Specialist Respiratory Practitioner

HCT Partnership; Hitchin; On-site; GBP 49,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust is seeking a Main area Specialist Respiratory Practitioner (Band 7) on a 12-month fixed-term contract, full-time 37.5 hours, based at Hitchin. The post supports an integrated service spanning primary, secondary and community care to improve the patient pathway.

The role involves autonomous clinical work, oxygen assessment and LTOT evaluation, collaboration with GP surgeries and community teams, and delivering education while maintaining patient-centered care.

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse or HCPC registered professional.
• Post-registration respiratory qualifications.
• Non-Medical Prescribing recognised where possible.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist respiratory care to patients and families.
• Lead oxygen assessment and LTOT evaluation for adults.
• Collaborate with GP surgeries and HCT/CCG partners to improve care.
• Deliver education sessions and support pulmonary rehabilitation activities.
• Maintain accurate records and contribute to clinical governance.

Skills

Autonomy

Clinical assessment

Patient education

Education

NMC HCPC registered professional

Non-Medical Prescriber

Job description

Main area Specialist Respiratory Practitioner Grade NHS AfC: Band 7 Contract Fixed term: 12 months (This could also be a secondment) Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Current staff work 8am until 6pm) Job ref 812-26-CM-ICT-RSP-01

Site Hitchin Town Hitchin Salary £49,387 - £56,515 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 12/10/2026 23:59 Interview date 20/10/2026

Job overview

Would you like to be part of an exciting new way of working where Primary, Secondary and Community providers are truly integrated, sharing IT and working together to improve the patient’s pathway within East & North Hertfordshire? Would you like to be part of highly a functioning and supportive community respiratory team?

From September 2026 we will have vacancies within the Integrated Community Respiratory Service (ICRS) for a Respiratory Specialist Nurses or Allied Health professionals that have a passion for Respiratory and want to be at the heart of supporting primary and community care. The 12-month fixed term contracts will allow the service to develop and evaluate new emerging pathways in the delivery of COPD care. The service operates Monday to Friday 8am-6pm. This working pattern is flexible and can be discussed further. Staff are expected to cross cover all localities within East and North Hertfordshire.

The service offers admission prevention and supportive discharge from hospital; we work closely with secondary care colleagues and established community teams to ensure that the patient’s journey is as smooth as possible. Home oxygen assessments are also part of the role. The core principle of the service is to put the patient at the centre of care, ensuring they are seen at the right time, by the right person in the right place.

*Proposed interview date : 20th October 2026*

Main duties of the job

Work autonomously responsible for own workload.

Provide specialist advice and support to patients, their families and their carer’s. Empower appropriate patients at all stages to embrace self-management and self-responsibility for managing their condition, in the patient’s own home.

Evaluate the effects of medication, ensuring the safe management and support of these patients, in partnership with Hertfordshire medicines management teams.

To provide oxygen assessment service for adult patients, to be competent in the assessment of patients potentially benefiting from LTOT and ambulatory oxygen.

To liaise with other health professionals in the GP surgeries and HCT & CCG’s towards improving the care of people with respiratory disorders.

To support the Community Matrons and Integrated Care Teams with their complex respiratory patients

Act as a resource for primary care staff on the management of patients with Chronic Respiratory disease, promoting effective care and avoiding unnecessary hospital admissions/referrals.

To be actively involved with the pulmonary rehabilitation classes – delivering education sessions as needed.

Demonstrate a high level of advanced clinical competence in respiratory disease management, based on in depth knowledge, research and evidence based findings.

Maintain confidentiality and manage information sensitively.

Working for our organisation

A big thank you for considering joining us at Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust

You’ll find it a great place to work with many benefits offered to you as a member of our staff

We put our patients, their families and carers at the centre of our vision - Outstanding Services and Healthier Communities

Our staff are proud to be Caring, Pioneering and Inclusive in their work to help achieve the Trust vision.

We welcome diversity in our workforce and are interested in applicants from all backgrounds and ages

You’ve made a great decision to join to HCT - we’re looking forward to taking the next steps of the journey with you.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Join a well-established, innovative community respiratory service with excellent patient and team satisfaction. Our aim is to improve clinical outcomes for patients with respiratory disease, offering a viable alternative to hospital care. The model puts community respiratory specialists at the heart of supporting primary care and the core community health and social care teams. The elements of the service include admission prevention, supportive discharge from hospital, education and training of health care professionals, patient’s and carers, ‘complex management’ for those beyond remit of general practice and home oxygen assessment and review.

Work autonomously responsible for own workload.

Using your clinical experience and skills you will be responsible for the assessment, planning, delivery and evaluation of programs of care

To liaise with other health professionals in the GP surgeries and HCT & CCG’s towards improving the care of people with respiratory disorders.

Lead in the development of the respiratory service in order to ensure that it moves forward in line with national guidelines

RESPONSIBILITIES / ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Key working relationships:

Acute hospital Respiratory Consultants, clinicians and other respiratory staff, Respiratory Physiotherapists, Patient Advisory and Liaison Service. Agencies & organisations external to the Trust, such as, Adult Care Services,HCT and the ambulance service, GPs, Community Matrons and practice nurses, voluntary support groups.

COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIPS:

Involvement in robust pathways with all the acute trusts covering East & North Herts CCG to ensure the patients’ journey is as smooth as possible.

To support the Community Matrons and Integrated Care Teams with their complex respiratory patients

Act as a resource for primary care staff on the management of patients with Chronic Respiratory disease, promoting effective care and avoiding unnecessary hospital admissions/referrals.

To be actively involved with the pulmonary rehabilitation classes – delivering education sessions as needed.

