Parkinson Disease Specialist Nurse

NHS; Plymouth; Hybrid; GBP 46,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

Livewell Southwest is seeking a Band 7 Community Parkinsons Specialist nurse to join their dedicated team. This role involves managing a diverse caseload in a hybrid setting, providing patient-centered care, and offering opportunities for professional growth. Ideal candidates will have a deep understanding of Parkinson's and possess a non-medical prescribing qualification.

Benefits

Protected CPD time

Leadership programs

Funding for qualifications

Qualifications

• Current NMC registration as RGN or RMN.
• Evidence of recent professional development.
• Ability to drive with a clean driving license.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of patients with Parkinson's.
• Deliver clinical care and therapeutic interventions.
• Provide education and training to patients and staff.

Skills

Communication

Problem Solving

Interpersonal Skills

Education

NMC registration

Post graduate diploma

Non-Medical Independent prescriber V300

Job description

Job summary

37.5 hours per week.

A rare and exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 7 Community Parkinsons Specialist nurse, to join our established community Parkinsons Nurse team at Livewell Southwest. We cover the Livewell footprint and have the perfect mix of city and rural working which offers a diverse caseload of patients that informs the patient centred mantra that we work from.

This is new, full-time role that has been created by generous pump priming funding from Parkinsons UK. This post is fully funded for 2 years, with the hope that it will become a permanent post afterwards. This role therefore is a Fixed Term contract for 2 years, and can be taken on, with permission from your manager (if local), as a secondment. It is a hybrid role, so the successful post holder can be based from home or the Cumberland Centre in Plymouth, and will be expected to undertake clinical reviews of patients across Plymouth, West Devon and some of South Hams in person at their place of residency, clinic, via telephone and virtual reviews.

Main duties of the job

For this post, we require an enthusiastic, motivated and passionate Nurse to help deliver a patient focused service which is evidence based, with the patient at the core of every aspect of their own pathway. The post holder will not only work with an experienced nurse team but will be supported by wider Neurology and HCE clinicians based in the Southwest. The post holder will work autonomously, managing their own caseload.

This is an exciting opportunity for Nurses wishing to progress their clinical careers. It is open to general or mental health nurses (we have one of each currently in the team). As a large part of the role is the medical management of Parkinsons, we ask that you hold the non-medical prescribing qualification V300 - or the willingness to undertake this once competencies have been met.

Interested? Please do contact Emma Edwards or Stacey Pearce for a discussion Parkinsons specialist nurses on [e-mail] or [e-mail]

This role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route; please refer to the Direct Gov website for more information with regards to eligibility.

Please note that Livewell may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline if a high number of applications are submitted. Therefore, we recommend you submit your application at the earliest opportunity.

All Livewell staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7 day service.

About us

Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social enterprise delivering integrated health and social care services across Plymouth, South Hams, and West Devon, with specialist services in parts of Devon and Cornwall. Our teams work in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, and health hubs.

As an organisation with a strong social conscience we are guided by our values,kindness, respect, inclusivity, ambition, responsibility, and collaboration. We focus on transforming services to ensure sustainability, while empowering staff and those we serve.

We involve the people we care for, along with their families and carers, in shaping the care they receive, striving to deliver the right care at the right time and place. Centering our work on individual needs helps people lead healthy, independent lives.

We prioritise employees' development, offering protected CPD time, training pathways, leadership programs, and funding for qualifications like the Care Certificate and Nurse Training Scholarships. Our induction and preceptorship programs ensure a smooth transition into our organisation.

Livewell Southwest values diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community, including those with armed forces experience, lived experience of mental health, neuro-diverse conditions and learning disabilities. If you need assistance or reasonable adjustments during the application process, contact the Recruiting Manager listed in the job advert.

Details Date posted

12 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£46,148 to £52,809 a year pa, pro-rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

24 months

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working

Reference number

B9832-2025-NM-9904

Job locations

Cumberland Centre

Damerel Close

Plymouth

PL1 4JZ

Job description Job responsibilities

Responsibility for People Management

Undertake the full range of people management tasks and responsibilities including communication, staff engagement, workforce planning, appraisal, training and development and performance management including disciplinary/grievance/sickness with support from the Operational Leads, service managers and/or Team peers.

Provide and participate in educational training to both patients and staff either on an individual or group basis within scope of knowledge around managing Parkinsons conditions, supported by the 3rd party organisational delegation policy.

Identify areas of practice/role development and enable and support staff to initiate change.

Provide compassionate and credible role modelling and expertise to nurses, and other professionals, in relation to Parkinsons care.

