Job summary
St
Elizabeth Hospice is an independent charity and hospice, which improves life
for people in the East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney areas living with a
progressive or life-limiting illness. Our
most recent Care Quality Commission report rated the hospice as Outstanding.
Established
in 1989, the hospice has built a reputation for delivering high-level care to
patients and the community it serves. Through medicine and therapy, they ease
pain; give life purpose and make life liveable. Last year the charity supported
over 4,000 patients and their families.
As St Elizabeth Hospice embarks on its
transformative journey, we are seeking a Virtual Ward Clinical Lead to be
accountable for the provision of qualified clinician oversight and input to
patients under the care of the Virtual Ward at St Elizabeth Hospice, ensuring
the delivery of safe high quality care services. This is a chance to make a real difference to
peoples lives.
Reporting to the Associate Director of Care
Operations, the role will provide line management to the Virtual Ward Team
Leader, to support their development and the delivery of outstanding patient
care within patient homes underpinned by robust clinical governance
arrangements.
Main duties of the job
The
hospices work is centred on the individual's needs and they provide specialist
support wherever it is needed; whether that is in the home, another setting in
the community, in hospital or in the hospice itself. Support is provided to
patients and their families via the In-Patient Unit, the Community Care Unit
including outpatients clinics, home visits from the Community Nursing, Medical
and Therapy Teams, the OneCall 24/7 telephone helpline and bereavement support.
We are seeking a
visionary leader to join our team as the Virtual Ward Clinical Lead. You will
have a passion for improving the lives of patients and their families.
Are you an enthusiastic Registered Nurse with
current NMC registration, demonstrable knowledge of palliative care and
management experience?
To thrive in this role,
you will need to demonstrate the ability to plan, deliver and evaluate
appropriate care for palliative care patients and their families.
If you are a dynamic
and innovative leader who is passionate about making a difference, we invite
you to apply for this exciting opportunity.
Interview Date: 27th August 2025
Hours: 37.5 hours / 5 days per week. Monday to
Friday 8am to 4pm or 9am to 5pm
About us
If you would like an opportunity to find out more
about working at the hospice and how it can fit your own career aspirations, we
recommend an informal visit/discussion prior to you completing your
application.
The
hospice offers a generous benefit package, including:
27
days annual leave entitlement
Pension
scheme
Life
Cover
Cycle
to Work Scheme
Car
Leasing Scheme
Health
Service Discounts
Occupational
Sick Pay
Blue
Light Card
Employee
Assistance Programme
St Elizabeth Hospice is committed to safeguarding and protecting the adults and young people that we work with and has a zero-tolerance approach to abuse, neglect and discrimination of any person. As such, all posts are subject to a rigorous safer recruitment process, including the disclosure of criminal records and vetting checks. We have a range of robust safeguarding policies in place which promote safeguarding across the hospice and staff are expected to undertake regular, mandatory safeguarding training to equip them with the knowledge and skills to identify and respond to potential risks.
Job description
Job responsibilities
JOB
SUMMARY
To be
accountable for the provision of qualified clinician oversight and input to
patients under the care of the Virtual Ward at St Elizabeth Hospice, ensuring
the delivery of safe high quality care services. To provide line management to
the Virtual Ward Team Leader, to support their development and the delivery of
outstanding patient care within patient homes underpinned by robust clinical
governance arrangements.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
To have clinical oversight of the
Virtual Ward Caseload. To take overall responsibility for ensuring that
patients on the Virtual Ward have regular reviews including face-to-face and
telephone access to qualified clinicians to support safe care. To ensure that
all patients admitted to the Virtual Ward have a care plan in place, including
manual handling advice and risk assessments which have been produced by a
clinician. To ensure that there is appropriate regular oversight, monitoring
and updating of care plans as the patient condition changes.
To provide line management to the
Virtual Ward Team Leader, ensuring regular one-to-one meetings, annual
appraisal and performance management.
To work with the Virtual Ward Team
Leader to ensure the virtual ward is staffed consistently and safely by
suitably qualified care staff to meet the needs of the patient population,
leading on recruitment, and supporting the Virtual Ward Team Leader with induction
of team members as needed.
Ensure there is adequate line
management support to all Community Healthcare Assistant (CHCA) and Care
Support Worker (CSW) team members, ensuring all team members have access to
regular one-to-one meetings, ad hoc support, de-briefs as appropriate, and an
annual appraisal.
