, holistic care for patients and their families. The post‑holder will contribute to the ongoing development and expansion of the Hospice at Home service by advocating for improved patient pathways, supporting strategic planning, and working collaboratively with internal and external partners to drive excellence and positive change. The role also requires proactive support for advance care planning and the consistent modelling of high standards of practice.

About us

Why KEMP? Based in the heart of the Wyre Forest, KEMP Hospice has been providing compassionate care and support to people affected by life‑limiting illness and bereavement for over 50 years. We offer end‑of‑life care, counselling, and emotional support completely free of charge to adults, their families, and carers for as long as they need it. We stand by their side in our day hospice, in their homes, or virtually, during some of life's most challenging moments. At KEMP, we pride ourselves on being a great place to work and volunteer. We prioritise the well‑being of our staff and volunteers, fostering an environment that promotes a healthy work‑life balance. With opportunities for flexible working and a range of employee benefits shaped by the needs of our team, you’ll be joining a passionate, caring, and inclusive organisation that puts people at the heart of everything we do.

Job responsibilities

• Clinical Responsibilities: Conduct comprehensive patient assessments covering physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs. Develop and implement individualised care plans in collaboration with the multi‑professional team. Deliver direct nursing and personal care, maintaining accurate electronic patient records. Perform clinical procedures in line with KEMP policies and guidelines. Assess and manage symptoms, ensuring patient comfort and dignity. Administer prescribed medications safely and effectively. Provide guidance and education to patients and families on disease progression, care options, and end‑of‑life care. Support patient discharge planning and help prevent unnecessary hospital admissions. Facilitate effective communication between patients, families, and healthcare professionals. Advocate for patient preferences, ensuring their wishes are respected. Provide care in various settings, including patient homes, day hospice, and respite support. Conduct discharge visits to support individuals transitioning from hospital or hospice care to home. Work closely with KEMP Clinical Nurse Specialists to coordinate care. Assess new referrals and manage patient discharges when service criteria are no longer met. Maintain comprehensive, timely, and accurate clinical documentation and ensure all records meet legal and organisational standards.
• Leadership & Management: Oversee shift planning, staff scheduling, and allocation of resources. Collaborate with the Care Services Manager and Care Services Administrator to ensure efficient rostering. Support staff recruitment, induction, supervision, and appraisal. Create a positive and happy environment where team members feel valued and supported, ensuring efforts are recognised and rewarded to maintain morale and motivation. Log and investigate complaints and incidents constructively in line with Complaints Policy and relevant people management policies, including addressing underperformance promptly and constructively, escalating to disciplinary, capability or grievance processes when necessary. Maintain clear and effective team communication. Supervise and coordinate nurses, health care support workers and Bank Staff. Provide constructive feedback and contribute to service evaluation and improvement. Be a vocal coach, actively providing guidance and support to staff and volunteers to develop their skills, maximise their potential and productivity. Manage employee records effectively using HRIS system. Support the Head of Care & Quality and the Care Services Manager in the design, development, and implementation of service improvements that enhance care quality, patient experience and operational efficiency. Identify opportunities to expand, redesign, or modernise the Hospice at Home service in response to community needs, emerging best practice, and national guidance. Lead and contribute to pilot projects, quality improvement (QI) initiatives, and audit cycles, ensuring shared learning and continuous improvement across the team. Gather, analyse, and use patient, carer, staff, and stakeholder feedback to inform service development, ensuring services remain responsive, person‑centred, and aligned with local population needs. Ensure all clinical documentation, pathways, policies, and procedures remain up to date, evidence‑based, and aligned with organisational and regulatory standards. Promote a culture of innovation, reflective practice, and continuous learning, encouraging staff to contribute ideas that support service improvement and sustainability. Support the introduction and evaluation of new ways of working, including digital solutions or enhanced care models, to improve service responsiveness, efficiency, and patient outcomes.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain effective working relationships with GPs, District Nurses, Continuing Healthcare teams, acute trusts, social care providers, and voluntary sector organisations to support seamless and coordinated patient care. Represent the Hospice at Home service at internal and external meetings, multidisciplinary discussions, and relevant system forums, ensuring the service is well integrated within local care pathways. Advocate for high‑quality, accessible community palliative and end‑of‑life care, contributing to system‑level discussions and influencing developments that impact patient care. Communicate service achievements, challenges, priorities, and development needs with internal and external stakeholders to ensure a shared understanding and collaborative approach to service improvement. Strengthen relationships with community partners to support holistic, person‑centred care, ensuring patients and families receive coordinated and timely support. Act as an ambassador for KEMP Hospice, consistently promoting the organisations vision, values, purpose, and role within the local health and care system. Participate in joint initiatives, cross‑agency projects, and collaborative working groups, sharing specialist knowledge and representing the Hospice at Home service credibly and professionally.
• Education & Quality Improvement: Share specialist knowledge through training and mentorship. Support research, audit activities, and service evaluations. Take responsibility for health and safety in all care environments, ensuring risks are identified, documented, and escalated promptly, including any concerns relating to equipment, supplies, or property/facilities maintenance. Follow lone‑working and incident reporting procedures to maintain staff and patient safety. Support infection control procedures and audits in the Day Hospice.
• Professional Responsibilities: Maintain professional relationships, confidentiality, and uphold ethical standards. Prioritise workload efficiently, managing time effectively. Engage in continuing professional development. Adhere to the NMC Code of Professional Conduct and maintain best practices.

All KEMP employees are expected to:

• Demonstrate a commitment to their own development, to take advantage of education and training opportunities and develop their own competence.
• Support and encourage harmonious internal and external working relationships.
• Make a positive contribution to fundraising and raising the profile of the Hospice.
• Provide support and advice to colleagues within KEMP within your area of expertise by working closely with the Multi‑disciplinary Team within KEMP.
• Always behave in a professional manner, reflecting and embodying KEMP core Values: We Care – Demonstrating compassion and empathy in all interactions. We are Collaborative – Working as one team across services and with external partners. We are Innovative – Seeking opportunities to enhance and improve service delivery. We are Inclusive – Valuing and respecting individual differences. We have Integrity – Acting with honesty, professionalism, and accountability. We are Sustainable – Supporting long‑term resilience and responsible use of resources.

Person Specification

Qualifications: Registered Nurse (Adult Level 1) with active NMC registration. Evidence of recent relevant post‑basic training and CPD. Car driver with own vehicle and full and valid driving licence. Specialist Palliative Care, Frailty, or Long‑Term Conditions qualification (or willingness to undertake). Advanced Communication Skills training.

Experience: Minimum of 3 years post‑qualification experience. Experience in palliative care and holistic patient assessments. Risk assessment and care planning expertise. Experience using electronic patient records. Collaborative work within multidisciplinary teams. Experience providing end‑of‑life care in community settings. Symptom management and administration of end‑of‑life medications. Supervision or line management experience.

Skills, knowledge, and personal attributes: Communicate effectively and compassionately, reflecting We Care and ensuring positive interactions with patients, families, and colleagues including in sensitive end‑of‑life conversations. Demonstrate honesty, trustworthiness, and reliability, upholding We Have Integrity in all professional actions. Possess strong time management and organisational skills to deliver high‑quality care, embodying We Strive for Excellence. Commit to colleagues, service users, and the team using a non‑judgmental, person‑centred approach living We Are Collaborative and We Are Inclusive. Bring passion and enthusiasm, seeking innovative solutions aligned with We Are Innovative. Respect everyone's uniqueness, fostering inclusivity and a welcoming environment in line with We Are Inclusive. Stay calm and professional under pressure and in crisis situations, showing resilience and compassion even in distressing situations We Care. Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, supporting holistic care as part of We Are Collaborative. Maintain professionalism and accountability, adhering to policies and procedures with We Have Integrity. Provide empathetic, patient‑focused care, in line with We Care. Ensure confidentiality and privacy, maintaining Integrity in all patient interactions. Commit to providing constructive staff appraisals and on‑the‑job coaching to meet to nurture and grow team members – We are Sustainable.

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.