Implement, participate, and facilitate in Practice Supervision as per Organisational policy.

Provides supervision for colleagues, students and develops team members.

Undertake appraisals for staff who are line managed by this post holder and support colleagues to achieve ongoing learning needs identified through appraisal.

Provides mentorship for students where needed.

Act as a role model for other staff and students demonstrating high standards of practice and professional conduct.

Act as specialist clinical advisor on health care issues within their area of expertise.

Ensure that work which is often unpredictable is prioritised and suitably delegated to other members of the multi-disciplinary team.

To assist with the investigation of complaints and incidents as relevant.

Be aware of pressures facing your work colleagues and offer support and ensure they are aware of the organisation support services available to them.

To maintain effective verbal and written communication with the clinical team and to keep staff informed of changes to prescribing intervention or treatment provided to service-users.

To work in partnership with medical staff and service-users in the development and implementation of clinical management plans related to an individuals treatment and prescribing needs.

To establish and maintain good liaison with key stakeholders in the individuals care eg GP practices and other services in the area, including sharing prescribing information and rationales.

5.2 Responsibility for financial and/or physical resources

To ensure best use of available resources, identifying efficiency and supporting workforce planning as appropriate.

To support operational managers with the service budget to monitor budget expenditure, provide internal cost control, deliver efficiency savings and accurate forecasting.

You may be required to hold budgetary responsibility within your role.

To comply with Livewell Southwest financial policies and procedures.

Scope and support the development of business cases with operations as and when required to secure investments required to achieve sustainable change.

Support operations to monitor skill mix within teams and advise managers to ensure the most effective service both clinically and financially in line with transformation and integration.

Understand and support the application of agreed eligibility criteria for services and equipment.

Assessments might include the provision of equipment ensuring it is used safely and within the manufacturers guidance and reviewed as per Livewell Southwest policy.

To contribute to resource governance through knowledge and appropriate prescribing decisions.

5.3 Responsibility for administration

Be responsible for organising own time management on a daily basis in line with caseload demands balancing patient needs with the non-clinical aspect of the role.

Maintain accurate records, which are confidential, up to date, legible and that all care given has to be documented. These records may be paper or IT based system and must be maintained as specified in the Organisational Policies, Professional guidelines and Government directives.

The Post Holder to be supplied with a mobile phone and lone working device for work purposes and be expected to adhere to the organisation policy.

To report and record all incidents and near misses relating to health, safety, security, fire, physical violence, aggression, and verbal abuse.

To take the lead in the triage and management of referrals into the service utilising the service criteria. Actively working with other operational leads, strategic leads, professional leads, and practice leads to support the delivery of the service.

5.4 Responsibility for people who use our services

Using appropriate referral criteria for your area and an agreed case finding tool.

Manage a large community caseload of people with Parkinsons and Parkinsons Plus syndromes ( current caseload for Livewell community Parkinsons nurse team is around 700 patients covering Plymouth, West Devon and some of South Hams shared amongst the team).

Deliver clinical care / therapeutic interventions in the context of change within a complex healthcare, utilising specialist pathways for safe and effective care for patients.

Assess Parkinsons symptoms effectively, and then if appropriate, take responsibility for the safe prescribing of medications of a wide range of motor and non-motor Parkinsons symptoms. Advice for prescribing can be sought from the wider Parkinsons team. The nurse will be expected to see through that episode of prescribing intervention.

Assess suitability of service-users for prescribing interventions and to initiate these as an independent prescriber.

Comply with the Professional codes, relevant legislation, procedures and policies.

To review and make changes to prescribed medication, in collaboration with the service-user wherever possible (and adhering with agreed Clinical Management Plan where applicable).

To prescribe and change medications as clinically appropriate, within the scope of the independent practitioners clinical expertise and/ or CMP.

Actively involve patients, and carers, in their treatment and encourages/empowers others enabling individuals to manage their own care and recovery.

Explain to patients in a clear concise way the appropriate treatment options available at each stage of the disease. Provide this verbally and through written information so to empower a shared decision making. To make relevant referrals to wider MDT for such treatment interventions such as Apomorphine and Produodopa infusion therapy, and Deep brain stimulation.

Utilise appropriate models of care delivery (such as the Home-based care pathway), innovations and rapidly evolving technologies (such as the PKG watch) using critical analysis and their underpinning knowledge to manage complex interventions.

Liaise where appropriate with health and social care and other external agencies, this might involve case management discussions, continuing healthcare funding assessments, or referrals to other services.