To provide expert professional clinical
advice and support to multi-disciplinary team members to support them in the
delivery of outstanding care to patients and families under the care of the
Virtual Ward.
To work with the Virtual Ward Team
Leader to ensure appropriate development the CHCA workforce through the
identification of their learning needs to support their career development and
ensure the CHCA team are suitably skilled in aspects of care delivery for palliative
and end-of-life patients.
Ensure there are systems in place
that support the efficient and effective delivery of care to support patient
flow through the virtual ward as evidenced by the length of stay and volume of
patients supported.
Ensure there are systems in place
to support the efficient delivery of a domiciliary care service, working with
the Care Co-Ordinator team to ensure appropriate day-to-day route planning and
patient allocation for the Virtual Ward CHCA staff, taking into consideration
appropriate use of INT bases and car sharing.
Lead on allocated incident and
complaint investigations, ensuring these are robustly investigated with
comprehensive action plans are drawn up to address any deficiencies in care. To
work with the Community Team Leads to ensure appropriate information sharing
occurs between the virtual ward and clinical community staff to ensure safe and
effective patient care.
To attend relevant clinical
governance and operational meetings.
Lead on the production and
updating of allocated policies and procedures utilizing relevant research.
In collaboration with the Virtual
Ward Team Leader, ensure there are mechanisms such as regular team meetings and
written communications that support care delivery, including the feedback from
patients and learning from incidents and complaints.
Responsible for the Infection
Prevention and Control (IPC) arrangements for the Virtual Ward, ensuring
adherence with relevant IPC policies and procedures, raising any risks to the
IPC group and that IPC related audits are carried out according to the agreed
audit programme.
In conjunction with the Associate
Director of Care Operations to ensure the CHCA team are supported to carry out
their role by the provision of a range of support mechanisms such as ensuring
appropriate access to clinical staff for advice on patient care.
Work with the Virtual Ward Team
Leader to monitor the standard of care delivery on the Virtual Ward, utilizing
clinical audit and patient feedback to identify and co-produce areas for
development, leading on relevant quality improvement projects.
To work with the Virtual Ward Team
Leader to ensure the care staff have all the necessary equipment and supplies
required to support the delivery of patient care.
To promote a safeguarding is
everyones business culture, and where necessary act as a safeguarding deputy.
GENERAL
Where you are a member
of a professional body you are required to conform to the professional
standards set by that body. You are required to ensure your registration is
current and practice continuous professional development.
Because of the special nature of the
Hospice and its work, the post holder may on occasion be asked to undertake
other duties to help maintain our high standard of care.
Job description
Job responsibilities
JOB
SUMMARY
To be
accountable for the provision of qualified clinician oversight and input to
patients under the care of the Virtual Ward at St Elizabeth Hospice, ensuring
the delivery of safe high quality care services. To provide line management to
the Virtual Ward Team Leader, to support their development and the delivery of
outstanding patient care within patient homes underpinned by robust clinical
governance arrangements.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
To have clinical oversight of the
Virtual Ward Caseload. To take overall responsibility for ensuring that
patients on the Virtual Ward have regular reviews including face-to-face and
telephone access to qualified clinicians to support safe care. To ensure that
all patients admitted to the Virtual Ward have a care plan in place, including
manual handling advice and risk assessments which have been produced by a
clinician. To ensure that there is appropriate regular oversight, monitoring
and updating of care plans as the patient condition changes.
To provide line management to the
Virtual Ward Team Leader, ensuring regular one-to-one meetings, annual
appraisal and performance management.
To work with the Virtual Ward Team
Leader to ensure the virtual ward is staffed consistently and safely by
suitably qualified care staff to meet the needs of the patient population,
leading on recruitment, and supporting the Virtual Ward Team Leader with induction
of team members as needed.
Ensure there is adequate line
management support to all Community Healthcare Assistant (CHCA) and Care
Support Worker (CSW) team members, ensuring all team members have access to
regular one-to-one meetings, ad hoc support, de-briefs as appropriate, and an
annual appraisal.
To provide expert professional clinical
advice and support to multi-disciplinary team members to support them in the
delivery of outstanding care to patients and families under the care of the
Virtual Ward.
To work with the Virtual Ward Team
Leader to ensure appropriate development the CHCA workforce through the
identification of their learning needs to support their career development and
ensure the CHCA team are suitably skilled in aspects of care delivery for palliative
and end-of-life patients.
