Senior CNS: Palliative Care & Innovation Lead

The Hospice of St Francis; Dacorum; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The Hospice of St Francis seeks a Clinical Nurse Specialist to join its senior clinical team. This role blends advanced nursing practice with leadership, innovation and service development to continually improve patient care and experience in the Inpatient Unit (IPU).

You will lead nurse-led care, drive clinical excellence, coach Band 6 nurses, and take responsibility for the IV iron service, while collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-quality, patient-centred care.

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse (Level 1) with current NMC registration.
• Degree or equivalent qualification in palliative care, oncology or a relevant clinical field.
• Recognised teaching, assessing or mentorship qualification, or equivalent experience.
• Approved non-medical prescribing qualification and NMC registration in this area, or commitment to complete.
• Advanced physical assessment qualification, or commitment to complete.
• At least five years senior-level experience in palliative care, oncology or a closely related setting.
• Advanced knowledge of specialist palliative and end-of-life care, including assessment, symptom management, review, coordination and discharge.
• Experience of coaching, mentoring, clinical supervision, teaching and competency development.

Responsibilities

• Provide autonomous, advanced specialist palliative care assessment, clinical decision-making, prescribing, care planning, review and discharge for patients and families with complex needs.
• Lead the implementation, delivery and evaluation of nurse-led admissions, reviews, care and discharges, acting as a visible role model for safe nurse-led decision-making.
• Work within IPU to monitor and improve standards of physical, psychological, social and spiritual care in line with Hospice policy, CQC requirements and organisational strategy.
• Model expert clinical practice and support colleagues through coaching, mentoring, clinical supervision, teaching, reflective practice and competency development.
• Lead and support practice development, innovation, audit, research, quality improvement and change-management activity, translating evidence and learning into sustained improvements in care.
• Oversee clinical incidents supporting the band 6 team to investigate, identify and share learnings; highlight themes and risks with IPU leadership to embed learnings.
• Be an active member of infection prevention group.
• Support complex discharge planning, Advance Care Planning, ReSPECT documentation, CHC funding applications and liaison with community and external services.
• Lead the IV iron service, including patient assessment against agreed criteria and coordination of treatment delivery.
• Line management of band 6 nurses.
• Participate in IPU senior management on-call rota and represent the Hospice as required.

Skills

Clinical leadership

Advanced palliative care

Coaching & mentoring

Communication

Clinical governance

Education

NMC Registered Nurse

Degree or equivalent in palliative care/oncology

Non-medical prescribing qualification

Advanced physical assessment qualification

Five years senior-level palliative care experience

Job description

The Hospice of St Francis seeks a Clinical Nurse Specialist to join its senior clinical team. This role blends advanced nursing practice with leadership, innovation and service development to continually improve patient care and experience in the Inpatient Unit (IPU).

You will lead nurse-led care, drive clinical excellence, coach Band 6 nurses, and take responsibility for the IV iron service, while collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-quality, patient-centred care.