Document assessments, formulate an appropriate person-centred plan. Collaborate with the MDT to identify, review and support patients with complex disease management who are either at risk of admission, have repeated active hospital admissions to develop their knowledge and understanding about their health and well-being to enable self-management within individual abilities.

Take a lead role by offering professional support within the MDT when dealing with complex/urgent situations which can be emotionally challenging e.g. end of life care or advising on advanced clinical therapy devices that have malfunctioned.

Make independent referrals for diagnostic tests and/or opinions and care which requires open and informed discussion at all levels from consultants to GPs to specialist services.

The person-centred holistic assessment will include clinical, social, functional, emotional and cognitive elements, this will require gathering and interpreting information from various IT systems and sources, performing tests and analysing results, recording collated information on System One and sharing with the appropriate Neurology teams which may be based at UHP, RD&E, Southmead Hospital, or Torbay Hospital.

The role requires specialist understanding of Parkinsons, but also of other health conditions which may affect and impact on symptoms, such as Urinary Tract and Lower Respiratory tract infections, Constipation, Delirium and Dementia. This role will regularly manage people who have an acute deterioration of symptoms because of those other conditions. Actively seeking out patients who will benefit from clinical case management technique in order to avoid unplanned hospital admission and reduce the length of hospital stays.

Commitment to provide clinical support to patients, their families/carers and professionals involved across the Parkinsons pathway. Use a high level of communication and interpersonal skills to communicate effectively with patients and carers, in particular the skills needed for cognitive assessment and mental health status.

Provide ongoing support for carers via monthly online support groups co-facilitated by local care support organisations.

The postholder will support the role by integrating the four key aspects of clinical practice, education, research and leadership whilst collaborating closely with other members of the multi-disciplinary team to develop and monitor standards of care.

See full job description on the attached document

Job description Job responsibilities

Responsibility for People Management

Undertake the full range of people management tasks and responsibilities including communication, staff engagement, workforce planning, appraisal, training and development and performance management including disciplinary/grievance/sickness with support from the Operational Leads, service managers and/or Team peers.

Provide and participate in educational training to both patients and staff either on an individual or group basis within scope of knowledge around managing Parkinsons conditions, supported by the 3rd party organisational delegation policy.

Identify areas of practice/role development and enable and support staff to initiate change.

Provide compassionate and credible role modelling and expertise to nurses, and other professionals, in relation to Parkinsons care.

Implement, participate, and facilitate in Practice Supervision as per Organisational policy.

Provides supervision for colleagues, students and develops team members.

Undertake appraisals for staff who are line managed by this post holder and support colleagues to achieve ongoing learning needs identified through appraisal.

Provides mentorship for students where needed.

Act as a role model for other staff and students demonstrating high standards of practice and professional conduct.

Act as specialist clinical advisor on health care issues within their area of expertise.

Ensure that work which is often unpredictable is prioritised and suitably delegated to other members of the multi-disciplinary team.

To assist with the investigation of complaints and incidents as relevant.

Be aware of pressures facing your work colleagues and offer support and ensure they are aware of the organisation support services available to them.

To maintain effective verbal and written communication with the clinical team and to keep staff informed of changes to prescribing intervention or treatment provided to service-users.

To work in partnership with medical staff and service-users in the development and implementation of clinical management plans related to an individuals treatment and prescribing needs.

To establish and maintain good liaison with key stakeholders in the individuals care eg GP practices and other services in the area, including sharing prescribing information and rationales.

5.2 Responsibility for financial and/or physical resources

To ensure best use of available resources, identifying efficiency and supporting workforce planning as appropriate.

To support operational managers with the service budget to monitor budget expenditure, provide internal cost control, deliver efficiency savings and accurate forecasting.

You may be required to hold budgetary responsibility within your role.

To comply with Livewell Southwest financial policies and procedures.

Scope and support the development of business cases with operations as and when required to secure investments required to achieve sustainable change.

Support operations to monitor skill mix within teams and advise managers to ensure the most effective service both clinically and financially in line with transformation and integration.

Understand and support the application of agreed eligibility criteria for services and equipment.

Assessments might include the provision of equipment ensuring it is used safely and within the manufacturers guidance and reviewed as per Livewell Southwest policy.

To contribute to resource governance through knowledge and appropriate prescribing decisions.

5.3 Responsibility for administration

Be responsible for organising own time management on a daily basis in line with caseload demands balancing patient needs with the non-clinical aspect of the role.

