Senior Registered Nurse - IRAS/OPAT | East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust; Colchester; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A UK healthcare provider in Colchester is looking for a full-time Senior Nurse to join their Integrated Rapid Assessment Service. The role involves supporting patients in a virtual ward and managing a complex caseload. Candidates should have experience in palliative care and be skilled in admission avoidance. The position offers development opportunities, a generous pension scheme, and various NHS discounts.

Benefits

Generous pension scheme

27 days annual leave

NHS discounts

Qualifications

• Experience in palliative care and admission avoidance.
• Ability to manage complex caseloads and support junior staff.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Deliver nursing input to promote independent living.
• Provide specialist input as an autonomous practitioner.
• Collaborate with various sectors to deliver holistic care.
• Empower patients in decision-making regarding their care.
• Support junior staff in managing patient care.

Skills

Palliative care

Admission avoidance

Antimicrobial therapy

Job description

Overview

I am pleased to inform you that an exciting opportunity has arisen for a full time position as a Senior Nurse (band 6) role within the Integrated Rapid Assessment Service (IRAS) and Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Team (OPAT).

This is an exciting opportunity to enhance admission avoidance skills and manage patients under a virtual ward. The role will involve working closely with all elements of the IRAS team and the emergency department to support discharges and provide additional services either by referral or signposting to prevent unnecessary admission and ensuring patients receive the right care in the right place. The OPAT service manages a complex caseload of patients across the northeast Essex locality with referrals coming from the hospital, tertiary centres, GPs and specialist clinics. Experience in palliative care, admission avoidance and antimicrobial therapy would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Work as part of the integrated team to deliver seven-day nursing input to patients with the aim of returning them to maximum independent living, within a stimulating environment actively promoting self-management on all activities of daily living.
• Work as an autonomous practitioner, providing specialist input to all patients within the post holder's specialist field of expertise.
• Collaborate with colleagues across health, social care, mental health and voluntary sector to ensure holistic and joined-up delivery of care.
• Empower patients to make decisions about their own care, encourage them to exercise their rights and choices, and signpost them to relevant community and voluntary services.
• Support patients’ carers and assistants with risk management.
• Manage the work of junior staff, assistants, students and volunteers in own professional area.

About ESNEFT

We are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients’ own homes. We are one of the largest NHS organisations in England, employing more than 12,000 staff.

Development and Benefits

We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options. In addition, we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offers a variety of services. Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients. We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (EPR) supplier Epic, bringing what’s widely regarded as the world’s best EPR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients.

How to apply

If you are interested in this opportunity, please complete an expression of interest form providing the skills, knowledge, and attributes you have that would make you suitable for the role. There may be an opportunity for a developmental role from band 5. If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge, then we want to hear from you. Find out about living and working here - www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkPu7HphU8A

Responsibilities and duties details

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.

Closing date

This advert closes on Wednesday 15 Oct 2025