Junior Community Sister / Charge Nurse

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust; Barnsley; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust in Barnsley invites applications for a Junior Community Sister/Charge Nurse within our Neighbourhood Nursing Service. This developmental role supports nurses aiming to become District Nurses, offering leadership opportunities and complex community caseload experience.

You will work under the District Nurse, deliver patient-centred care seven days a week, including weekends, and help maintain independence at home while developing advanced clinical skills

Qualifications

• Be a registered General Nurse.
• Willingness to undertake District Nursing Specialist Practitioner Qualification.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support a mixed skill/discipline community nursing team.
• Assess, plan, implement and evaluate care for high-acuity patients in the community.
• Collaborate with MDT to deliver person-centred care.
• Provide supervision, mentorship and preceptorship.
• deputise for the District Nurse when required.
• Promote self-management and independence for patients.

Skills

Registered nurse leadership

Community nursing

Clinical assessment

Nurse prescriber training

Education

Registered General Nurse

District Nursing Specialist Practitioner qualification (willingness)

Job description

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust

Junior Community Sister / Charge Nurse

The closing date is 22 October 2026

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced and enthusiastic Community Staff Nurse who is ready to take the next step in their career as a Junior Community Sister/Charge Nurse within our Neighbourhood Nursing Service.

This developmental role is ideal for nurses aspiring to become future District Nurses, offering the opportunity to develop clinical leadership skills, gain experience managing complex community caseloads and work alongside experienced community nursing professionals.

Working under the direction and supervision of the District Nurse, you will deliver high-quality, patient-centred care to individuals with complex and often unpredictable health needs, including long-term conditions, frailty, complex wound care, palliative and end-of-life care needs. As part of our seven-day service operating between 8.00am and 6.00pm, including weekends and bank holidays, you will support the Proactive Care agenda through early intervention, anticipatory care planning and hospital avoidance, helping people remain independent within their own homes and communities.

Do you have the skills, experience and enthusiasm to take on this rewarding role?

At the time of advertising, this role does meet the minimum requirements set by UK Visas and Immigration to sponsor candidates to work in the UK. We look forward to receiving your application.

Main duties of the job

Be a registered General Nurse and must be willing to complete the Nurse Prescriber Course

Take responsibility for a defined cohort of patients with complex or higher acuity needs within the District Nursing caseload

Use your extended clinical skills & knowledge to assess, plan, & implement evidence-based treatments that improve health outcomes

Collaborate with the multi-disciplinary team to deliver person-centred care that promotes independence & self-management

Lead by example, supporting colleagues & contributing to the proactive management of patients in the community

Support the District Nurse/Community Matron in managing higher acuity patients & deputise when required

Support staff development through supervision, mentorship & preceptorship programmes

This is a fantastic opportunity for a motivated nurse with advanced clinical skills & leadership experience to make a real difference in community healthcare. You'll be part of a supportive team that values innovation, compassion & excellence in patient care

All employees of the Trust are strongly encouraged to have their up-to-date flu vaccination to protect staff and patients.

About us

We are a specialist NHS Foundation Trust that provides community, mental health and learning disability services for the people of Barnsley, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield. We also provide low and medium secure services and are the lead for the West Yorkshire secure provider collaborative.

Our mission is to help people reach their potential and live well in their communities, we do this by providing high-quality care in the right place at the right time. We employ staff in both clinical and non-clinical services who work hard to make a difference to the lives of service users, families and carers.

We encourage and welcome applications from all protected characteristic groups, we value diversity and want our workforce to be reflective of our communities.

Being a foundation Trust means we're accountable to our members, who can have a say in how we're run. Around 14,300 local people (including staff) are members of our Trust.

Join us and you will be one of over 4,500 staff committed to supporting and improving the mental, physical and social needs of the thousands of people we meet and help each year.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment.

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY

The post holder will work as a senior member of the Neighbourhood Nursing Team collaborating with the District Nurse and Team Leader to support the provision of clinical leadership within the team. A key feature of the role is to support the proactive management of patients with complex or higher acuity conditions on the Community Caseload. This will include collaborating with other members of the multi-disciplinary team involved in the patients care to establish a person-centred approach to management of health/social care needs, that also promotes self-management.

