About this role
Job summary
The Band 6 Acute Stroke Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is a senior registered nurse who provides expert clinical care, assessment, and coordination for patients admitted with suspected or confirmed stroke. The role focuses on delivering evidence-based stroke care, supporting timely diagnosis and treatment, and ensuring patients receive high-quality, person-centred care.
Key responsibilities include
- Undertaking specialist assessment and management of stroke patients within the acute pathway.
- Supporting rapid access to stroke treatments, including thrombolysis and thrombectomy pathways where appropriate.
- Coordinating multidisciplinary care to optimise patient outcomes.
- Providing expert advice and education to patients, families, and healthcare professionals regarding stroke management and recovery.
- Monitoring clinical progress, identifying complications, and escalating concerns appropriately.
- Contributing to service development, quality improvement initiatives, audit, and compliance with national stroke standards.
- Acting as a resource for the wider clinical team, supporting staff education and development in stroke care.
The Band 6 CNS works autonomously while collaborating closely with stroke consultants and emergency departments to ensure seamless, safe, and effective care acute stroke care.
Main duties of the job
- Assess and manage patients presenting with suspected or confirmed stroke.
- Support rapid assessment and delivery of acute stroke treatments.
- Provide specialist stroke advice to patients, relatives, and healthcare professionals.
- Coordinate multidisciplinary care and discharge planning.
- Monitor patient progress and escalate clinical concerns appropriately.
- Ensure compliance with stroke guidelines and quality standards.
- Deliver education and training to ward staff and junior colleagues.
- Participate in audit, service improvement, and data collection activities.
- Act as a key link between acute, rehabilitation, and community stroke services.
- Maintain accurate clinical documentation and contribute to governance activities.
About us
Why Join Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust?
At Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, our people are at the heart of everything we do.
As a Disability Confident Employer and recipient of the Gold Award in the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme, we actively champion equality, diversity and inclusion, creating opportunities for people from all backgrounds to build rewarding careers within the NHS.
We also recognise the importance of a healthy work-life balance. By supporting flexible working arrangements wherever possible, we enable our colleagues to balance their professional and personal commitments while continuing to deliver outstanding care to our patients. Whether flexibility means adjusted hours, part-time working, hybrid arrangements or alternative working patterns, we work in partnership with our staff to meet both individual and service needs.
Join UsWhether you're at the start of your career or looking for your next challenge, Frimley Health offers the opportunity to be part of a inclusive, forward-thinking organisation that is committed to excellence, innovation and compassionate care. Together, we can shape the future of healthcare and make a real difference to the lives of the communities we serve.
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Job description
Job responsibilities
Role Summary
The Band 6 Acute Stroke CNS provides specialist nursing leadership and expert clinical care for patients with suspected or confirmed stroke. The post holder supports rapid assessment, treatment, and coordination of care, ensuring patients receive timely, safe, and evidence-based management throughout their acute stroke admission.
Main Responsibilities
- Assess and manage patients presenting with acute stroke and transient ischaemic attack (TIA).
- Support delivery of hyperacute stroke treatments, including thrombolysis and thrombectomy pathways.
- Provide specialist advice and support to patients, families, and healthcare professionals.
- Coordinate multidisciplinary care, rehabilitation planning, and discharge processes.
- Monitor patient progress, identify complications, and escalate concerns appropriately.
- Promote secondary prevention and patient education to reduce future stroke risk.
- Ensure compliance with national stroke standards, guidelines, and local policies.
- Deliver stroke education and training to nursing and multidisciplinary teams.
- Participate in audit, quality improvement, and service development initiatives.
- Act as a clinical leader and role model, contributing to the continuous improvement of stroke services.
Key Outcomes
- Improved patient outcomes through timely specialist stroke care.
- Effective coordination of the patient pathway from admission to discharge.
- High-quality, patient-centred care aligned with national stroke standards.
- Enhanced staff knowledge and adherence to best practice in stroke management.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Current NMC Registration
- Stroke course
Desirable
- At or working towards a degree level in relevant studies.
Experience
Essential
- Extensive post registration experience in a stroke care setting
- Experience of working as a senior band 5 in a stroke setting
- Understanding of thrombolysis and thrombectomy pathways.
- Knowledge of stroke assessment, management and rehabilitation pathways.
Desirable
- Experience of clinical audit/promoting quality issues within healthcare.
- Knowledge of stroke prevention, risk factor management and national stroke standards.
- Experience of managing deteriorating patients and escalating concerts appropriately.
Skills and knowledge
Essential
- Wide range of clinical skills - venepuncture, cannulation, drug administration, catheterisation, ECG.
- Excellent clinical assessment and decision-making skills.
- Be able to work in a face pace environment.
- Excellent communication skills.
Desirable
- Supervisory skills.
- Teaching, training and assessing 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.
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
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Frimley park Hospital
Portsmouth Road, Frimley
Frimley, camberley
GU16 7UJ
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.fhft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)