Dementia Specialist Nurse

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust; Bury St Edmunds; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust in the United Kingdom is seeking a Band 6 Dementia Specialist Nurse who combines expert clinical confidence with a genuine passion for transforming care for people living with dementia. This role offers autonomy, compassionate leadership, and the chance to inspire others to deliver truly person-centred, relationship-based care across the hospital pathway.

You will use advanced assessment skills to tailor care, support staff with dementia knowledge, and lead the

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse (Adult or Mental Health) with current NMC registration.
• Evidence of post-registration study in dementia care, frailty, delirium, or cognitive impairment.
• Degree level study or working towards.
• Completion of dementia specific training (e.g., Tier 2/3 Dementia Training Standards Framework).
• Understanding of Quality Improvement (QI) methodology.

Responsibilities

• Deliver specialist assessment, person-centred care planning, and clinical guidance for dementia patients.
• Lead the Dementia Champion workstream and support staff development.
• Provide expert clinical support and role modelling for compassionate, evidence-based dementia care.
• Champion implementation of dementia policies and drive service improvement in line with national/local priorities.

Skills

Advanced communication

Autonomy & leadership

Influence practice

MDT collaboration

IT literacy

Education

NMC-registered Nurse (Adult or Mental Health)

Post-registration dementia care study

Degree-level study or active progress

Dementia training (Tier 2/3)

Quality Improvement knowledge

Tools

EPR systems

Audit tools

Digital documentation

Job description

We are looking for a Band 6 Dementia Specialist Nurse who brings both expert clinical confidence and a genuine passion for transforming the experience of people living with dementia.

This role is perfect for someone who thrives on autonomy, leads with compassion, and loves inspiring others to deliver truly person-centred, relationship-based care.

You'll use your advanced assessment skills, your creativity, and your ability to influence practice to shape how our service responds to complexity and vulnerability. In return, you'll join a team that champions innovation, invests in your development, and celebrates the impact you make every single day.

If you want to lead with heart, drive meaningful change, and be part of a service where people with dementia feel understood, valued, and safe, we'd love to welcome you.

Main duties of the job

The purpose of this role is to provide specialist dementia expertise, support, and advice to patients with dementia or chronic cognitive impairment (including suspected dementia), and to their families and carers, throughout the hospital pathway.

The post holder will also provide specialist support, guidance, and education to staff across the Trust to enhance their confidence and competence in delivering high-quality, person-centred dementia care.

The post holder will:

Deliver specialist assessment, person-centred care planning, and clinical guidance to ensure individuals with dementia receive high-quality, evidence-based care tailored to their needs.

Champion and support the implementation of Trust dementia-related policies, promoting best practice and contributing to service improvement in line with national and local priorities, including the Suffolk Dementia Strategy.

Lead the delivery of dementia-specific education and training for multi-professional teams across the Trust, enhancing staff knowledge, skills, and confidence in dementia care.

Provide expert clinical support and role modelling to empower staff to deliver compassionate, person-centred, evidence-based dementia care.

Lead and coordinate the Dementia Champion workstream, supporting the development, engagement, and ongoing learning of champions across the organisation.

About us

#BeKnown at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. By us. By our patients. By our community

We are a busy, friendly, rural NHS Trust providing high-quality care and compassion to more than a quarter of a million people across west Suffolk. We care for, treat and support people in hospital, at home and in various community settings.

The West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds provides acute and secondary care services (emergency department, maternity and neonatal services, day surgery unit, eye treatment centre, Macmillan unit and children's ward). It has 500+ beds and is a partner teaching hospital of the University of Cambridge.

Adult and paediatric community services, provided in collaboration with West Suffolk Alliance partners, include a range of nursing, therapy, specialist, and ongoing temporary care and rehabilitation, some at our Newmarket Community Hospital.

We do our utmost to achieve outstanding clinical outcomes for patients and our values of fairness, inclusivity, respect, safety and team work guide how we work and behave as a team.

With nearly 5,000 staff, from all over the world, we strive to make our organisation a great place to work. Whatever your role or ambition, we want to help you be the best you can be.

We promote a diverse and inclusive community where everyones voice counts and you can #BeKnown for whoever you are.

Join us. What will you #BeKnown for?

Job responsibilities

Please see the full job description and person specification attached for more details on the job role.

Person Specification

Education & Qualification

• Registered Nurse (Adult or Mental Health) with current NMC registration
• Evidence of post registration study in dementia care, frailty, delirium, or cognitive impairment
• Degree level study or working towards
• Completion of dementia specific training (e.g., Tier 2/3 Dementia Training Standards Framework)
• Understanding of Quality Improvement (QI) methodology

Experience & Knowledge

• Significant post registration experience in acute care, mental health, older adult services, or frailty pathways
• Experience supporting people with dementia, delirium, or cognitive impairment in hospital settings Experience working with families and carers in complex or emotionally sensitive situations
• In depth understanding of dementia types, progression, behavioural and psychological symptoms (BPSD), and person centred care
• Strong understanding of delirium recognition, prevention, and management
• Knowledge of safeguarding, MCA, DoLS/LPS, and legal frameworks relevant to cognitive impairment
• Awareness of national dementia strategies, NICE guidance, and hospital dementia standards
• Experience delivering training or coaching to multidisciplinary teams
• Experience leading quality improvement or service development projects
• Understanding of quality improvement methodologies (PDSA, audit, data interpretation)

Personal Qualities

• Compassionate, patient, and committed to dignity centred care
• Advocates for people with dementia and their families
• Resilient, emotionally intelligent, and able to manage distressing situations
• Collaborative, inclusive, and able to build strong MDT relationships
• Commitment to continuous professional development

Skills & Abilities

• Advanced communication skills, including de escalation, validation, and adapting communication for cognitive impairment
• Ability to undertake specialist assessments (cognitive screening, delirium tools, BPSD assessment)
• Ability to plan, implement, and evaluate person centred care plans
• Ability to influence and educate staff at all levels
• Ability to work autonomously and prioritise a complex caseload
• IT literacy (EPR systems, audit tools, digital documentation)
• Experience delivering training or coaching to multidisciplinary teams
• Competence in analysing data, audit findings, and contributing to service improvement

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.

£39,959 to £48,117 a yearper annum pro rata