Working with the ICRS Manager to support and maintain a clinically managed network of multidisciplinary professionals, enhancing the care of people with respiratory disease at local level and promoting evidence based practice to ensure efficient and effective use of expert resources.

Develop close working relationships with voluntary groups e.g. Breathe Easy and support them with awareness events.

ANALYTICAL AND JUDGEMENTAL:

Demonstrate a high level of advanced clinical competence in respiratory disease management, based on in depth knowledge, research and evidence based findings.

Identify gaps in service provision and discuss steps to manage any identified problem areas with the ICRS Manager.

Critically evaluate and interpret evidence-based research findings from a variety of sources, making informed judgements about their implications for changing and/or developing services and clinical practice

PLANNING AND ORGANISATION:

• Participate in developing referral pathways, protocols, policies, standards to ensure quality assurance systems are in place for the elimination of clinical risk.
• Plan, deliver and evaluate programs of education for people with respiratory disease and their carer’s.
• Plan, deliver and evaluate multidisciplinary education and training programs for health professionals throughout East & North Herts CCG.
• Use advanced skills and expert knowledge to assess the physical and psychosocial needs of patients with chronic respiratory disease, instigating therapeutic treatments based on best available evidence, to improve outcomes
• Anticipate care needs and develop appropriate care management plans referring onto other services or professionals as appropriate
• To work with the ICRS Manager and other members of the Respiratory MDT to continually monitor, evaluate and develop the service.

PATIENT AND CLIENT CARE

Provide specialist advice and support to patients, their families and their carer’s. Empower appropriate patients at all stages to embrace self-management and self-responsibility for managing their condition, in the patient’s own home.

Evaluate the effects of medication, ensuring the safe management and support of these patients, in partnership with Hertfordshire medicines management teams.

To provide oxygen assessment service for adult patients, to be competent in the assessment of patients potentially benefiting from LTOT and ambulatory oxygen.

To be able to analyse the results of capillary blood gases and exercise tests and respond to provide the correct care for the patient.

To be an advocate for those patients that require end of life / advanced care planning discussions.

Act as an effective role model to all staff and act as an expert resource on the management of Chronic Respiratory disease.

Prescribe under the remit of non-medical prescribing, working to trust and NMC guidelines (or equivalent) or to successfully complete the Non-Medical Prescribing course and practice as a prescriber within current guidelines.

Maintain confidentiality and manage information sensitively.

POLICY AND SERVICE:

• Maintain own professional development always working within the NMC Code of Professional Conduct or HCPC standards of proficiency and Trust policy and guidelines or HCP guidelines.
• Positively participate in and promote clinical governance, thus ensuring the highest quality of practice is maintained, within the service. Demonstrate the use of evidence-based practice and participation in clinical audit
• Encourage sharing of best practice and knowledge through participation at relevant local / national meetings.
• Contribute towards the development of guidelines & protocols, which reflect evidence based and best practice and enhance programs of care.
• Commitment to continuous professional development and clinical supervision in relation to the post, maintaining an objective and innovative approach to the work and to change.
• In conjunction with other members of the Respiratory team, set, maintain and monitor standards of patient care.
• Support the development, implementation and review of Respiratory policies and procedures, delivering a consistent evidenced based approach to COPD/ Respiratory disease in line with National and local guidance.

HUMAN RESOURCES:

• Participate fully in the appraisal process and comply with continuing professional development.

INFORMATION RESOURCES:

• Ensure accurate and timely recording of all workload activity via patient information systems to inform analysis of service delivery and continued service development.
• Ensure that patient records and documentation are kept and maintained in line with NMC or HCPC standards and Trust guidelines
• Ensure safe practice through caseload management considering risk management and documentation.

FREEDOM TO ACT:

• Take responsibility for own continuous professional development, maintaining a sound level of professional knowledge and competence in line with your Personal Development Plan agreed at annual appraisal. Ensure attendance at all mandatory training.
• Ensure that clinical treatment given is evidence based.
• Act as a clinical role model by demonstrating high standards of clinical practice and a professional attitude.
• Continually evaluate and audit the quality and effectiveness of own practice.

HCT will prioritise recruitment of workers living in England under the new immigration rules for care workers effective from 9 April 2025. Employers must first prove that they have attempted to recruit a worker from within England who needs new sponsorship. This ensures that those who came to the UK to pursue a career in adult social care can do so.

Registration

• Registered Nurse Part 1, 2 or 12 or registered health care professional

Quality

• Experience of audit or service improvement
• Experience around clinical governance and safeguarding
• Leading audit projects
• Involvement in audit of respiratory care

Qualifications

• Degree level education or equivalent respiratory experience
• Post registration accredited respiratory qualifications
• Non-Medical Prescriber

Experience

• Experience of working with respiratory patients
• Experience of independent clinical assessment
• Experience of working as part of a team
• Experience of working independently with respiratory patients
• The ability to manage and hold own caseload

We will communicate any interview arrangements with applicants via e-mail so it is advisable that you check the email address you give on your application on a regular basis.

Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band. All new appointments (excluding Medical & Dental roles) are subject to a 26 week probation period.

We are proud to be an armed forces friendly employer and support the employment of the armed forces community, including veterans, spouses and partners. For more information, contact [e-mail]

Applications from qualified job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications, subject to you meeting minimum criteria of the role and salary threshold. Please visit the Gov.UK website for detail.

If applicable to the role, staff are required to hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car to use with business insurance (unless the member of staff has a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).

In submitting an application form, you authorise Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the Electronic Staff Record Inter Authority Transfer process should you be appointed to the post.

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.