Maintain accurate records, which are confidential, up to date, legible and that all care given has to be documented. These records may be paper or IT based system and must be maintained as specified in the Organisational Policies, Professional guidelines and Government directives.

The Post Holder to be supplied with a mobile phone and lone working device for work purposes and be expected to adhere to the organisation policy.

To report and record all incidents and near misses relating to health, safety, security, fire, physical violence, aggression, and verbal abuse.

To take the lead in the triage and management of referrals into the service utilising the service criteria. Actively working with other operational leads, strategic leads, professional leads, and practice leads to support the delivery of the service.

5.4 Responsibility for people who use our services

Using appropriate referral criteria for your area and an agreed case finding tool.

Manage a large community caseload of people with Parkinsons and Parkinsons Plus syndromes ( current caseload for Livewell community Parkinsons nurse team is around 700 patients covering Plymouth, West Devon and some of South Hams shared amongst the team).

Deliver clinical care / therapeutic interventions in the context of change within a complex healthcare, utilising specialist pathways for safe and effective care for patients.

Assess Parkinsons symptoms effectively, and then if appropriate, take responsibility for the safe prescribing of medications of a wide range of motor and non-motor Parkinsons symptoms. Advice for prescribing can be sought from the wider Parkinsons team. The nurse will be expected to see through that episode of prescribing intervention.

Assess suitability of service-users for prescribing interventions and to initiate these as an independent prescriber.

Comply with the Professional codes, relevant legislation, procedures and policies.

To review and make changes to prescribed medication, in collaboration with the service-user wherever possible (and adhering with agreed Clinical Management Plan where applicable).

To prescribe and change medications as clinically appropriate, within the scope of the independent practitioners clinical expertise and/ or CMP.

Actively involve patients, and carers, in their treatment and encourages/empowers others enabling individuals to manage their own care and recovery.

Explain to patients in a clear concise way the appropriate treatment options available at each stage of the disease. Provide this verbally and through written information so to empower a shared decision making. To make relevant referrals to wider MDT for such treatment interventions such as Apomorphine and Produodopa infusion therapy, and Deep brain stimulation.

Utilise appropriate models of care delivery (such as the Home-based care pathway), innovations and rapidly evolving technologies (such as the PKG watch) using critical analysis and their underpinning knowledge to manage complex interventions.

Liaise where appropriate with health and social care and other external agencies, this might involve case management discussions, continuing healthcare funding assessments, or referrals to other services.

Document assessments, formulate an appropriate person-centred plan. Collaborate with the MDT to identify, review and support patients with complex disease management who are either at risk of admission, have repeated active hospital admissions to develop their knowledge and understanding about their health and well-being to enable self-management within individual abilities.

Take a lead role by offering professional support within the MDT when dealing with complex/urgent situations which can be emotionally challenging e.g. end of life care or advising on advanced clinical therapy devices that have malfunctioned.

Make independent referrals for diagnostic tests and/or opinions and care which requires open and informed discussion at all levels from consultants to GPs to specialist services.

The person-centred holistic assessment will include clinical, social, functional, emotional and cognitive elements, this will require gathering and interpreting information from various IT systems and sources, performing tests and analysing results, recording collated information on System One and sharing with the appropriate Neurology teams which may be based at UHP, RD&E, Southmead Hospital, or Torbay Hospital.

The role requires specialist understanding of Parkinsons, but also of other health conditions which may affect and impact on symptoms, such as Urinary Tract and Lower Respiratory tract infections, Constipation, Delirium and Dementia. This role will regularly manage people who have an acute deterioration of symptoms because of those other conditions. Actively seeking out patients who will benefit from clinical case management technique in order to avoid unplanned hospital admission and reduce the length of hospital stays.

Commitment to provide clinical support to patients, their families/carers and professionals involved across the Parkinsons pathway. Use a high level of communication and interpersonal skills to communicate effectively with patients and carers, in particular the skills needed for cognitive assessment and mental health status.

Provide ongoing support for carers via monthly online support groups co-facilitated by local care support organisations.

The postholder will support the role by integrating the four key aspects of clinical practice, education, research and leadership whilst collaborating closely with other members of the multi-disciplinary team to develop and monitor standards of care.

See full job description on the attached document

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• Current NMC registration (either RGN, or RMN)
• Professional knowledge acquired through degree supplemented by post graduate diploma with significant relevant experience.
• Membership of the relevant Professional Body.
• Evidence of recent professional development in an up-to-date portfolio
• Non-Medical Independent prescriber V300 (or a willingness to undertake this qualification ASAP)
• Ability to drive with a clean driving license and access to own car.