Ensure there are systems in place
that support the efficient and effective delivery of care to support patient
flow through the virtual ward as evidenced by the length of stay and volume of
patients supported.
Ensure there are systems in place
to support the efficient delivery of a domiciliary care service, working with
the Care Co-Ordinator team to ensure appropriate day-to-day route planning and
patient allocation for the Virtual Ward CHCA staff, taking into consideration
appropriate use of INT bases and car sharing.
Lead on allocated incident and
complaint investigations, ensuring these are robustly investigated with
comprehensive action plans are drawn up to address any deficiencies in care. To
work with the Community Team Leads to ensure appropriate information sharing
occurs between the virtual ward and clinical community staff to ensure safe and
effective patient care.
To attend relevant clinical
governance and operational meetings.
Lead on the production and
updating of allocated policies and procedures utilizing relevant research.
In collaboration with the Virtual
Ward Team Leader, ensure there are mechanisms such as regular team meetings and
written communications that support care delivery, including the feedback from
patients and learning from incidents and complaints.
Responsible for the Infection
Prevention and Control (IPC) arrangements for the Virtual Ward, ensuring
adherence with relevant IPC policies and procedures, raising any risks to the
IPC group and that IPC related audits are carried out according to the agreed
audit programme.
In conjunction with the Associate
Director of Care Operations to ensure the CHCA team are supported to carry out
their role by the provision of a range of support mechanisms such as ensuring
appropriate access to clinical staff for advice on patient care.
Work with the Virtual Ward Team
Leader to monitor the standard of care delivery on the Virtual Ward, utilizing
clinical audit and patient feedback to identify and co-produce areas for
development, leading on relevant quality improvement projects.
To work with the Virtual Ward Team
Leader to ensure the care staff have all the necessary equipment and supplies
required to support the delivery of patient care.
To promote a safeguarding is
everyones business culture, and where necessary act as a safeguarding deputy.
GENERAL
Where you are a member
of a professional body you are required to conform to the professional
standards set by that body. You are required to ensure your registration is
current and practice continuous professional development.
Because of the special nature of the
Hospice and its work, the post holder may on occasion be asked to undertake
other duties to help maintain our high standard of care.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered General Nurse with current NMC registration.
- Palliative care qualification or equivalent at degree level.
Desirable
- Leadership / management qualification e.g. Level 5 ILM.
Specific Skills
Essential
- Ability to plan, deliver and evaluate appropriate care for palliative care patients and their families.
- Ability to assess patient needs that may be complex and subject to change.
- Excellent communication and organisational skills, with the ability to deal with complex matters.
- Ability to supervise the work of others including registered and unregistered staff as well as volunteers.
Experience
Essential
- Related post qualification experience at Band 6 or above with management experience.
- Palliative care or long-term condition experience.
- Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team.
- Experience of supervising staff.
- Experience of delivering quality improvement initiatives.
- Experience of the management of a community caseload of patients and supervising staff.
- Good understanding of the key components of clinical governance.
Desirable
- Experience of budget management.
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Demonstrable experience of team working and leadership/management and potential to develop.
- Be willing and able to develop own knowledge and skills and to contribute to the development of others.
- Ability to withstand sensitive and potentially stressful situations.
- Be adaptable, flexible, responsive & positive to change and service development.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered General Nurse with current NMC registration.
- Palliative care qualification or equivalent at degree level.
Desirable
- Leadership / management qualification e.g. Level 5 ILM.
Specific Skills
Essential
- Ability to plan, deliver and evaluate appropriate care for palliative care patients and their families.
- Ability to assess patient needs that may be complex and subject to change.
- Excellent communication and organisational skills, with the ability to deal with complex matters.
- Ability to supervise the work of others including registered and unregistered staff as well as volunteers.
Experience
Essential
- Related post qualification experience at Band 6 or above with management experience.
- Palliative care or long-term condition experience.
- Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team.
- Experience of supervising staff.
- Experience of delivering quality improvement initiatives.
- Experience of the management of a community caseload of patients and supervising staff.
- Good understanding of the key components of clinical governance.
Desirable
- Experience of budget management.
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Demonstrable experience of team working and leadership/management and potential to develop.
- Be willing and able to develop own knowledge and skills and to contribute to the development of others.
- Ability to withstand sensitive and potentially stressful situations.
- Be adaptable, flexible, responsive & positive to change and service development.
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).
Additional information
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).
