Lead Nurse for Pain Services

NHS; City Of London; On-site; GBP 64,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in London seeks a Senior Clinical Nurse Specialist to join the Pain Team. This role is focused on delivering high-quality pain management in various settings. The candidate must have relevant experience and a master's qualification in Pain Management or Advanced Clinical Practice. Responsibilities include leading nurse-led clinics and ensuring exceptional patient care. The position offers a salary of £64,156 to £71,148 annually, with a permanent contract and full-time working pattern.

Qualifications

• Relevant experience as a Band 7 Pain Management CNS.
• Management experience in clinical settings.
• Demonstrable experience in Pain Management at senior level.

Responsibilities

• Lead the provision of high-quality pain management.
• Deliver advanced clinical assessments in outpatient settings.
• Conduct and coordinate nurse-led clinics.

Skills

Excellent oral and written communication skills

Ability to build rapport with patients

Patient-centred approach

Ability to work independently and as part of a team

Basic counselling skills

Education

MSc in Pain Management

NMC Level 1 or Level 15 Registered Nurse

Advanced practitioner qualification

Job description

Job Summary

An exciting opportunity is available for an enthusiastic, compassionate, and experienced Senior Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) to join the Pain Team at the Denmark Hill site of King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

The suitable candidate will have relevant experience as a Band 7 Pain Management CNS, together with a master's qualification in Pain management, or in Advanced Clinical Practice with post‑graduate Pain modules. You will be a non‑medical prescriber or be working towards this qualification.

As the Lead Nurse for the Pain Service, you lead on the provision of high‑quality pain management in both inpatient and outpatient settings on the Denmark Hill site. Inpatient settings include the Trauma Centre, Liver Transplant Unit, Haematology, general surgical and medical wards, and outpatient areas. The Pain Service is in the process of re‑establishing nurse‑led outpatient clinics, and you will have the opportunity to lead and co‑ordinate this process.

You will be joining a friendly clinical team with a vision to develop the Pain Service across the hospital at Denmark Hill. The Trust is committed to supporting all staff to develop to their full professional potential. Access to appropriate continuing professional development will be supported, within service constraints, as part of the annual appraisal process.

Main Duties

• Define objectives and plan activities to maintain high standards of pain management and, as a senior clinical nurse specialist, offer guidance and advice to nursing, medical and allied professionals within the field of pain management.
• Deliver a high degree of clinical decision‑making utilising in‑depth theoretical knowledge whilst using advanced autonomous clinical skills.
• Assess and implement appropriate recommendations and commence a treatment pathway, referring to relevant agencies where appropriate.
• Accept responsibility for allocated patient caseload, ensuring all patients have an accurate plan of care which reflects the assessment undertaken and incorporates the issues and recommendations made, ensuring clear documentation in the patients records and held records.
• Be actively involved with inpatient care and liaising with ward staff to ensure high quality nursing care.
• Conduct advanced assessments in an outpatient setting, delivering and coordinating nurse‑led clinics on a 1:1 basis with patients.
• Practice as an independent prescriber in accordance with the clinical setting and Trust policy.
• Lead the development of outpatient nurse‑led clinics.
• Follow‑up patients and ensure all relevant information is available to enable patients to make an informed choice about their treatment.
• Lead and coordinate MDT meetings ensuring all patients are represented.
• Deliver a seamless service through the development of enhanced multidisciplinary team processes and communication.
• Assist with and undertake the identification and development of clinical protocols and strategies to enhance the continuity and standard of specialist care whilst ensuring equity of access to the service.
• Participate and undertake the process of relevant operational policy review annually in accordance with national standards.
• Ensure all care is given in accordance with agreed protocols.
• Work with key staff members to establish and maintain nurse‑led service.
• Review the care and audit clinical notes of patients seen by the Clinical Nurse Specialists.
• Ensure that all patients have appropriate pain management follow‑up post‑discharge.
• Review ongoing MDT referrals to the Clinical Nurse Specialists.
• Support the Enhanced Recovery programmes within the organisation.
• Work with the MDT to develop, implement and evaluate integrated care pathways and systems of MDT documentation.
• Liaise with local community, social services, paramedics and voluntary organisations in order to develop existing services for clients, carers and health professionals.
• Actively involve service users in providing feedback of their experience of the current service and suggestions for improvement.
• Participate in the development of appropriate patient group directives to facilitate/enhance the discharge process.
• Participate in relevant forums at Divisional, Trust, KHP or CCG level to represent the service perspective.
• Provide specialist knowledge and skills, e.g. management/programming of PCA pumps, epidural systems and training medical/nursing staff within their scope of practice.
• Ensure all patients are fully informed of the risks and benefits of proposed procedures/treatments, contributing to the process of securing informed consent.
• Produce and provide all patients with relevant and accessible written and verbal information regarding their treatment in accordance with Trust standards.
• Plan, supervise and participate in the delivery of programmes of education and training according to the needs of clients, carers and others, and implement changes in response to identified needs.
• Assist with the development of Trust‑wide training programmes for nurses, medics and allied health in pain management.
• Develop robust training programmes, in conjunction with the Head of Medical Physics, for all pain management equipment.
• Review and develop a competency document for the pain specialist nurse from novice to advanced practitioner.
• Work with other clinical staff to identify knowledge gaps in relation to specialist patients and ensure staff are appropriately educated.
• Participate in education programmes for all staff and identify knowledge gaps in relation to specialist patients, tailoring teaching accordingly to enhance nursing practice and quality of care.
• Lecture as appropriate for university courses linked to King's College Hospital.
• Contribute to the development of nursing practice within the team; act as a practice supervisor to Trust and honorary contract employees where appropriate.
• Actively participate in educational events provided by the Trust and primary care sector.
• Attend meetings and conferences as appropriate to remain conversant with current issues within the Trust, specialist services locally and nationally.
• Promote and facilitate evidence‑based practice and lead on identifying areas for clinical audit within the Trust, raising the profile and enhancing the contribution of nursing to patient care and informing business and service development plans.
• Participate in and assist with any appropriate/relevant Trust‑approved research projects conducted within the department.
• Promote nursing research and evidence‑based practice relevant to the speciality.

About Us

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£1 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 15,000 staff based across South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites.

The trust‑wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person‑centred, digitally‑enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King’s to another level.

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King's is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone’s contribution is required to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust’s carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Details

Date posted: 27 October 2025
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £64,156 to £71,148 a year, including High Cost Area
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full‑time
Reference number: 213‑DivisionC‑7559837
Job location: King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 9RS

Qualifications – Essential

• NMC Level 1 or Level 15 Registered Nurse
• An advanced practitioner either through formal qualification (Degree) and/or extensive clinical experience pertinent to the area
• MSc in Pain Management

Qualifications – Desirable

• Non‑Medical Prescribing course or willingness to work towards it

Knowledge and Experience – Essential

• Management experience
• Relevant, demonstrable experience in Pain Management at senior level (B7)
• Experience of undertaking and leading audit programmes
• Evidence of participation in research
• Proven experience of service development
• Experience of delivering presentations

Skills and Competencies – Essential

• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to build up a rapport with patients and the MDT
• Ability to impart complex information to patients, relatives and carers, with different levels of understanding
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Patient‑centred approach
• Basic counselling skills

Skills and Competencies – Desirable

• Project management skills

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here: Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer Details

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
King's College Hospital
Denmark Hill
London
SE5 9RS

Employer Website

https://www.kch.nhs.uk/