Clinical Nurse Specialist Enhanced Supportive Care, Band 6

Clinical Nurse Specialist Enhanced Supportive Care, Band 6 Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Clinical Nurse Specialist Enhanced Supportive Care, Band 6 (30 hours a week)

We are looking for an enthusiastic registered nurse to join the Enhanced Supportive Care Service, within the Specialist Palliative Care Service, to provide early palliative care support to patients with incurable malignancy and to provide continuity of ongoing care. The post holder will promote a proactive and joint approach to the care of patients who have cancer and those who are important to them.

Evidence demonstrates the huge benefits for patients who receive early palliative care.

Main duties of the job

1. To work effectively as an autonomous practitioner with a multidisciplinary enhanced supportive care and specialist palliative care team, promoting and maintaining quality of life for patients with cancer.
2. To provide specialist clinical knowledge in the assessment and management of complex symptom and psychological problems.
3. To establish and maintain effective communication relating to complex, sensitive and potentially stressful situations on a regular basis. Breaking bad news with patients, relatives, carers and other professionals throughout the patient's illness. Supporting relatives, carers and staff in bereavement with the ability to recognise and refer on for complicated grief reactions.
4. To identify, organise and evaluate specialist intervention in response to complex needs on a daily basis. This includes identifying oncological/medical/palliative care emergencies, analysing clinical options and liaising with appropriate member of the multidisciplinary team.

About us

By joining our team, you will be offered professional development opportunities, including two 1/2 day education mornings each year. We are proud that our staff survey results (2023) indicate that our team is cohesive and effective. You will work with a supportive MDT, to allow the successful candidate to provide holistic care for patients.

Job responsibilities

Through allocation of a caseload of patients, the successful candidate will oversee and monitor patients with advanced cancer and manage any associated symptoms and needs they have, from the point of diagnosis. Patients will be reviewed via outpatient clinics, telephone and virtual consultations, mainly on our Cheltenham site, but with expectation of working on our Gloucester site too. The post holder will also join our on-call service, once established in role.

Person Specification Qualifications

• Registered General Nurse
• Qualification in palliative care or symptom management

Clinical Experience

• Experience of working within cancer/oncology/palliative care
• Knowledge of managing a caseload of patients

Skills & Knowledge

• Skilled in holistic assessment and developing associated management plans
• Evidence of working autonomously
• Professional skills and attributes apparent in personal statement and interview
• Knowledge of managing complex symptoms
• Experience in clinical leadership
• Experience in managing difficult or challenging conversations

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.