Job summary
We have an exciting opportunity available for an experienced specialist headache nurse to lead the headache CNS team in the new role of Advanced Nurse Practitioner.
The Headache service sits within the departments of Neurology and Pain Management and is a specialist service that diagnoses and treats multiple complex headache disorders, chronic migraine and facial pain conditions. It provides specialist clinics in general headache, TACS, facial pain, CSF pressure disorders, CGRP, Greater Occipital Nerve and Botox injection clinic, tertiary headache.
The successful post holder will work as a senior member of the multi-disciplinary headache team leading the nurse specialist teams working across the two headache services in Neurology and Pain Management. This is part of a broader headache transformation programme , with the goal to align and eventually merge the two services, ensuring a streamlined, efficient, and patient-centred model of care.
The Advanced Nurse Practitioner for Headache is an experienced registered nurse with specialist skills to assess and treat patients and manage the clinical environment, in liaison with the consultant neurologist and service management team
Closing date 01/06/2025
Interview date: 09/06/2025
Main duties of the job
The nurse will act as an autonomous practitioner in forming clinical decisions and complex management plans in the diagnosis, assessment and treatment of patients with chronic migraine. In conjunction with senior nursing and consultant staff the post holder will formulate the development of clinical guidance for all aspects of clinical practice within the clinical specialty of headache.
Essential to this post is the maintenance of clinical excellence and headache experience underpinned by evidence-based practice. You will be expected to provide professional advice and support to other health care professionals caring for patients experiencing headache disorders and migraine, and work across departmental, divisional and Trust boundaries to provide a patient-centred seamless service.
The successful candidate will have the opportunity to promote the development of headache education and research at a local, national and international level. You will develop highly specialised skills within a multi- disciplinary setting working in a cross-site Headache service where nursing intervention is required for the care and treatment offered to patients with chronic and acute headache disorders and migraine.
Excellent communication and team working skills are essential as this post requires an appreciation of the complex issues facing patients with chronic migraine and headache disorders.
About us
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust comprises five of the UK's best-known hospitals - Guy's, St Thomas', Evelina London Children's Hospital, Royal Brompton and Harefield - as well as community services in Lambeth and Southwark.
We are among the UK's busiest, most successful foundation trusts. We provide specialist care for patients including heart and lung, cancer and renal services as well as a full range of local hospital and community services for people in Lambeth and Southwark.
We have a long tradition of clinical and scientific achievement and - as part of King's Health Partners - we are one of England's eight academic health sciences centres, bringing together world-class clinical services, teaching and research. We have one of the National Institute for Health Research's biomedical research centres, established with King's College London in 2007, as well as dedicated clinical research facilities.
We have around 22,700 staff, making us one of the largest NHS Trusts in the country and one of the biggest employers locally. We aim to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and continue to develop new and existing partnerships with local people, patients, neighbouring NHS organisations, local authorities and charitable bodies and GPs.
We strive to recruit and retain the best staff as the dedication and skills of our employees lie at the heart of our organisation and ensure that our services are of the highest quality, safe and focused on our patients.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Work autonomously across professional, organisational and system boundaries and proactively develop and sustain new partnerships and networks to influence and improve health, outcomes and healthcare delivery systems;
To receive patients with undifferentiated and undiagnosed problems and make an assessment of their health care needs, based on highly-developed nursing knowledge and skills.
To be responsible for ordering necessary investigations and provide treatment and care both individually, as part of a team, and through referral to other agencies.
To make differential diagnoses using decision-making and problem-solving skills and have the authority to admit or discharge patients from their caseload, and refer patients to other health care providers as appropriate.
To provide a consultancy and clinical leadership function as required.
To undertake a wide range of advanced clinical interventions, which include Immediate Life Support Skills and Independent Nurse Prescribing.
Support and enable patients and carers to make informed decisions relating to their treatment and management.
Review and update the documentation to improve the quality, accuracy and consistency of information recorded ensuring that the Trust is CNST compliant.
Negotiate and facilitate the management of change in practices to achieve best practice in services.
To develop and implement with nursing and consultant staff new policies and clinical guidance for new procedures.
