Band 6 Specialist Palliative Care Nurse

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust; Penrith; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27-day holiday scheme rising to 33

NHS Discounts

Salary Sacrifice schemes

Vivup counselling

Job summary

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Band 6 Specialist Palliative Care Nurse to join the Specialist Palliative Care team across East Cumbria. Based between Penrith Hospital and Cumberland Infirmary (Carlisle), the role offers autonomous clinical work with CNSs and the Consultant in Palliative Medicine to deliver compassionate, patient-centred end-of-life care.

The post is 37.5 hours per week, worked over 5 days (Mon-Fri, 08:30-16:30), with opportunities for development

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse (Level 1) with current professional registration.
• Degree-level education or equivalent experience.
• Post-registration qualification in palliative care or relevant field.
• Post-registration qualification in palliative care, oncology, advanced communication or another relevant clinical speciality.

Responsibilities

• Deliver high-quality, person-centred specialist palliative care to patients and families.
• Work alongside CNSs and the Consultant in Palliative Medicine.
• Contribute to assessment, management and review of patients with complex needs.
• Collaborate with hospital teams and community services to ensure safe, coordinated care.
• Contribute to education, training and mentorship within the team.
• Maintain accurate clinical records and documentation.

Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Autonomy

Clinical judgement

Education

Nurse registration (Level 1)

Degree-level education or equivalent

Palliative care qualification

Tools

IT systems

Electronic patient records

Job description

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

Band 6 Specialist Palliative Care Nurse

The closing date is 11 November 2026

An exciting opportunity for a Band 6 Specialist Palliative Care Nurse to join the Specialist Palliative Care team in North Cumbria, working across the East of the county in the community, providing high-quality, person-centred care to patients and their families. The role offers the opportunity to develop specialist palliative care skills, working alongside Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs), the Consultant in Palliative Medicine and the wider multidisciplinary team to support the delivery of compassionate care.

The post holder will manage a clinical caseload, prioritising and responding appropriately to the fluctuating and sometimes unpredictable needs of patients and families. They will work with a high degree of autonomy, using professional judgement and seeking support from senior colleagues when required. The post holder will work flexibly, according to the needs of the service.

This would be an ideal role for someone who has some knowledge and experience in palliative care and would like to develop their skills and pursue a specialism in this area of care, supported by an experienced specialist team.

Based between Penrith Hospital and Cumberland Infirmary (Carlisle), the post will support patients with palliative and end-of-life care needs, working closely with the wider clinical team and community services. The role is 37.5hrs per week, worked over 5 days -Monday to Friday, 08:30-16:30.

Main duties of the job

• Deliver high-quality, person-centred specialist palliative care to patients and their families across East Cumbria.
• Work alongside Clinical Nurse Specialists, the Consultant in Palliative Medicine and the wider multidisciplinary team to provide specialist advice, assessment and support for patients with complex palliative care needs.
• Contribute to the assessment, management and review of patients, supporting effective symptom control, advance care planning and end-of-life care.
• Work collaboratively with hospital teams and community services to support safe, coordinated and timely care.
• Contribute to education, training and mentorship of colleagues within the hospital and wider multidisciplinary team.
• Maintain accurate clinical records and documentation in line with professional, clinical governance and organisational standards.

About us

At NCIC, we have an ambition to deliver outstanding healthcare services to the population of North Cumbria. The Trust is committed to creating a centre of excellence in providing rural and remote healthcare and provides a wide range of community and acute services throughout our county.

Our 5 key principles demonstrate our belief in the delivery of 'safe, high quality care every time':

• Being a clinically led organisation
• Quality and safety at the heart of our Trust
• A positive patient experience every time
• A great place to work
• Managing our money well

As an organisation we are serious about supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our local community and are very much focused on being an inclusive and compassionate place to work.

Across the North East and North Cumbria we are working together to deliver our ambition to be the greenest region in England by 2030. All staff are expected to support sustainability.

Job responsibilities

JOB DESCRIPTION:

CERTIFICATE OF SPONSORSHIP

Please note, due to changes implemented by the Government to the UK immigration policy, individuals who require a Health and Care Visa or a Skilled Worker Visa may no longer be eligible for sponsorship where the UKVI salary threshold is not met or if the occupation is not included in the updated Immigration Salary List (ISL). Applicants must check their eligibility to be employed in any role they are interested in applying for, prior to completing an application for employment. Any applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be progressed. For further information visit theUK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

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.

The cost of the DBS must be met by the successful candidate(s) through salary deduction. DBS charges are as followsif applicable to the post:

Standard Check: £20.00 + Administration cost of £6.50 = £26.50. Deducted from salary over a 4 month period or a one-off payment.

Enhanced Check: £41.00 + administration cost of £6.50 = £47.50. Deducted from salary over a 4 month period or a one-off payment.

NCIC can offer successful future employees the following benefits:

• 27-day holiday scheme rising to 33 after 10 years
• NHS Discounts*
• Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work*
• Vivup is a free, confidential counselling and information service to assist with personal or work-related problems
• *Subject to eligibility

Registered Nurses, Midwives and Allied Health Professionals returning to practice, moving into new roles or changing clinical environments, may access an agreed preceptorship period.

Disclosure and Barring Service:

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.

Candidates who have been successfully shortlisted for interview will be asked via an email notification to log on to their Trac account to select an interview time. This will usually be within 2 weeks of the closing date.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse (Level 1) with current professional registration.
• Evidence of sustained personal and professional development.
• Degree-level education or equivalent experience.
• Post-registration qualification or demonstrable specialist development in palliative care or a relevant field.
• Post-registration qualification in palliative care, oncology, advanced communication or another relevant clinical speciality.
• Evidence of undertaking relevant specialist palliative care education or development.
• Evidence of ongoing professional development relevant to the role.

Knowledge and Experience

• Demonstrable specialist knowledge of palliative and end-of-life care.
• Experience assessing and managing patients with complex palliative care needs.
• Knowledge of clinical governance, quality improvement and evidence-based practice
• Understanding of multidisciplinary and cross-organisational working
• Ability to apply evidence and professional guidance to practice.
• Experience supporting education, supervision or development of colleagues
• Experience of working within a specialist palliative care service.
• Experience of caring for patients with complex palliative and end-of-life care needs.
• Experience of supporting patients and families with advance care planning and complex decision-making.
• Experience of working across organisational boundaries, including acute, community, primary care or hospice settings.
• Experience of supporting or delivering education to other healthcare professionals.
• Experience of participating in clinical audit, service improvement or research.
• Knowledge of current developments and national guidance relating to palliative and end-of-life care.
• Knowledge of advance care planning, treatment escalation planning and end-of-life care
• Knowledge of symptom management and the principles of palliative prescribing.
• Awareness of the wider health and social care system and the role of different services in supporting patients with palliative care needs

Skills and Aptitudes

• Highly developed verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to communicate sensitively in difficult and emotionally challenging situations.
• Ability to work autonomously and prioritise competing demands.
• Sound clinical judgement and recognition of professional limitations.
• Ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to contribute to audit, quality improvement and service development.
• Competent IT and electronic record-keeping skills.
• Experience or competence in non-medical prescribing.
• Advanced communication skills, including experience of facilitating difficult or complex conversations.
• Experience of using electronic patient record systems and clinical information systems.
• Ability to contribute to quality improvement and service development.

Personal Circumstances

• Flexible and adaptable to changing service needs
• Self-motivated, compassionate and approachable.
• Able to work effectively in unpredictable and emotionally demanding situations.
• Able to demonstrate tact, diplomacy and professional resilience.

Other Requirements

• Satisfactory occupational health screening.
• Current driving licence and ability to travel between service locations where required.
• Ability and willingness to work across both hospital sites and provide support to community services where required.
• Ability to travel between service locations as required by the needs of the role.

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.

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

£39,959 to £48,117 a yearPer Annum Pro Rata