Headache Clinical Nurse Specialist

Integrated Care System; London; On-site; GBP 56,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS Trust in London seeks an experienced Clinical Nurse Specialist for its Headache Service. The role focuses on patient-centered care for complex headache disorders, including treatments like nerve blocks. Candidates should possess advanced clinical and management skills. Competitive salary package offered including HCAs. Full-time position with career development opportunities.

Qualifications

• Experience of working autonomously at an advanced level delivering patient-focused care.
• Experience of audit, research & evidence based care.
• Proven evidence of management/leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of patients within the specialty while working as part of the multidisciplinary team.
• Act as an advocate for patients, ensuring a patient orientated approach.
• Develop and run nurse led clinics providing treatments for headache and migraine.

Skills

Advanced clinical skills

Management and leadership skills

Teaching skills

Ability to interpret complex data

Education

Post registration qualification in appropriate area

Working towards a master's degree

Job description

Go back Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

Headache Clinical Nurse Specialist

The closing date is 12 August 2025

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced and motivated registered nurse to join our Headache Service as a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), working across the Pain Management and Neurology departments.

The Headache Service provides specialist care to patients with complex and chronic headache disorders, including migraine, trigeminal neuralgia, cluster headache, and other facial pain conditions. This role will involve delivering nurse-led clinics, administering injectable treatments such as nerve blocks and Botox, and contributing to the ongoing development of care pathways and protocols.

As a Band 7 CNS, you will work with a high degree of autonomy within a multidisciplinary team, supporting patients with long-term conditions through assessment, education, and evidence-based treatment planning. You will act as a clinical resource, supporting Band 6 nurses and the wider team, and will work closely with medical and AHP colleagues to ensure safe, effective, and patient-centred care.

This post will also contribute to a wider transformation programme aimed at aligning and integrating the headache services across Neurology and Pain Management. You will play an important role in shaping the evolving service model and in driving improvements in access, quality, and patient experience.

Interview date: 20/08/2025

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work as a member of our multi-disciplinary team co-coordinating care and treatment of this interesting and complex patient group. Essential to this post is the maintenance of clinical excellence underpinned by evidence-based practice.

You will be expected to provide professional advice and support to other health care professionals caring for patients experiencing headache and work across departmental, divisional and Trust boundaries to provide a patient-centred seamless service.

You will have experience in some of the specialised skills within this multi-disciplinary setting ; and you will receive the necessary additional training, development and support.

Excellent communication and team working skills are essential as this post requires an appreciation of the complex issues that patients with headache; being able to advise patient's pharmacology and an ability to show initiative and understanding in providing support and care for these patients.

The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to assist in the development of nursing education and research at a local, national and international level.

This is a full time position

About us

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust comprises five of the UK's best known hospitals - Guy's, St Thomas', Evelina London Children's Hospital, Royal Brompton and Harefield - as well as community services in Lambeth and Southwark, all with a long history of high quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation.

Guy's is home to the largest dental school in Europe and a £160 million Cancer Centre opened in 2016. As part of our commitment to provide care closer to home, in 2017 we also opened a cancer centre and a kidney treatment centre at Queen Mary's Hospital in Sidcup. St Thomas' has one of the largest critical care units in the UK and one of the busiest emergency departments in London. It is also home to Evelina London Children's Hospital.

We have around 22,700 staff, making us one of the largest NHS Trusts in the country and one of the biggest employers locally.

Job responsibilities

• Please see attached job description and Person Specification
• To work autonomously, managing a caseload of patients within the specialty whilst working as part of the multidisciplinary team, delivering individualised and personalised direct patient care including injectable treatments for headache and migraine

Be responsible for assessing and recognising emergencies in the speciality. To interpret information and take appropriate action and to lead others to do the same.

Act as an advocate for patients within the department, to ensure a patient orientated approach to the delivery of care and to meet standards within the NHS Plan and other relevant guidelines.

Ensure that patients receive high quality clinical care and a good patient experience, having regard for their customs, religious beliefs and doctrines.

Recognise and avoid situations that may be detrimental to the health and wellbeing of the individuals.

Actively engage service users through the facilitation of user groups and open days.

Co-ordinate the provision of specialist services to patients, both within hospital and/or in the community setting, effectively liaising with multidisciplinary colleagues

Develop and run nurse led clinics where the post holder will co-ordinate the treatment in conjunction with medical staff, and provide treatment which includes injectable treatments for headache and migraine

Direct, support, encourage and advise clinical teams, by the provision of specialist knowledge and advice in the care of patients within the area.

• Participate in the promotion of patient centred care, and establish and maintain a supportive relationship with the patient and their family during the period of assessment, treatment and after care

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Post registration qualification in appropriate area of speciality or equivalent post qualification experience
• To have or working towards a non medical physical assessment course
• To have or working towards a masters degree

Experience

• Experience of working autonomously at an advanced level within the specialist area delivering effective patient focused care
• Experience of audit, research & evidence based care
• Proven evidence of management / leadership skills and autonomous practice

Skills

• Advanced clinical, managerial and leadership skills in specialty
• Evidence of teaching skills in particular teaching patients in how to manage their conditions and raise their awareness of their condition
• Able to use skills of history taking and physical assessment to direct patient care
• Ability to interpret and analyse complex data and findings

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.

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

£56,276 to £63,176 a yearP.A including HCAs