261781 (SM) Specialist for Stress and Distress Programme

NHS Scotland; Edinburgh (IN); On-site; USD 86,000 - 119,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS Scotland is seeking a Nurse Specialist to provide clinical and educational leadership in dementia care within the acute hospital setting. The role aims to transform care and experience for older adults with cognitive impairment, deliver evidence-based educational programmes, and promote a positive learning environment for clinical staff.

The post will involve strengthening links with Healthcare Improvement Scotland, supporting research through the NHS Lothian team, delivering dementia

Job description

Equality and Diversity

NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.

AI Tools Guidance

AI tools like ChatGPT or Copilot can be great for planning and preparing your application— your answers must be your own.

• Show us the real you: Your application should reflect your skills, experience, and motivations authentically.
• Use AI wisely: It’s fine to use AI for ideas or to check spelling and grammar, but don’t let it write your answers.
• Why this matters: Applications that rely on AI-generated content may be withdrawn. By applying, you confirm your responses are based on your own knowledge and achievements.

Tip: Think of AI as a helper, not a substitute. We want to understand you—not an AI tool.

Legal Requirement for Work in the United Kingdom

To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service. Further information on what NHS Scotland Boards are required to do to check this as well as what your responsibilities include can be found in the further information for this vacancy.

Application Process Note

Please note: we anticipate a high level of interest in this position and may close the vacancy early once a sufficient amount of applications are received. Therefore, please make sure you complete and submit your application at an early stage.

Disabled Candidates Support

We will fully support disabled candidates, and candidates with long-term conditions or who are neurodivergent by making reasonable adjustments to our recruitment policy and practices.

PVG Scheme Requirement

This post requires the post holder to have a PVG Scheme membership/record. If the post holder is not a current PVG member for the required regulatory group (i.e. child and/or adult) then an application will need to be made to Disclosure Scotland and deemed satisfactory before they can begin in post.

Job Description

To provide clinical and educational leadership in the area of dementia care. The purpose of the role will be to a) Transform the care and experience of older adults with cognitive impairment in the acute setting. Provide clinical expert resource. Deliver evidence based educational programmes. Promote a positive learning environment for all clinical staff.

Provide expert clinical nursing advice focussing on strengthening links with Healthcare Improvement Scotland with a particular focus on dementia. With NHS Lothian Research Team support research projects relating to standards of care, quality improvement and value improvement.

Responsible for delivering dementia specific training programmes which are keeping in line with the Promoting Excellence Framework.

Responsible for holding a local caseload for patients within the Acute Hospital site who would benefit from attending the MAC.

NHS Lothian is excited to be recruiting to a Specialist for Stress and Distress Programme.

We are looking for an inspirational leader who is caring, compassionate and motivated to join our strong, empowered and highly skilled nursing family.

Our Nursing and Midwifery Strategic Plan sets out our Vision, Ambitions and Values that enable excellent care for our patients and service users. It also demonstrates what you can expect from our organisation and what you can aspire to in your own career development. A collaborative, person focused approach is at the very centre of everything we aspire to achieve, and necessary to deliver care that is high quality, compassionate, safe and effective. We continue to work towards having a diverse and inclusive culture for people who work for us and use our services. We want everyone to realise their full potential and make a positive contribution. We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and communities. We are committed to supporting the development of a nursing and midwifery workforce that is made up of diverse skills and experiences. We are interested in your passion for developing with us as a leader as well as demonstrating alignment with the values and ambitions set out in our Strategic Plan. We are committed to providing the strong foundations of clinical education with our Clinical Education and Training team, our education co-ordinators, robust induction programmes and preceptorship as well as working with you to build on your leadership strengths.

Recruitment Process

Recruitment process – We use a values and competency-based recruitment process that is linked to the ambitions set out in our Strategic Plan. Within NHS Lothian, Nursing and Midwifery interviews are linked to our Nursing & Midwifery Strategic Plan. We aim to offer an equitable experience and are sharing interview questions in advance.