Band 8a - Vascular Access Lead Nurse in Watford

Main area: Infection Control
Grade: Band 8a
Contract: Fixed term – 12 months (from 1st July 2026)
Hours:

• Full time
• Flexible working

37.5 hours per week
Job ref: 360-E-11150-A

Department: West Herts – General Staffing Site
Watford Hospital, Watford
Salary: £59,798 – £67,020 pa (inc. HCA)
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 29/07/2026 23:59

Job overview

We are looking for an experienced Vascular Access Practitioner to serve as lead for the service for a fixed period. The role involves teaching healthcare professionals and patients, reviewing patients pre‑ and post‑PICC line insertion, and supporting patients and staff with all aspects of vascular access.

If you do not meet the criteria for the Lead Vascular Access position (Band 8a) we would welcome interest for the Band 7 post (salary £51,657 – £58,785 per annum inc. HCA).

Main duties of the job

You will be the Lead Nurse for Vascular access based at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals, Watford site, as part of the Infection Prevention and Control multidisciplinary team. The post-holder will work autonomously as a consulting clinical specialist to provide patient‑centred care, including advanced clinical assessments, device selection, insertion, and ongoing management.

As the lead of the service, you will advocate for innovative ways of working, develop, implement and maintain policies, guidelines and protocols, and lead educational initiatives. The job also includes managerial duties of vascular access service members, per human resources protocols.

The main objective is to prevent vascular‑access related hospital‑acquired infections. You will manage a hospital database and a surveillance programme to maintain high standards and implement strategies to reduce complications.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Act as the lead specialist to healthcare professionals across the Trust for all matters of vascular access.

Lead the vascular access service and manage its members.

Provide mentorship for the specialised area of IV therapy and intravascular devices.

Member of the OPAT (Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy) and Infection Prevention and Control MDT, providing vascular access expertise and promoting IVOS (intravenous to oral switch).

Report into the Infection Prevention and Control MDT and governance structures.

Identify key personnel for advanced vascular access skill training.

Develop a hospital‑wide training strategy in collaboration with relevant teams and the Training and Education Department.

Oversee the vascular access service budget and finances, including supplies for PICC/midline insertions.

Create new pathways to reduce re‑admissions via A&E and support Virtual Hospital.

Maintain in‑depth knowledge and extensive clinical experience of intravascular access devices.

Be highly skilled in peripheral cannulation and midline/PICC insertion, and knowledgeable of tunnelled intravascular access device insertion and peripherally inserted port‑a‑caths where required.

Advise and support healthcare professionals in the utilisation of IV therapy resources and services.

Support holistic management of therapeutic interventions using multiple decision‑making approaches.

Identify appropriate patients requiring a central venous access device and consult with medical staff as needed.

Liaise with clinical teams and the Infection Prevention and Control team regarding infected CVAD sites and multi‑resistance prevention and management.

Initiate, participate in and promote activities that contribute to IV therapy nursing/medical research and/or audit.

Create and facilitate nurse‑led clinics for outpatients with indwelling CVADs and manage any complications.

The core hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm at the Watford Hospital site.

Person specification

Education and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in nursing (preferably adult)
• Master’s degree relevant to healthcare
• Certificate in education, teaching and assessing
• Evidence of advanced vascular access clinical skills
• Nurse Prescribing Course or intention to work towards it

Knowledge

• Extensive experience within vascular access speciality
• Understanding of anatomy and physiology related to vascular access and devices
• Familiarity and competence with various vascular access devices
• Ability to assess competency in vascular access
• Experience in change management
• Updated knowledge of infection prevention and control and vascular access devices
• Knowledge and experience in audit

Experience

• Highly specialised expert knowledge of invasive devices and related clinical safety, effectiveness and infection control issues
• Management of all CVADs
• Development and delivery of educational programmes
• Teaching experience

Skills and Ability

• Team management skills
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team
• Computer literacy at a level consistent with everyday use of software programmes, processing, spreadsheets, presentations, email and internet
• Effective written and oral communication skills for all disciplines
• Prescriber competence

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a Disclosure submission to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Contact

Name: Stephanie de Pinto
Job title: Lead CNS Vascular Access
Email address: stephanie.depinto@nhs.net
Telephone: 01923 217029

Address:
Watford General Hospital
Vicarage Road
Watford
Hertfordshire
WD18 0HB
Telephone: 01442 365234