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Associate Clinical Nurse Specialist (In-Patient Unit )

Willen Hospice

The closing date is 16 May 2025

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Job summary

Are you an experienced, compassionate, and motivated Registered Nurse ready to take the next step in your nursing career and play a key role in delivering high-quality care, then we would love to hear from you!Willen Hospice is seeking an Associate Clinical Nurse Specialist (ACNS) to join our specialist multi-professional team, supporting patients with complex specialist palliative care needs on a 12 month fixed term/secondment basis, working 28.5 hours per week.

As part of a specialist multi-professional team, the Associate CNS will be autonomous in the assessment, planning, delivery, evaluation and management of patients with complex specialist palliative care needs; You will demonstrate best practice, provide expert education and support across health and social care settings, and champion high-quality, holistic palliative care.

Main duties of the job

What Youll Do:

  • Lead and coordinate discharges on the IPU, liaising as required with the MDT and community services.
  • Complete admissions identifying opportunities to perform some of the clerking tasks, traditionally undertaken by the medical team, as appropriate
  • Provide visible leadership and support to the IPU nursing team, acting as a role model at all times.
  • Participate in service review and development, completing any resulting project work as a result.
  • Work with the IPU Education lead and Practice Development, to deliver both formal and informal education to the team.
  • Lead on infection / prevention control, appropriate training will be provided.

What Youll Need:

  • Have 3 years post registration experience with at least 2 years working in cancer/palliative care
  • Strong clinical knowledge and the ability to adapt to rapidly changing situations
  • You will be able to demonstrates a passion for service and professional development and delivering high-quality care.
  • Have excellent communication and collaboration skills across all disciplines and roles
  • Have flexibility to work across day, night and weekend shifts and take part in an out of hours on call rota.

About us

Set in the tranquil grounds of Willen Lake, Willen Hospice is the leading provider of specialist palliative care within the Milton Keynes area. We offer 24 hour / seven days a week palliative care to people who have advanced disease, caring for people in our Inpatient Unit which accommodates 15 patients and the local community. Our person centred care is delivered with compassion and respect for peoples wishes.We have an expanding Therapeutic & Wellbeing service offering Psychological Wellbeing, Social Care, Physiotherapy, Occupational and Complementary Therapy. Our dedicated Business Development teams and retail portfolio of shops raise vital funds to deliver this care.

Why Join Us?

  • A Role with Purpose Be part of a team delivering outstanding palliative care.
  • Supportive & Caring Environment Work with passionate colleagues.
  • Great Benefits Package Including 35 days' holiday, contributory pension scheme or continued membership of the NHS pension scheme for clinically registered staff, enhanced maternity/sick pay, and ongoing professional development.
  • Perks & Extras Free on-site parking, subsidised catering, Blue Light Card discounts (with membership), and an Employee Assistance Programme.

Apply today and be part of a service that truly makes a difference.

This appointment is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Interview Date: 27 May 2025

Date posted

01 May 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£36,387 to £37,000 a year Pro rata, per annum, plus shift allowance

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

B0365-25-0016

Job locations

Milton Road

Willen Village

Milton Keynes

MK15 9AB


Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Accountabilities:

1. Function as part of the IPU as part of the wider Hospice Multidisciplinary team. Manage, Assess and prioritise patients on the caseload to best meet the specialist needs of all patients and families accessing the hospice services.

2. Provide a specialist palliative care service through Willen Hospice working with the local Primary Care Team and Community Nursing service, responding to the needs of the patient, and working across organisational boundaries as required.

3. Assess the wider needs of the patient and their family providing specialist advice and information on symptom control and psychological support, referring to other specialists and support networks as required.

4. Maintain good liaison with community and acute/tertiary hospital staff and develop communication with key professionals involved in the patients care across the health and social care settings. Promote a collaborative and cooperative working relationship with peers and multi-professionals contacted in the course of work.

5. Act as an educator in relation to specialist palliative care patients, hospice nursing staff and the community nursing team. Participate in the development and delivery of formal and informal teaching programmes for health care professionals and allied professionals across the health care community.

6. Be proactive in the development of IPU and WAH service in the Milton Keynes area working with the Service Leads, Associate Director of Clinical Services and other providers.

7. Work with the Lead Nurses in the implementation of audit/research projects and disseminate findings through the Audit and Quality Committee. Proactively participate in research projects as an individual and within the team. Be actively involved in clinical audit within the clinical and service provision agenda, providing direction in service development.

