Care Navigator

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust; Torquay; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

The Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Care Navigator to provide inpatient liaison and outreach for endoscopy pathways. You will triage referrals, assess appropriateness, and facilitate safe transfers to the Endoscopy Unit, guiding staff on pre- and post-procedural requirements.

You will advocate for patients, coordinate care across wards and departments, and support complex cases through the endoscopy pathway, with teaching across the team and ongoing involvement in

Qualifications

• NMC registered Degree in Adult Nursing and scope to practice
• Non-medical prescribing qualification or ability to undertake
• Post graduate Endoscopy qualification or equivalent experience
• Leadership or management qualification would be desirable

Responsibilities

• Assess, plan, implement and evaluate endoscopic nursing care.
• Provide expert advice to clinical staff on endoscopic issues.
• Coordinate with the unit to manage patient flow and pathway
• Act as patient advocate and provide information to enable informed choices
• Improve access and equity of waiting times for complex cases

Skills

Endoscopy knowledge

Multi-professional collaboration

Psychosocial support

IT literate

Education

NMC registered degree in Adult Nursing

Non-medical prescribing qualification

Postgraduate Endoscopy qualification

Management / Leadership qualification

Job description

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

Care Navigator

The closing date is 13 November 2026

As a Care navigator you will provide a dedicated inpatient liaison and outreach service to ensure appropriate triage and listing of inpatient referrals, to maximise patient safety and efficiency.

You will assess and determine the appropriateness of the referrals received.

Work in partnership with wards and other Trust-wide departments to prepare and consent patients to facilitate safe transfer to the Endoscopy Unit.

Provide guidance to ward nursing and medical staff, with regards to pre-procedural preparation and post procedural requirements.

Act as a point of contact for Emergency Department services for a range of emergency admissions that may require endoscopic evaluation/therapy.

Support complex patients through their Endoscopic pathway, ensuring that the needs of the patients are met. Educating the wider Endoscopy Team on best practice to support complex patients.

Main duties of the job

• Work as an expert practitioner by assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating the specialist nursing care of patients requiring endoscopic investigations and treatments.
• Provide expert advice to clinical staff on endoscopic issues.
• Support the coordinator to manage the unit.
• To act as the patients, advocate when required and provide expert advice and comprehensive information, both written and verbal, on treatment options to enable patients to make an informed choice.
• Establish and maintain coordination of care for patients throughout diagnosis, planning, treatment and follow-up, liaising with all other service providers to ensure a smooth pathway.
• Actively participating in the educational programme of all staff, including students. Close liaison with the Practice Development Department, offering practical and clinical guidance and attending lectures and meetings as required.

About us

About Your New Team and Department

The Endoscopy Unit at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust sees both cancer and benign patients in the outpatient setting, running nurse and consultant led procedures and investigation clinics daily.

Torbay is a regional Endoscopy training centre and bowel cancer screening centre serving areas beyond its immediate catchment.

The department is one of two centres in the newly formed South West Endoscopy Training Academy and there are great opportunities to become involved in steering regional and national training opportunities.

The department has recently completed on the build of a new Endoscopy Suite, boasting brand new equipment, and up to date facilities.

We offer support and advice to patients and other professionals within the acute and community setting and work alongside other departments to enhance the patient's pathway of care.

Torbay was the first Integrated Care Organisation, merging community services with the acute hospital. The ICO allows us to radically re-think and re-shape the way we deliver care, free from traditional organisational constraints.

Job responsibilities

Detailed Job Description and Responsibilities

Communication and Working Relationships

The Nurse Specialist for the Endoscopy Team will maintain excellent working relationships with patients, their relatives, and a multi-disciplinary team of professionals working across the trust, including:

Modern Matron and Directorate Management / Executive Team

Allied Health Professionals Specialist Nurses, Ward Nurses, Diagnostics

Outpatient services

Administrative services

Present complex, sensitive, and contentious information to large and varied audiences, including patients.

Establish excellent working relationships with patients communicating in a number of ways including virtual consultations, face-to-face, written, telephone etc.

Communicate sensitive and distressing information, managing expectations of department staff, patients, and staff within other departments.

Able to communicate effectively in demanding and challenging situations with tact.

Ensure effective and prompt reporting of nursing issues and concerns to the Endoscopy Unit Manager, Matron, or Associate Director of Nursing and Professional Practice.

Actively participate in multi-professional meetings, acting as a patient advocate and representing nursing viewpoints.

Provide specialist knowledge other areas when assistance and advice is required.

Establish and maintain effective communication with patients, carers, relatives, and professionals across health and social services.

In conjunction with the lead clinician, medical team, and senior nurse specialists, develop knowledge, skills and experience of the specialty including pathology, medication, prognosis, self-management treatment options and signposting patients to support that is available in the community.

Guide and support, staff, and patients on complex patient care to ensure a seamless transition for the patient between wards or home, and the unit.

Improve access for complex patients and ensuring equity of waiting times.

Working alongside system partners to demand and capacity manage complex patients at a regional level.

Person Specification

qualifications and training

• oNMC registered Degree level qualification in Adult Nursing oTeaching and assessing qualification oEvidence of continuing personal / professional development
• oNon-medical prescribing qualification or the ability to undertake oPost graduate qualification in Endoscopy or equivalent level experience oManagement / Leadership qualification

Knowledege and skills

• oExperience in the management of patients with endoscopic related health concerns oExperience of multi-professional collaborative working oExperience of giving psychosocial support to complex patients
• oBroad understanding of healthcare provision together with an awareness and appreciation of current NHS and PHE policies and priorities in relation to Endoscopy Teams oParticipation in service development and implementation of change oExperience of clinical auditing oExperience of policy contribution oKnowledge of budgets and resources

specific skills

• oIT literate, including data collection and interpretation oAbility to undertake in depth endoscopic related assessment. Devise and implement appropriate and safe care plans. oWide range of endoscopy based skills oAble to analyse complex facts and situations

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.

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust