About this role
Job summary
As a Specialist Palliative Care Nurse, you will provide compassionate, evidence-based care to patients and those important to them during some of lifes most significant moments. You will offer specialist clinical advice, advocacy and support to patients, families and colleagues across a five-day service.
As part of an experienced multidisciplinary team, you will help deliver person-centred, dignified care that responds to individual needs and promotes comfort, choice and quality of life.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will provide specialist, evidence-based advice, assessment and support to patients living with a life-limiting illness, as well as their families and carers. Working collaboratively with colleagues across primary, community and secondary care, the post holder will help ensure patients receive coordinated, person-centred care that promotes comfort, dignity, choice and quality of life.
The role will also involve providing specialist advice, education and training to members of the multi-disciplinary team across a range of care settings. In conjunction with the Clinical Manager and the Specialist Palliative Care Team, the post holder will contribute to the ongoing development of cancer and end of life services across North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust.
About us
Flexible working will be considered for all roles.
North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (NCM) serves more than one million residents across the Halton and Warrington boroughs and the wider North West region.
Bringing together community and out-of-hospital services (formerly provided by Bridgewater Community Healthcare) with inpatient and elective care (formerly Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals) we provide services at two hospital sites and more than 70 community hubs and facilities.
Our mission, vision and values are at the heart of North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (NCM).
They underpin everything we do and everything we aspire to be as an organisation.
Our mission
We will be exceptional for our patients, our communities and each other
Our vision
We will be a great organisation providing excellent healthcare and opportunities to work and learn
Our values
Kind: We are caring, supportive and respectful to everyone Open: We are honest, transparent and open to new ways of working Fair: We listen, value our differences and are inclusive to all One team: We work well together and with our communities
Job description Job responsibilities
To provide evidence-based advice and support to patients with a life-threatening illness and their carers, working collaboratively with multi-professionals across primary and secondary care.
To provide specialist advice, education, and training to all members of the multi-disciplinary team across all care settings.
To work in conjunction with the Clinical Manager and the Specialist Palliative Care Team in the development of cancer and end of life services across North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust.
Duties and Responsibilities
Carry out clinical practice that is complimentary to the Primary Healthcare team that will contribute to an improvement in the quality of life for patients. Use high level analytical and decision-making skills to deliver appropriate clinical care, using advanced clinical skills in assessment and/or diagnosis.
Provide clinical and specialist advice across professional and organisational boundaries.
Liaise closely with the multi-disciplinary team in planning care for the person with palliative care needs.
Work closely with managerial colleagues to promote service quality within palliative care.
Support managers and cancer leads to achieve appropriate targets for palliative care and cancer strategies, to develop locally sensitive services and support access initiatives in cancer care based on the Cancer Plan/Supportive and Palliative Care Guidance (NICE).
Support and advise on the development of palliative care services throughout organisations advising on quality and standards of service delivery.
Manage an active workload utilising skills to prioritise and assess care.
Prepare and produce appropriate reports for primary care organisations and other appropriate organisations.
Participate in the production of reports for Macmillan Cancer Support and maintain links with them both locally and nationally.
Provide information for the minimum data set.
Evaluate service delivery; identify areas for improvement and initiate change.
Ensure the effective and efficient use of physical and financial resources, making recommendations regarding supplies and equipment.
Participate in peer and clinical supervision.
Contribute to the work of the Integrated Cancer Network and ensure the community nursing perspective is communicated to ICN members.
Participate in the developments of nursing and other strategies promoting the key role for nurses and other strategies.
Support the case management of identified patients.
At all times, function as a role model for other nurses using developmental processes to succession plan for future posts.
Supporting and advising colleagues on ethical decision-making issues in relation to end of life issues.
Provide emotional and psychological support to the patient, family, and carers through the period of illness, in specific complex cases.
Perform communication skills to support patients palliative/terminal care needs including complex issues such as breaking bad news and care of the dying.
Provide high levels of communication support with the patient, carers, and colleagues to enable service provision, delivery and quality.
Provide advice and signposting to bereavement support to known carers.
Regularly update own knowledge and expertise in all aspects of palliative care and take responsibility for own professional development.
Assess current skills and knowledge and provide advice, support, education and information to nurses and other colleagues in Primary Care, enabling them to offer up-to-date care by continually extending their knowledge and skills.
Develop and participate in the delivery and provision of generalist and specialist education programmes.
Identify essential educational requirements and work to deliver educational programmes against these including specific health targets e.g., NICE, NSF related to own area of practice.
Support learners in the workplace.
Ensure all colleagues are kept up to date with available research on pain relief and symptom control via educational programmes and act as a resource for this information.
Use influencing, negotiation and clinical skills to assist in the formulation of evidence-based quality standards and participate in regular clinical audit to monitor outcomes.
Undertake appropriate evaluation/audit/research programmes to promote the development of the service.
Disseminate research and audit findings through presentation to professional groups and publication.
Responsible for the development and implementation of policies, procedures and guidelines relevant to own area of work.
Person Specification
Skills and Knowledge Essential
Demonstrate knowledge of CNS role. Evidence of high-level communication skills both written and verbal Clinical and analytical skills Ability to self-manage and work autonomously. Ability to reflect on own and others practice.
Desirable
Service development and change management. Conflict resolution Risk Assessment and management IT skills
Qualifications Essential
Degree or willing to work towards Registered general nurse or relevant professional qualification. Post registration experience. Advanced Communication skills training and/or education Post registration qualification in oncology/palliative care. Evidence of own continuing professional development
Desirable
Educational qualification e.g. C&G 7307/ENB 998.
Right to Work Essential
Do you currently have the unrestricted right to work in the UK? If appointed, will you require sponsorship under a UK work visa route (now or in the future)? Please note that sponsorship is not available for all roles. Sponsorship will only be considered where the post meets the relevant UK immigration requirements and where the organisation determines that sponsorship is appropriate for the role.
Job Specific Requirements Essential
Ability to work in an emotive environment. The ability to travel independently across the Trust The ability to work flexibly in accordance with service needs.
Relationships Essential
If you are related to a director or have a relationship with a director or employee of an appointing organisation, please state the relationship.
Experience Essential
Broad range of clinical experience within cancer/palliative care. Experience of caseload management. Experience of multi-professional working.
Desirable
Community Experience Audit Experience
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (BCH)
Address Halton Independent Living Centre
Collier Street
Runcorn
Cheshire
WA7 1HB
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://northcheshireandmersey.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)