Band 6 Community Nurse Specialist

We have an exciting opportunity for Band 6 Palliative Nurse Specialists to join our Community Nursing teams. We are a supportive and dynamic team delivering outstanding palliative care to people in our community. You will need knowledge and experience of palliative care, confident decision‑making skills and a passion to continuously improve and develop. This role is primarily advisory, with minimal hands‑on nursing care. The Community Nurse Specialist Team support a complex patient caseload of 400‑450 patients and work 7.5 hr days Monday to Friday with a regular commitment to the weekend/ bank holiday rota. We can offer either full or part‑time hours (37.5 or 30 hours per week).

Main duties of the job

• Holistic assessment face to face and by phone;
• Problem solving, decision making, symptom control and prescribing advice;
• Independent prescribing;
• Advance care planning and completion of Respect plus;
• Joint working / liaison referral / signposting with internal and external MDT;
• Initial bereavement support.

You will be given excellent support to develop your nursing skills into a specialist role. There are opportunities for professional development and specialist training in palliative care, including Independent Prescribing.

Benefits

NHS Agenda for Change benefits such as NHS equivalent salaries, generous holiday entitlement and recognition for previous NHS service (up to 33 days for 10 years' service), continuation in the NHS pension scheme for existing members, recognition of previous NHS service for sick pay.

Job responsibilities

• Take and analyse a clinical history in a relevant, succinct and logical manner either remotely or face to face;
• Independently assess the patients needs, identify their priorities and work with the patient and those close to them towards achieving them;
• Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the options for achieving control of symptoms and the ability to make safe clinical decisions and offer advice to the primary health care team;
• Provide information to patients, taking account of their individual needs, taking advice from those who are close to them, colleagues and external professionals where appropriate;
• Refer to other members of the hospice multi‑professional team;
• Refer/signpost patients and carers to other health and social care professionals where appropriate;
• Demonstrate an ability to explore the personal resources of families/carers to facilitate where possible that patients are cared for in the place of their choice;
• Support and coach carers at home in managing a relative whose condition is deteriorating;
• Recognise and manage palliative care emergencies;
• Bring closure to the nurse‑patient relationship and provide for a safe transition to another care provider as appropriate;
• Act as a resource to other professionals, both internally and externally, on specialist palliative care and end of life care issues;
• Be involved with and support MDT meetings when required;
• Deputise for team leader;
• Work collaboratively with clinical and administrative colleagues to provide a responsive and patient‑centred service;
• Recognise the impact of caring for dying patients on yourself, internal and external colleagues and offer / seek support.

Potential Additional Clinical Responsibilities

The post holder may undertake additional responsibilities when they have passed the relevant module and using the skills in current practice, as below:

• In addition, to practice Non‑Medical Prescribing, the post holder must be registered as a Non‑Medical Prescriber with the Nursing and Midwifery Council;
• Use physical assessment and clinical reasoning skills as part of patient assessment and to support clinical advice, professional communication and documentation;
• Perform Non‑Medical prescribing within area of competence and practice according to local policy.

Person Specification

• Current NMC registration;
• Communication skills training, or willingness to undertake;
• Valid UK driving licence;
• Mentoring training.

Experience

• Minimum 2 years post registration;
• Recent significant palliative care experience;
• Possess a working knowledge of clinical governance and evidence‑based practice;
• Possess a working knowledge of safeguarding individuals who are at risk;
• Possess a sound knowledge of issues related to the provision of palliative care in the community;
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of relevant statutory and voluntary agencies and organisational structure;
• Experience of holding conversations around advance care planning;
• Experience of audit processes;
• Experience of using EMIS database;
• A knowledge and experience in symptom management for people with malignant and non‑malignant disease.

Additional Criteria

• Possess an ability to analyse complex facts and situations and develop a range of options;
• Problem solving skills and ability to work methodically and flexibly;
• Ability to work to tight and often changing timescales;
• Ability to work autonomously;
• Own and take responsibility for constructive feedback to improve patient care and/or team working;
• Ability to think laterally and be able to cope with uncertainty and change when required;
• Possess an innovative approach and an ability to inspire others;
• Robust emotional resilience to manage excessive exposure to dying people and family/carer distress;
• Ability to maintain a professional, calm and efficient manner with strong self‑management skills;
• Demonstrate ability to work flexibly to meet the challenges and opportunities of working within the hospice environment;
• Demonstrate a commitment to anti‑discriminatory practice and equal opportunities;
• Be able to demonstrate and uphold the hospice values;
• Access to a vehicle for work purposes;
• Computer literate to be able to use Word/Excel/Power Point.

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.