Desirable

• Teaching qualification such as ENB 998/997 or equivalent.
• Additional clinical qualifications in Parkinsons, such as Neurology Academy Masterclasses, or Parkinsons degree modules.

Additional requirements Essential

• Ability to work across community locations in Plymouth, West Devon and parts of South Hams

Specific Skills Essential

• Ability to develop effective interpersonal relationships with colleagues in an MDT setting
• Ability to communicate in a variety of settings with patients of varying levels of understanding
• Ability to communicate unpleasant and sensitive information
• Able to manage own workload, plan the work of others and work autonomously.
• Logical and good at problem solving.
• Operational/organisational skills and ability to work and prioritise and work under pressure
• Demonstrable knowledge of assessment and therapeutic interventions in area of specialism
• Skills and experience of developing specialist programmes of care for an individual or groups of patients/clients and of providing highly specialist advice
• Skills for assessing and interpreting specialist patient/client conditions in order to make a clinical judgement regarding diagnosis and interventions
• Skills to develop and deliver educational packages in frailty across the MDT
• Able to overcome barriers to understanding where there are physical or mental disabilities
• Ability to develop role to meet the changing needs of the service

Experience Essential

• Proven relevant post registration experience
• Significant experience of the management of patients with a complex medical and / or mental health conditions in a community setting.
• Experience of cross system and Multi-Disciplinary Team working
• Previous experience/delivery of formal/informal teaching of patients and staff

Desirable

• Experience of undertaking assessments such MOCA, UPDRS, CHC checklists, mental health checks and physical monitorings.
• Experience of being a Specialist nurse.

Knowledge Essential

• Knowledge of the motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinsons.
• Knowledge and understanding of the treatments of Parkinsons throughout the stages of the disease.
• Experience of using electronic patient / service user record systems

Desirable

• Management and care planning of people with Parkinsons.

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• Current NMC registration (either RGN, or RMN)
• Professional knowledge acquired through degree supplemented by post graduate diploma with significant relevant experience.
• Membership of the relevant Professional Body.
• Evidence of recent professional development in an up-to-date portfolio
• Non-Medical Independent prescriber V300 (or a willingness to undertake this qualification ASAP)
• Ability to drive with a clean driving license and access to own car.

Desirable

• Teaching qualification such as ENB 998/997 or equivalent.
• Additional clinical qualifications in Parkinsons, such as Neurology Academy Masterclasses, or Parkinsons degree modules.

Additional requirements Essential

• Ability to work across community locations in Plymouth, West Devon and parts of South Hams

Specific Skills Essential

• Ability to develop effective interpersonal relationships with colleagues in an MDT setting
• Ability to communicate in a variety of settings with patients of varying levels of understanding
• Ability to communicate unpleasant and sensitive information
• Able to manage own workload, plan the work of others and work autonomously.
• Logical and good at problem solving.
• Operational/organisational skills and ability to work and prioritise and work under pressure
• Demonstrable knowledge of assessment and therapeutic interventions in area of specialism
• Skills and experience of developing specialist programmes of care for an individual or groups of patients/clients and of providing highly specialist advice
• Skills for assessing and interpreting specialist patient/client conditions in order to make a clinical judgement regarding diagnosis and interventions
• Skills to develop and deliver educational packages in frailty across the MDT
• Able to overcome barriers to understanding where there are physical or mental disabilities
• Ability to develop role to meet the changing needs of the service

Experience Essential

• Proven relevant post registration experience
• Significant experience of the management of patients with a complex medical and / or mental health conditions in a community setting.
• Experience of cross system and Multi-Disciplinary Team working
• Previous experience/delivery of formal/informal teaching of patients and staff

Desirable

• Experience of undertaking assessments such MOCA, UPDRS, CHC checklists, mental health checks and physical monitorings.
• Experience of being a Specialist nurse.

Knowledge Essential

• Knowledge of the motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinsons.
• Knowledge and understanding of the treatments of Parkinsons throughout the stages of the disease.
• Experience of using electronic patient / service user record systems

Desirable

• Management and care planning of people with Parkinsons.

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 (Opens in a new tab).

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 (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information 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 (Opens in a new tab).

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 (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details Employer name

Livewell Southwest

Address

Cumberland Centre

Damerel Close

Plymouth

PL1 4JZ

Employer's website

https://www.livewellsouthwest.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details Employer name

Livewell Southwest

Address

Cumberland Centre

Damerel Close

Plymouth

PL1 4JZ

Employer's website

https://www.livewellsouthwest.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)