To support and facilitate the development of clinical skills for the nurses
Line manages members of the local nursing and support team as appropriate including clinical nurse specialists
Lead the nursing team in establishing and maintaining effective communication channels with multi-disciplinary team, patients and their carers and external agencies.
Coordinate, lead and manage the activities of clinical environment on a day to day basis.
Establish regular dialogue with local and tertiary referral centres sharing good practice.
Participate in professional nursing initiatives as an invited member to the Directorate and trust nursing groups e.g. TNMC.
To lead relevant departmental nursing meetings
Investigation of complaints relating to patient care, leading the development of action plans to address areas of concern, identifying learning and changes to practice.
Managing human resources issues, undertaking PDRs.
To use excellent prioritising and time management skills to meet the unpredictable and conflicting needs of the service.
To develop own managerial and administrative functions in conjunction with role developments.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Work autonomously across professional, organisational and system boundaries and proactively develop and sustain new partnerships and networks to influence and improve health, outcomes and healthcare delivery systems;
To receive patients with undifferentiated and undiagnosed problems and make an assessment of their health care needs, based on highly-developed nursing knowledge and skills.
To be responsible for ordering necessary investigations and provide treatment and care both individually, as part of a team, and through referral to other agencies.
To make differential diagnoses using decision-making and problem-solving skills and have the authority to admit or discharge patients from their caseload, and refer patients to other health care providers as appropriate.
To provide a consultancy and clinical leadership function as required.
To undertake a wide range of advanced clinical interventions, which include Immediate Life Support Skills and Independent Nurse Prescribing.
Support and enable patients and carers to make informed decisions relating to their treatment and management.
Review and update the documentation to improve the quality, accuracy and consistency of information recorded ensuring that the Trust is CNST compliant.
Negotiate and facilitate the management of change in practices to achieve best practice in services.
To develop and implement with nursing and consultant staff new policies and clinical guidance for new procedures.
To support and facilitate the development of clinical skills for the nurses
Line manages members of the local nursing and support team as appropriate including clinical nurse specialists
Lead the nursing team in establishing and maintaining effective communication channels with multi-disciplinary team, patients and their carers and external agencies.
Coordinate, lead and manage the activities of clinical environment on a day to day basis.
Establish regular dialogue with local and tertiary referral centres sharing good practice.
Participate in professional nursing initiatives as an invited member to the Directorate and trust nursing groups e.g. TNMC.
To lead relevant departmental nursing meetings
Investigation of complaints relating to patient care, leading the development of action plans to address areas of concern, identifying learning and changes to practice.
Managing human resources issues, undertaking PDRs.
To use excellent prioritising and time management skills to meet the unpredictable and conflicting needs of the service.
To develop own managerial and administrative functions in conjunction with role developments.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Broad clinical experience relevant to the post, including specialist skills and experience in headache.
- A proven track record of clinical service management at a senior level in an acute hospital environment, including staff management, financial management and change management.
Knowledge
Essential
- To have or be working towards independent prescriber according to the Trusts Non-medical prescribing policy
- MSC level study or equivalent experience relevant to specialty
Skills
Essential
- Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of specialty with a wide range of approaches to the management of patients, demonstrated by advanced clinical reasoning, critical thinking and be able to comprehensively assess patients for risk factors and early signs of illness
- Ability to manage change and contain conflict ensuring resolution with positive outcomes, with use of negotiation skills
- Evidence of managing clinical services, service innovation and up-to-date knowledge of nursing policy and strategy, together with successful change management experience and a proven track record in launching new initiatives
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Broad clinical experience relevant to the post, including specialist skills and experience in headache.
- A proven track record of clinical service management at a senior level in an acute hospital environment, including staff management, financial management and change management.
Knowledge
Essential
- To have or be working towards independent prescriber according to the Trusts Non-medical prescribing policy
- MSC level study or equivalent experience relevant to specialty
Skills
Essential
- Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of specialty with a wide range of approaches to the management of patients, demonstrated by advanced clinical reasoning, critical thinking and be able to comprehensively assess patients for risk factors and early signs of illness
- Ability to manage change and contain conflict ensuring resolution with positive outcomes, with use of negotiation skills
- Evidence of managing clinical services, service innovation and up-to-date knowledge of nursing policy and strategy, together with successful change management experience and a proven track record in launching new initiatives
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.
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).
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.
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).
