CLINICAL SPECIALIST

NHS Jobs; Romford; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS Jobs is seeking a specialist palliative care clinician to provide expert assessments, symptom management guidance, and crisis response across home, hospice clinics and outreach settings. The role emphasizes compassionate communication, safe prescribing, and multidisciplinary collaboration.

You will work within a framework of confidentiality, governance and continuous improvement, contributing to education, policy development and safeguarding high-quality care for patients and families.

Responsibilities

• Clinical practice and assessment: act as first point of specialist clinical advice for new referrals and re-referrals, completing holistic assessments and providing clear, timely documentation.
• Undertake specialist assessments in people’s homes, hospice clinics and outreach settings; identify risk, complexity and priority.
• Provide expert advice on complex symptom management, palliative care emergencies and safe evaluation of treatment plans.
• Support people, families and carers with information, compassionate communication and timely access to hospice and bereavement support.
• Administer prescribed subcutaneous medication in urgent situations where indicated, authorised and within competence.
• Provide timely palliative care prescriptions in crisis scenarios (if NMP), and liaise with GPs for ongoing repeat prescribing.
• Advice line, crisis response and on-call; triage and clinical decision-making to support rapid access and visits.
• Contribute to the community on-call rota, including out-of-hours, weekend and bank holiday cover.
• Work safely when remote working, lone working or responding urgently; maintain confidentiality and hospice policy.
• Multidisciplinary working and communication; share relevant clinical information to support safe care planning and continuity.
• Contribute specialist palliative care expertise to meetings; use advanced communication for shared decision-making.
• Lead or contribute to audit, clinical governance, incident learning, policy development and pathway improvement.
• Maintain high-quality records; manage workload and prioritise referrals and crisis response.
• Role model compassionate, inclusive and collaborative practice in line with hospice values.
• Education: contribute to palliative and end-of-life care education; mentor colleagues; maintain professional registration and knowledge.
• Participate in appraisal, supervision, reflective practice, learning opportunities and evidence-based service development.

Job description

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical practice and assessment Act as a first point of specialist clinical advice for new referrals and re-referrals, completing holistic assessments and providing clear, timely documentation. Undertake specialist assessments in peoples homes, hospice clinics and outreach settings, using clinical judgement to identify risk, complexity and priority. Provide expert advice on complex symptom management, palliative care emergencies and the safe evaluation of treatment plans. Support people, families and carers with clear information, compassionate communication and timely access to hospice and bereavement support. Administer prescribed subcutaneous medication in urgent situations where this is clinically indicated, authorised and within competence. Provide timely and within scope of (palliative) practice prescriptions in crisis scenarios (if NMP), and effective liaison with the GP as core prescriber to ensure their ongoing, informed, up to date repeat prescribing and their timely provision of non-urgent prescriptions. Advice line, crisis response and on‑call Provide responsive specialist telephone assessment, advice and support through the Specialist Advice Line. Use triage and clinical decision‑making skills to support rapid access, crisis response and appropriate face‑to‑face visiting. Contribute to the community on‑call rota, including out‑of‑hours, weekend and bank holiday cover. Work safely when remote working, lone working or responding urgently, maintaining confidentiality and following hospice policy. Multidisciplinary working and communication Work collaboratively across hospice, primary care, community, acute and social care services to support joined‑up care. Share relevant clinical information clearly and appropriately to support safe care planning, escalation and continuity. Contribute specialist palliative care expertise to internal and external multidisciplinary meetings. Use advanced communication skills to support shared decision‑making with people, families, carers and professionals. Leadership, governance and service development Support continuous improvement in community palliative care, aligned to hospice strategy, local system priorities and relevant national guidance. Lead or contribute to audit, clinical governance, incident learning, policy development and pathway improvement. Maintain high‑quality written and electronic records, including service activity, incident reporting and clinical documentation. Manage own workload effectively and contribute to safe caseload oversight, prioritising referrals, advice requests and crisis response. Role model compassionate, inclusive and collaborative practice in line with hospice values. Education, learning and professional development Contribute to palliative and end of life care education for nursing, medical, allied health and wider professional groups. Act as a visible resource, mentor and role model for colleagues, students and new team members. Maintain professional registration and keep clinical knowledge, prescribing practice and specialist skills up to date. Participate in appraisal, supervision, reflective practice, learning opportunities and evidence‑based service development.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF POSTHOLDER SENSITIVITY AND PROFESSIONALISM

As an employee of Saint Francis Hospice you should expect that it is likely that you will come into contact with individuals in our care, their loved ones and members of the public who are at the end of life or recently bereaved. All employees are expected to respond to people recounting and expressing their emotions about such events with sensitivity and understanding, and to know enough about the services that the Hospice provides to be able to signpost people who may benefit from our services to the relevant contacts.

CONFIDENTIALITY

The post holder must maintain confidentiality, security and integrity of information relating to individuals and their loved ones, staff and other hospice matter during the course of duty. Any breach of Confidentiality may become a disciplinary issue.

DATA PROTECTION

It is the responsibility of all staff to be aware of their obligations in respect of the Data Protection Act2018.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The hospice is committed to the development of positive policies to promote equal opportunity in employment and has a clear commitment to equal opportunities. All employees have a responsibility to ensure that they understand the standards expected and that they promote and adhere to the equal opportunity measures adopted by the hospice.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

All staff must be familiar with section2 of the Health & Safety Policy, Organisation of Health and Safety. This document sets out the responsibilities of all staff for health and safety, whether in a supervisory capacity or not. Policy section3 (arrangements for Health and Safety) provides an overview of training for competence in Health and Safety matters.

HOSPICE IDENTITY BADGES

Hospice ID badges must be worn at all times whilst on duty.

SMOKING

The hospice acknowledges its responsibility to provide a safe, smoke free environment, for its employees, service users and visitors. Smoking is therefore not permitted at any point whilst on duty, in accordance with the guidelines set down within the Hospice No Smoking Policy.

REGISTRATION COMPLIANCE/CODE OF CONDUCT

All employees who are required to register with a professional body to enable them to practice within their profession are required to comply with their code of conduct and requirements of their professional registration.

WORKING TIME REGULATIONS

The Working Time Regulations1998 require that you should not work more than an average of48 hours in each week. For example, in a26 week period you should work no more than1248 hours.