The post holder will be responsible for an identified cohort of patients with higher acuity needs within the District Nursing Team caseload. The post holder will use extended clinical skills and expert knowledge to assess a defined patient group, instigating care plans/treatments based on best available evidence in order to improve health outcomes.

KEY RESULT AREAS:

1.1 Clinical Care

Demonstrate innovative and specialist skills required for assessment and interpretation of complex patient conditions and determine the appropriate course of action.

Holistically assess, plan, implement and evaluate patient complex conditions (including Frailty and Falls assessments and the completion of EPaCCs) to address the identified needs of patients working flexibly and responsively ensuring this is of a high standard.

Use appropriate physical and clinical examination skills to undertake the assessment of individuals with complex health care needs or those presenting with more acute illnesses, using a range of evidence-based assessment tools and consultation models.

• Be responsible for delivering skilled nursing care to patients in the community setting e.g., recording, and monitoring a patients clinical observations, wound care management, palliative care, IV cannulation, intravenous medications, urinary catheterisation, and obtaining bloods for diagnostic purposes etc.

Have the flexibility and skill set, to work across planned and crisis pathways including support to the virtual ward pathway, supporting patients to remain well in their own homes, or long-term place of residence preventing unnecessary hospital admissions and reduction in length of hospital inpatient stays facilitating patient flow.

Demonstrate a broad range of specialist nursing clinical expertise that supports high quality person-centred care for the caseload population in a variety of community settings.

Assess the health-related needs of families and other informal carers, developing therapeutic relationships and using creative problem solving that enables shared decision making for the development of care plans, anticipatory care and delivery of care packages.

Work in partnership with individuals, formal and informal carers, and other services to promote the concept of self-care and patient-led care where possible, providing appropriate education and support to maximise the individuals independence and understanding of their condition(s) in achieving their health outcomes.

Prescribe from the appropriate formulary relevant to the type of prescribing being undertaken, following assessment of patient need and according to legislative frameworks and local policy.

Provide and receive complex, sensitive, or contentious information where motivational, persuasive, empathetic, negotiating and reassurance skills are required.

Prioritises own workload and support the District Nurse with allocation and workload management, within agreed objectives deciding when to refer to others as appropriate.

Support all staff to use tools to identify changes in health status and maximise the skills of the nursing and support team to public complex assessment where the patient is showing signofs deteriorating health or new symptoms.

Develop and Implement risk management strategies that take account of peoples views and responsibilities, whilst promoting patient and staff safety and preventing avoidable harm to individuals, carers, and staff

Provide clinical advice and leadership into the Integrated Single Point of Access (SPA) on a rotational basis.

1.2 Leadership and Operational Management

Lead, support, clinically supervise, manage, and appraise a mixed skill/discipline team to provide community nursing interventions in a range of settings to meet known and anticipatory needs, appraising those staff reporting directly whilst retaining accountability for the caseload and work of the team.

To support the District Nurse/Community Matron in the management of higher acuity patients and leading on the assessment care planning and ongoing management of an identified cohort of patients including Virtual Ward patients.

Deputise for the District Nurse and support with case management as required.

Enable other team members to appraise, support and develop others in the team and develop strategies for addressing poor practice.

Lead, manage, monitor, and analyse clinical caseloads, workload, and team capacity to assure safe staffing levels in care delivery, using effective resource and budgetary management.

Ensure effective and efficient use of resources and monitoring, ensuring value for money in the delivery of services within the team.

Manage and co-ordinate programmes of care, for individuals with acute and long-term conditions, ensuring their patient journey is seamless between mental and physical health care, hospital, and community services and between primary and community care.

Ensure all staff are able to recognise vulnerability of adults and understand their responsibilities and that other organisations in terms of safeguarding legislation, policies, and procedures.

Record all client contacts and activities accurately and contemporaneously maintaining accurate records and statistical returns as required by the Trust via SystmOne and monitor SytmOne usage within your team.

