About this role
Job summary
Are you an experienced, dynamic clinician ready to lead and deliver high-quality urgent care in the community?
We are seeking a Senior Rapid Response Sister / Charge Nurse to join our Rapid Response Team. You'll play a vital role in delivering urgent care at home, preventing hospital admissions, supporting timely discharges; all while leading and developing a highly skilled multidisciplinary team.
Provideurgent community-based assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for patients at home
Lead, manage, and support the Rapid Response team to deliver safe, effective care.
Triage referrals, manage caseloads, and coordinate care pathways
Work collaboratively with Frailty Virtual Ward, GPs, hospitals, ambulance services, MDT teams.
Deliver advanced clinical care including IV therapy, assessment, prescribing
Contribute to service development, audits, continuous improvement.
Help prevent unnecessary admissions and support safe discharge planning.
Why Join Us? Be part of a forward-thinking community service
Opportunity to lead and shape service development
Work within a supportive multidisciplinary team
Access to continuous professional development, including advanced training opportunities
Make a real impact on patient outcomes and experience
You must be able to travel across the locality and hold a valid UK driving licence.
Flexibility required to support a7-day service.
Requires a DBS check, commitment to safeguarding
Main duties of the job "Should we receive a high number of applications we reserve the right to close this vacancy at any point after 17/06/2026" What We're Looking For Essential Qualifications & Experience
Registered Nurse (RGN) / Paramedic / ECP with current registration
Degree-level education (or equivalent)
Significant post-registration experience, including community care.
Proven experience in team leadership, service coordination, and performance management.
Strong clinical skills in acute assessment and managing unwell patients.
Key Skills Excellent leadership and communication skills.
Ability to prioritise and manage complex workloads
Advanced clinical competencies (e.g., IV therapy, cannulation, assessment).
Strong decision-making and problem-solving abilities
Desirable Independent prescribing qualification (or willingness to undertake).
Experience in service development or project management.
Postgraduate or management qualification
Interview date will be on 8 July 2026 which will be held at the Poynt in Luton which will be face to face interviews. This will give you the opportunity to see the working environment and meet the team.
About us
Rated 'Outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission, we are proud to provide high quality innovative services across most of the east of England that enable people to receive care closer to home and live healthier lives.
There's one reason why our services are outstanding - and that's our amazing staff who, for the seventh year running, rated us incredibly highly in the national staff survey.
If you share our passion for innovative and high-quality care delivery, then please submit your application and join us on our exciting journey as a leading-edge specialist community provider. All are welcome to apply and our promise to you is a culture which prioritises staff engagement and development.
Job description Job responsibilities
Provide acute clinical assessment and treatment to patients in their own home, including care homes undertaking the planning, assessment and evaluation of patient care packages and arranging onward referrals as required.
Triage/co-ordinate referrals and review caseloads.
You will contribute to ensuring that local policy, protocols and procedures are monitored and developed in order to provide safe, effective assessment and prioritization of patient referrals to ensure effective and safe delivery of care.
Develop and provide specialised care packages for patients, plan and deliver prescribed therapy in patients homes, including intravenous therapy as prescribed.
Liaise with Discharge Planning and medical staff to effectively manage the safe discharge of patients and care in community.
Liaise with GPs and the multi-disciplinary team / community nursing team to effectively respond and plan packages of care to support patients at home which avoid inappropriate hospital admission.
Ensure appropriate staff cover for management of caseload / service and take necessary action to provide a safe high-quality service.
Using highly developed clinical skills and knowledge recognise and assess any complication surrounding patient care and refer to physicians / GPs / Specialists as required.
Prioritise workload. Be responsible for the caseload including the allocation and follow-up of delegated visits.
Provide education to patients on nature of treatment, side effects and expected outcome which empower patients to manage their own condition to encourage independence.
Undertake responsibility for prescribing medication where applicable in line with independent nurse prescribing guidelines following accredited training and competence.
Ensure at all times patients are treated with care and compassion, provide understanding and support to patients coping with acute and/or long-term conditions.
Identify and manage unpredicted crisis situations i.e. staff, caseload, support network and supervision. Escalate to senior managers the situation, risk, action and outcome as required.
(Please see JD and PS for detailed responsibilities)
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training Essential
RGN with current registration Educated to degree level or equivalent MSPP or equivalent Evidence of recent continuing clinical and professional development Independent Nurse prescribing course Commitment to undertake appropriate education at Masters level History taking or equivalent (Top to Toe)
Desirable
Management qualification Specialist post graduate course in relevant subject
Experience Essential
Experience in team management, resource management and workload coordination. Performance management Significant post registration experience including community experience. Work across organisational boundaries and multidisciplinary care coordination Experience / knowledge of clinical governance and audit cycles, evaluation of services, research. Change management , supporting staff through change Holistic patient assessment and care planning in community setting Experience managing acutely unwell patients Experience of clinical triage
Desirable
Experience developing and implementing new services Frailty Audit
Knowledge and Skills Essential
Time Management and prioritisation skills Evidence of IT competency e.g. Word, Excel Ability to analyse and negotiate at a high level Leadership skills Excellent interpersonal skills Acute clinical skills / competencies e.g. - IV Therapy , - Phlebotomy, Cannulation - Clinical assessment, diagnosis Ability to communicate effectively both individually and to groups (verbal and written) face to face
Desirable
Point of Care Testing
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 East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust (Cambridge)
Address The Poynt
Poynters Road
Luton
LU4 0LA
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.eastofenglandcommunityhealthandcare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)