Complex Discharge Specialist Nurse

Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 39,000 - 47,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-site facilities

Bus travel discounts

Parking subsidies

Hot meals 24/7

Staff break spaces

Flexible working

Job summary

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Band 6 Specialist Support Nurse to join the Complex Discharge Team. You will assess patients' needs for safe discharge and plan pathways in collaboration with MDTs across hospital and community services.

The role emphasizes proactive discharge planning, escalation with external organisations when needed, and ensuring timely, compassionate patient journeys.

Qualifications

• Registered nurse with a minimum of 2 years ward-based clinical experience.
• Evidence of continuous professional development.
• Teaching or mentoring qualification.
• Post-registration qualification in speciality or willingness to complete.
• Degree.
• Research Module.

Responsibilities

• Provide a seven-day service including weekends and bank holidays assessing patients’ discharge needs.
• Collaborate with health and social care teams to identify the most appropriate discharge pathway.
• Communicate discharge plans to patients and families from admission.
• Signpost and refer to external services as needed for safe discharge.
• Escalate issues with external organisations to prevent delayed discharges.

Skills

Mentoring/Teaching

Leadership

Communication

Documentation/Audit

Education

Nursing degree

Post-registration qualification

Research module

Job description

Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Complex Discharge Specialist Nurse

The closing date is 12 November 2026

An opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated individual to join the Complex Discharge Team at CUH as a Band 6 Specialist Support Nurse. You will work within the ward environment alongside the multidisciplinary team liaising with community partners, patients, families, and carers to plan, facilitate and optimise complex patient discharges from the hospital.

You will be part of an existing team of Specialist Support Nurses, Clinical Nurse Specialists and Discharge Co-ordinators who currently support all adult inpatient areas across CUH. You will be part of a dedicated team working together to achieve the best possible outcomes for all our patients, keeping them at the centre of what we do.

You will work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary health and social care teams within both CUH and community teams to navigate the patients across pathways to ensure a safe discharge once deemed clinically fit for discharge. The Specialist Support Nurse will elevate issues with external organisations to prevent a delayed discharge through agreed escalation process. Negotiation with staff, services and patients will be a vital part of this role to ensure the patient journey is progressed appropriately and safely.

You will support ward professionals in agreeing the pathway for discharge from hospital in accordance with agreed policies and professional guidelines and complete onwards referrals for care support across all discharge pathways.

Main duties of the job

To work within the Complex Discharge Team providing a seven-day service including weekends & bank holidays assessing patients' needs for a safe discharge. Working with health and social care teams, the post holder will agree the most appropriate pathway of care to support discharge from hospital.

To provide a proactive and continuous approach to complex discharge planning. This will involve the continual prioritisation of workload to ensure all discharge cases are managed in a timely manner.

To consider "Home First" as the preferred Discharge Pathway, evidencing clearly rationale for any provision of bed-based care.

To communicate with patients and their families/carers from admission regarding discharge planning. This will include taking patient history regarding social circumstances, establishing with the patient their wishes post-discharge and signposting and referring to relevant services.

To provide relevant and accurate information to patients and their families regarding discharge plans in a timely way enabling them to make informed decisions regarding discharge plans.

To provide sign posting information to patients and their carers regarding external services i.e. Voluntary sector

To obtain feedback from patients regarding their experience about the discharge planning process to inform the development of discharge processes and prevention of poor future discharges.

Act as an effective MDT member in managing discharges and progress the patients' journey.

About us

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest teaching Trusts in the country. It comprises Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Rosie Hospital. We provide accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge and regional and national specialist services. It's a great place to nurse, work and live.

You will work on a vibrant hospital campus with a friendly community feel; we have excellent facilities to practise your skills and abilities to support your career pathway and development. Our values of Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent support the delivery of outstanding care. We have a fully electronic patient record system that is improving health-care quality; this is transforming services, improving patient safety and clinical outcomes.

Why choose Cambridge University Hospitals?

• Our values and reputation for outstanding care
• Opportunities to experience a range of specialities
• Career and development opportunities
• Preceptorship and mentoring programmes delivered by a dedicated clinical education support team
• Research experience and opportunities
• Lovely location and quality of life
• Excellent schools/colleges and transport links (road, rail and air)

Job responsibilities

This vacancy will close at midnight on 12th November 2026.

Interviews are due to be held on 27th November 2026.

All appointments with a start date on or after 1 October 2026 will be subject to a 12‑week probationary period. This provides a structured and supportive period to help you settle into your role, with regular reviews and feedback.

As there is a 12‑week probationary period, successful candidates are expected to have the Right to Work for a period of at least 6 months from the proposed start date. Immigration and Right to Work status will be discussed with successful candidates at conditional offer. CUH will not offer sponsorship to candidates that have applied for a fee waiver.

Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full‑time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full‑time permanent contract unless you have:

- applied for a Graduate visa- or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment

Benefits to you

• On‑site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries.
• Providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site.
• Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals.
• Subsidised the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.
• Hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues.
• Staff pod break spaces located in the Deakin Centre, purpose‑created colleague‑only café, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge.
• Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part‑time working, job‑share, term‑time working and flexible start and finish times.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Registered nurse - with a minimum of 2 years ward based clinical experience
• Evidence of continuous professional development
• Teaching or mentoring qualification
• Post registration qualification in speciality or willingness to complete
• Degree
• Research Module

Experience

• Evidence of mentorship/preceptorship roles
• Accept personal accountability for own practice
• Experience of formal/informal teaching
• Experience in a leadership role at ward level

Knowledge

• Understanding of evidence based practice
• Understanding of Clinical Governance
• Understanding and knowledge of specialist field

Skills

• Good verbal and written communication skills
• Capable of working as an integral member of a small team
• Adaptable to changing situations due to both workload and colleagues needs
• Ability to undertake teaching of staff and patients
• Ability to work unsupervised and manage own workload; effective time management.
• Effective interpersonal skills
• Commitment to multidisciplinary working.
• Assertiveness/perceptive counselling skills
• Documentation, audit and presentation skills

Additional Requirements

• To act in a professional manner at all times in accordance with the NMC Code of Conduct
• Capable of developing liaisons with other practice areas/academic institutions.
• The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of safe, kind, excellent.

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.

Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

£38,682 to £46,580 a yearper annum pro rata