Participate in clinical supervision on a regular basis with a designated person.

Contribute to the development of clinical guidelines, policies, protocols, and procedures within the service and communicate to relevant personnel.

Contribute to the development, collation, monitoring, and evaluation of data relating to service improvement and development, quality assurance, quality improvement and governance, reporting incidents and developments related to district nursing ensuring that learning from these, where appropriate, is disseminated to a wider audience to improve patient care.

Participate in recruitment and selection processes.

1.3 Facilitation of Learning

Demonstrate the values of high quality, compassionate nursing and support the ongoing development of these values in others.

Lead and foster a culture of openness and recognition of duty of candour in which each team member is valued, supported and developed, inspiring a shared purpose to support the delivery of high-quality effective care.

Develop effective systems for ongoing supervision of all staff, preceptorship programmes and mentorship.

Identify and support the learning needs of individuals and the team in response to personal development needs identified at appraisal or service need.

Proactively provide a positive teaching/learning environment to develop the capability and capacity of registered and non-registered staff, working in collaboration with others including CPTs and Practice Learning Facilitators for students.

Reflects on and evaluates own practice and identifies areas of development by setting appropriate objectives via appraisal and clinical supervision.

Support the District Nurse and Team leader in reporting and investigating complaints and incidents.

1.3 Partnership and Team Working

Work in an integrated and partnership way with primary, secondary, social care, the independent and voluntary sector, and others to improve the health and care of individuals, families, and communities, particularly the most vulnerable.

Collaborate with other agencies to evaluate public health principles, priorities and practice and implement these policies in the context of the district nursing service and the needs of the local community.

Actively contribute to the multi-disciplinary team supporting the patient including communication with external care providers, voluntary support services, and other agencies. Acting as a credible course of information for other agencies/professionals involved on the care as required.

For full details of the role please see the supporting documents attached.

We are aware that an increasing number of applicants are using AI technology to generate responses on NHS Job application forms. We strongly discourage this and will conduct a thorough screening process before selecting candidates to progress to the next stage. If you are using AI to enhance your application, please disclose this in your NHS Jobs application form.

Person Specification

Special Knowledge/Skills

• Specialist knowledge across a range of areas relevant to practice underpinned by evidence.
• Specialist assessment, planning and evaluation skills.
• Understanding of clinical governance and quality measures in practice.
• Demonstrate Innovative Practice.
• Demonstrate Leadership and Management Skills.
• Demonstrate Motivational Interviewing Skills.
• Effective verbal, non-verbal and written communication skills including communicating complex or potentially distressing information.
• Health Education/Promotion Skills.
• Time Management.
• Relevant Clinical and Assessment Skills.
• Understanding of government legislation/documentation affecting NHS Community and Primary Care.
• Demonstrate good I.T. Skills.
• Teaching skills.
• Counselling.

Qualifications

• Registered General Nurse.
• Willingness to undertake District Nursing Specialist Practitioner Qualification.
• Experience of mentoring/supporting learners or ability to demonstrate the skills required for effective mentoring.

Personal Attributes

• Positive and flexible attitude to dealing with change, explore new ways of doing things and approaches.
• A current driving licence and access to a car during the working day is essential (reasonable adjustments will be considered for any applicants who are unable to drive due to a disability). Responsive attitude and approach.
• Ability to work flexibly including unsociable hours (earlies, lates and weekends, and Bank Holiday working.
• Dress appropriately for the environment.

Experience

• Demonstrable experience in Community Nursing.
• Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team.
• Experience of delivering patient education and promoting principles of self-directed care.
• Experience on research / audit.
• Quality Improvement experience.

Training

• Professional knowledge and skills relevant to practice acquired by degree, diploma, specialist training and short courses.
• Demonstration of current continual professional development.
• Further training / qualifications in areas relevant to practice:
• - Frailty course;
• - Doccla monitoring.

Physical Attributes

• Ability to undertake the duties and demands of the post. A satisfactory sickness record over the previous 2 years (subject to the need to act with fairness and equality of opportunity, particularly where the sickness is related to a disability and/or pregnancy).

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.

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust