Lead Nurse

Plymouth Hospitals; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 58,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust seeks a Lead Nurse/Advanced Clinical Practitioner to develop and lead an integrated continence, catheter and ISC service across outpatient, community and interface services.

The post will drive bladder dysfunction pathway redesign and ensure equity of access to high-quality continence care for adults with complex LUT dysfunction, including neurogenic bladder and chronic retention.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable management ability and leadership experience.
• Excellent clinical and practical skills.
• Demonstrable experience of education and supervision.
• Proven advanced clinical skills.
• Proven awareness of functional urological procedures.

Responsibilities

• Continence assessment
• Trial Without Catheter (TWOC)
• Female ISC
• Suprapubic catheter management
• Neurogenic bladder
• Community catheter services
• GP referral pathways
• Community rehabilitation
• Pelvic Health Services

Skills

Leadership experience

Advanced clinical skills

Education & supervision

Autonomous practitioner

Education

Primary Nurse or AHP qualification

Prescribing qualification (or working towards)

Education/Mentorship course

Recent study evidence

Job description

Main area Urology Grade NHS AfC: Band 8a Contract Fixed term: 24 months (uplift from band 7 AGC to band 8 AFC) Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 216-PL-DD8198738-B

Site Derriford Hospital Town Plymouth Salary £57,528 - £64,750 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 08/10/2026 23:59

Job overview

The Lead Nursewill provide expert autonomous clinical practice whilst leading the strategic development, implementation and evaluation of an integrated Continence, Catheter and Intermittent Self-Catheterisation (ISC) Service across outpatient, community and interface services.

The post holder will lead the redesign of bladder dysfunction pathways, ensuring equitable access to high-quality continence care for adults with complex lower urinary tract dysfunction, including patients requiring intermittent self-catheterisation following neurological injury, Cauda Equina Syndrome, spinal pathology, chronic urinary retention and other urological conditions.

Working at an advanced level of clinical practice across the four pillars of Advanced Clinical Practice (Clinical Practice, Leadership & Management, Education and Research), the ACP will work autonomously to assess, diagnose, investigate, treat and manage patients whilst leading service transformation across the organisation.

The role will provide expert leadership for catheter care, continence management, bladder rehabilitation and patient education, ensuring compliance with national guidance, NHS Long Term Plan priorities and GIRFT recommendations.

***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***

Main duties of the job

Key Dimensions:

Practise autonomously within scope of Advanced Clinical Practice by:

• Undertaking comprehensive advanced clinical assessment.
• Requesting and interpreting diagnostic investigations.
• Diagnosing lower urinary tract dysfunction.
• Prescribing independently where qualified.
• Developing holistic management plans.
• Performing advanced bladder assessment.
• Managing complex catheter-related complications.
• Managing patients with neurogenic bladder dysfunction.
• Leading independent continence clinics.
• Managing complex patients without direct medical supervision where appropriate

***Please note that applications from temporary workers who have been engaged with the Trust for a minimum of 3 months are welcome.

Available as a fixed term contract or secondment opportunity. (With current line manager's agreement). ***

Working for our organisation

We are a people business – where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure. We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

PRIMARY DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

• Continence assessment
• Trial Without Catheter (TWOC)
• Female ISC
• Suprapubic catheter management
• Neurogenic bladder
• Community catheter services
• GP referral pathways
• Community rehabilitation
• Pelvic Health Services

Develop:

• Standard Operating Procedures
• Clinical Guidelines
• Care Pathways
• Referral Criteria
• Patient Group Directions (where appropriate)
• Electronic documentation
• Digital referral systems

Ensure seamless transition between:

• Acute Care
• Community Services
• Primary Care
• Rehabilitation Services

Develop competency frameworks for:

• Female ISC
• Neurogenic bladder
• Learning disability adaptations
• Patients with reduced dexterity
• Patients requiring assisted ISC

COMMUNICATIONS & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

W ork collaboratively with:

• Orthopaedics
• Physiotherapy
• Community Continence Teams

*** See JD for full job details

Person specification

.Knowledge and Experience

• Demonstrable management ability and leadership experience
• Excellent clinical and practical skills
• Demonstrable experience of education and supervision
• Proven advanced clinical skills
• Proven awareness of functional urological procedures

Qualifications

• Primary Nurse or AHP qualification
• Prescribing qualification (or working towards)
• Education/Mentorship course or willing to complete
• Proven evidence of relevant, recent study.

APTITUDE & ABILITIES

• Proven ability to communicate with patients and their families in an empathetic manner regarding treatment and procedures
• Proven ability to recognise and analyse complex situations
• Independent and autonomous practitioner
• Willingness to develop new protocols

We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants about less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. We commit to giving requests full consideration.

We welcome and encourage applicants who identify with all protected characteristics to apply for our roles. We believe that diversity strengthens our teams and improves our patients' experience. At UHP we aim to create an inclusive workplace and hospital where everyone feels they belong and included .

It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.

Providing false information is an offence & could result in the application being rejected or summary dismissal/police action if an applicant is successful.

Please note that if you are successful in your application & accept the position you agree that the Staff Health and Wellbeing Department can access your health records from your current/previous employer in order to check the status of your inoculations & screening tests. This is an automated process & the information will only be used for these purposes prior to your taking up the position with us.

For Doctors Roles:

Unsolicited CVs and Candidate Profiles/Details University Hospitals Plymouth has a commitment to sourcing candidates directly and as such we do not accept speculative CVs from agencies.

We do, however, work with a defined list of preferred HTE Framework suppliers who may be invited to support us in sourcing candidates for particular roles.

In line with our preferred supplier list, we only pay agency fees where we have a signed agreement in place and an agency has been instructed by a member of the Trust’s Medical Workforce team.

We do not pay agency fees where speculative and unsolicited CVs are submitted to the Trust or Trust employees by any other means than the official route above. Where this is not observed the Trust reserves the right to contact these candidates directly and initiate discussions without payment of any agency fee.

Any candidate details (whether written or spoken) or CVs that are referred directly will not constitute an introduction. The Trust will under no circumstances be responsible for any recruitment fees in relation to these contacts.

Submission of any unsolicited CVs, candidate’s details and/or proposals to the Trust will not be considered further and will be deemed evidence of full and unlimited acceptance of this Agency Protocol.

In order to establish and maintain good working relationships with the Trust’s agency suppliers, we ask that this Protocol is adhered to and thank you for your co-operation.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

We’d love to hear from you if you feel you’re a great fit for the role - and that the role is right for you.Below, you’ll find more information about our recruitment process and what happens once you’ve submitted your application.