Senior Clinical Specialist Nurse

Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

The National Health Service (NHS) has a number of sub-acute services that have developed in recent years from the guidance of NHS white papers such as the NHS Long term plan (2019) and NHS five-year forward view (2014), which recommend for NHS trusts to deliver more care and services closer to a person's home rather than in acute hospitals. As pressure on emergency departments across the UK grows, new care models will be pivotal in delivering and relieving some of these pressures by diverting work away from the hospital and into the community through the 2-hour Urgent Community Response, OPAT service and virtual ward offers. In Cheshire West, the 'Hospital at Home' service will expand its offer with the implementation of virtual wards allowing patients to get the care they need at home safely and conveniently, rather than being in hospital. The NHS is increasingly introducing virtual wards to support people at the place they call home, including care homes. The Hospital at Home workforce fits the NHS model well in supporting hospital level care at home; experienced General Practitioners, advanced clinical practitioners with prescribing rights, registered therapists/nurses and support workers offer a 7-day service that runs from 8am-8pm. Allowing for wrap around care and an excellent patient experience as evidenced in the services monthly feedback from patients.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for a hard-working, enthusiastic, highly motivated and experienced Senior Clinical Nurse Specialist to join our Hospital at Home Team to lead our OPAT service and also support this innovative new way of working. Candidates for this post do not need to hold the full qualifications detailed on the job description as this is a training post, managed under the arrangements for Pay and Banding of Trainees Annex 21 of the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service. Candidates should have a good general level of education with the commitment and enthusiasm to complete a maximum 18 month training programme which will enable you to progress to a B7 Clinical Nurse specialist. We will offer regular support and supervision to achieve the training programme within the timeframe.

Training Modules

1. Clinical diagnostics and assessment (9 months)
2. Non-medical prescribing (6 months)

Competencies

1. Service lead for Insertion and management of CVADs (6 months)

About us

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides services to West Cheshire and to Welsh patients covered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. Its services are provided from three locations:

• The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute beds.
• Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 56 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility.
• Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.

The Trust employs over 6258 staff (headcount) which includes temporary bank staff and provides acute emergency and elective services, primary care direct access services and obstetric services to a population of approximately 407,000. This includes 357,000 residents in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire which has a population of approximately 50,000.

The Trust is a busy district general hospital and in 2022/2023, there were more than 503,342 patient attendances (inpatient, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery. This is an increase of nearly 10,000 compared to the previous year when there were 494,387 patient attendances.

Job responsibilities

See Job Description for further details.

Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.

DBS Check

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £27.50 (standard) or £55.50 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first three months of employment.

You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16 per year applies.

New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.

Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.

Good luck with your application.

Person Specification Qualifications

• RN/RSCN Diploma or Degree
• NMC Registered
• Level 7 masters or equivalent study
• V300 Non-medical prescribing (Level 7)
• Relevant specialty related qualification/module (Insertion of CVADs, IV access)

Knowledge and Experience

• Specialty knowledge and experience
• Basic knowledge of financial management within the clinical setting.
• Knowledge of professional and NHS issues and an understanding of corporate objectives
• CNS mentorship and development

Skills and Abilities

• Able to manage own workload and coordinate that of others.
• Basic IT skills in word processing/Hospital Systems
• Able to present written information in a logical manner.
• Presentation / teaching skills

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.

Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust