Clinical Nurse Specialist Rapid Response Service

The Methodist Church in Britain; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

St Giles Hospice in the Rapid Response Service seeks a Clinical Nurse Specialist to deliver rapid assessments in patients' homes, developing immediate care plans for urgent, unmet palliative needs.

The role involves prioritising referrals from 111/999, GPs and other teams, supporting personalised care plans, and working with virtual ward and district nursing colleagues to maintain safe, high-quality care.

Qualifications

• Adult registered nurse with current NMC registration.
• Health assessment qualification or working towards one.
• Eligibility to work in the UK.
• Valid driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Carry out rapid specialist palliative care assessments in patients' homes.
• Develop immediate care plans for urgent, unaddressed palliative needs.
• Prioritise and triage referrals from 111/999, GPs, allied health professionals, community, hospice, acute and virtual ward teams, patients and families.
• Support personalised care planning, treatment plans, ReSPECT and advance care planning.
• Support the team with clinical emergencies.
• Liaise with GPs, District Nurses and other palliative care and external services to keep patients supported.
• Work with virtual ward teams on assessment, shared care planning, escalation and community management.
• Process and interpret pathology and other diagnostic results.
• Delegate clinical responsibility safely, within the scope of each person's practice.
• Provide clinical supervision, teaching and training, including referral process training and the advice line.
• Contribute to clinical audit, service development, risk assessment and clinical governance.
• Provide cover for colleagues and keep accurate, contemporaneous clinical records.

Skills

Excellent communication

Empathy

Ability to work under pressure

Education

NMC registered nurse

Health assessment qualification or in progress

Job description

The Clinical Nurse Specialist post sits in the Rapid Response Service at St Giles Hospice, which takes unplanned community palliative care referrals. The post holder carries out rapid specialist assessments in patients' homes and puts immediate care plans in place for urgent, unmet needs, acting within two hours where required. The service runs seven days a week from 08:00 to 20:00 and moves to 24-hour cover in phase two, which adds a 20-bed virtual ward. Applicants need an adult nursing registration, and visa sponsorship is not available.

What the job involves

• Carry out rapid specialist palliative care assessments for patients in their own home
• Develop immediate care and support plans for urgent, unaddressed palliative care needs
• Prioritise and triage referrals from 111/999, GPs, allied health professionals, community, hospice, acute and virtual ward teams, patients and families
• Support personalised care planning, treatment plans, ReSPECT and advance care planning
• Support the team with clinical emergencies
• Liaise with GPs, District Nurses and other palliative care and external services to keep patients supported
• Work with virtual ward teams on assessment, shared care planning, escalation and community management
• Process and interpret pathology and other diagnostic results
• Delegate clinical responsibility safely, within the scope of each person's practice
• Provide clinical supervision, teaching and training, including referral process training and the advice line
• Contribute to clinical audit, service development, risk assessment and clinical governance
• Provide cover for colleagues and keep accurate, contemporaneous clinical records

What’s required

Qualifications

• Adult registered nurse or relevant HCP qualification
• Health assessment qualification or working towards one

Registration & licences

• Current NMC registration

Experience

• Specialist palliative and end-of-life care
• Community working and services
• Clinical assessment
• Clinical audit

Skills & knowledge

• Excellent telephone, written and verbal communication
• Communicating sensitively with patients and families in acute distress
• Communicating assessments assertively with GPs and District Nurses
• Safe, evidence-informed triage, recognising clinical risk and escalating concerns
• Knowledge of safeguarding responsibilities and procedures
• Understanding of information governance, consent and accurate record keeping

Checks & eligibility

• Valid driving licence
• Eligibility to work in the UK

Other

• Empathetic, collaborative team player who works under pressure and exhibits the hospice values

Nice to have

• Palliative or end-of-life care qualifications
• Clinical supervision
• Data collection
• Clinical governance
• Teaching skills