8. Actively engage and take initiative of personal professional development and participate in any opportunities identified. Complete all associate CNS competencies and be willing to complete the Non medical prescribing course.

9. Participate in the On-Call Rota, providing out of hours support to the IPU and WAH.

Discharges:

1. To lead and coordinate discharges on the IPU, liaising as required with the MDT and community services.

Admissions:

2. To complete admissions identifying opportunities to perform some of the clerking tasks, traditionally undertaken by the medical team, as appropriate.

Leadership:

3. To provide visible leadership and support to the IPU nursing team, acting as a role model at all times.

4. To participate in service review and development, completing any resulting project work as a result.

5. Act as IPC Lead

Education:

6. Working with the IPU/WAH education leads and Practice Development, deliver both formal and informal education to the teams.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Accountabilities:

1. Function as part of the IPU as part of the wider Hospice Multidisciplinary team. Manage, Assess and prioritise patients on the caseload to best meet the specialist needs of all patients and families accessing the hospice services.

2. Provide a specialist palliative care service through Willen Hospice working with the local Primary Care Team and Community Nursing service, responding to the needs of the patient, and working across organisational boundaries as required.

3. Assess the wider needs of the patient and their family providing specialist advice and information on symptom control and psychological support, referring to other specialists and support networks as required.

4. Maintain good liaison with community and acute/tertiary hospital staff and develop communication with key professionals involved in the patients care across the health and social care settings. Promote a collaborative and cooperative working relationship with peers and multi-professionals contacted in the course of work.

5. Act as an educator in relation to specialist palliative care patients, hospice nursing staff and the community nursing team. Participate in the development and delivery of formal and informal teaching programmes for health care professionals and allied professionals across the health care community.

6. Be proactive in the development of IPU and WAH service in the Milton Keynes area working with the Service Leads, Associate Director of Clinical Services and other providers.

7. Work with the Lead Nurses in the implementation of audit/research projects and disseminate findings through the Audit and Quality Committee. Proactively participate in research projects as an individual and within the team. Be actively involved in clinical audit within the clinical and service provision agenda, providing direction in service development.

8. Actively engage and take initiative of personal professional development and participate in any opportunities identified. Complete all associate CNS competencies and be willing to complete the Non medical prescribing course.

9. Participate in the On-Call Rota, providing out of hours support to the IPU and WAH.

Discharges:

1. To lead and coordinate discharges on the IPU, liaising as required with the MDT and community services.

Admissions:

2. To complete admissions identifying opportunities to perform some of the clerking tasks, traditionally undertaken by the medical team, as appropriate.

Leadership:

3. To provide visible leadership and support to the IPU nursing team, acting as a role model at all times.

4. To participate in service review and development, completing any resulting project work as a result.

5. Act as IPC Lead

Education:

6. Working with the IPU/WAH education leads and Practice Development, deliver both formal and informal education to the teams.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Hold a Nursing degree

Experience

Essential

  • Have 3 years post registration experience with at least 2 years working in cancer/palliative care.
  • Strong clinical knowledge and the ability to adapt to rapidly changing situations .
  • Have excellent communication and collaboration skills across all disciplines and roles.
  • Have flexibility to work across day, night and weekend shifts and take part in an out of hours on call rota.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Hold a Nursing degree

Experience

Essential

  • Have 3 years post registration experience with at least 2 years working in cancer/palliative care.
  • Strong clinical knowledge and the ability to adapt to rapidly changing situations .
  • Have excellent communication and collaboration skills across all disciplines and roles.
  • Have flexibility to work across day, night and weekend shifts and take part in an out of hours on call rota.

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Willen Hospice

Address

Milton Road

Willen Village

Milton Keynes

MK15 9AB


Employer's website

https://www.willen-hospice.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Willen Hospice

Address

Milton Road

Willen Village

Milton Keynes

MK15 9AB


Employer's website

https://www.willen-hospice.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

For questions about the job, contact:

HR Administrator

Debbie Hounslow

HRAdmin@willen-hospice.org.uk

01908663636

Date posted

01 May 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£36,387 to £37,000 a year Pro rata, per annum, plus shift allowance

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

B0365-25-0016

Job locations

Milton Road

Willen Village

Milton Keynes

MK15 9AB


Supporting documents

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