Job summary
The role is suitable for Registered Nurses who have successfully completed mentor training as required by the NMC.
The Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is a clinical leader who ensures patients receive the highest standard of clinical care. Working in partnership with the multidisciplinary team, the post holder will embed evidence based clinical practice within the team through implementation and facilitation of education, training. and skills development for nurses.
The post holder will provide inspirational specialist nursing leadership within the team, including specialist assessments and nursing interventions to service users.
As a nursing expert the post holder will demonstrate a high level of expertise within the service, providing advice, education and support to staff, patients their families and carers.
Main duties of the job
The post holder is responsible for contributing to and leading the ongoing development of clinical practice standards of care within the service including the development of policies, procedures, protocols, and guidelines. The post holder will actively initiate and participate in clinical activity and audits within their specialist area.
There is an expectation the CNS will be knowledgeable and skilled in managing groups and teams. The CNS will have their own area of clinical skill/interest and will provide direct clinical work within the service.
About us
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health and social care organisation dedicated to providing high-quality care with compassion to improve the health and wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting andempowering them to lead a fulfilling life.
Our clinical teams deliver many NHS services, not only via inpatient and primary care settings, but also within the community. These services include children's, adult and older people's mental health, forensic and specialist mental health, learning disabilities, primary care and liaison psychiatry, substance misuse, social care, research and development.
To achieve our goal, we look to recruit high-calibre candidates who share our vision and values. As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all sectors of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including people with long term conditions and members of our ethnic minority and LGBTQ+ communities.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities
To provide a clear focus for clinical leadership and to be responsible for ensuring the provision of a high standard of holistic, patient-centred care.
To use a range of techniques to ensure, set, and monitor standards of clinical practice, audit, research and teaching to set, monitor, and continually improve standards of care and patient experience.
To lead on nursing practice development including the development, and orupdating of clinical guidelines, policy and procedure that relates to the practise setting.
Demonstrate safe, compassionate, consistent, and appropriate practice and expert nursing advice using up to date knowledge, skills, clinical competence, and evidence, to assess, plan, deliver and evaluate care, communicate findings, influence changes, and promote health and best practice.
To teach and act as a facilitator, mentor, and supervisor to other staff. To develop and participate in the delivery of a clinical supervision structure/reflective practice for team members.
To support the development and clinical learning infrastructure providing advice and guidance which ensures that all newly qualified nurses receive preceptorship and that those who mentor and support them are well prepared and regularly updated.
Ensure safe and effective clinical practice.
Enhance patient experience.
To lead, manage and develop team performance, promote professionalism and trust.
Ensure effective delivery of Directorate and organisation quality priorities.
To ensure that a therapeutic milieu is maintained by supporting the nursing team and the therapeutic structure.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities
To provide a clear focus for clinical leadership and to be responsible for ensuring the provision of a high standard of holistic, patient-centred care.
To use a range of techniques to ensure, set, and monitor standards of clinical practice, audit, research and teaching to set, monitor, and continually improve standards of care and patient experience.
To lead on nursing practice development including the development, and orupdating of clinical guidelines, policy and procedure that relates to the practise setting.
Demonstrate safe, compassionate, consistent, and appropriate practice and expert nursing advice using up to date knowledge, skills, clinical competence, and evidence, to assess, plan, deliver and evaluate care, communicate findings, influence changes, and promote health and best practice.
To teach and act as a facilitator, mentor, and supervisor to other staff. To develop and participate in the delivery of a clinical supervision structure/reflective practice for team members.
To support the development and clinical learning infrastructure providing advice and guidance which ensures that all newly qualified nurses receive preceptorship and that those who mentor and support them are well prepared and regularly updated.
Ensure safe and effective clinical practice.
Enhance patient experience.
To lead, manage and develop team performance, promote professionalism and trust.
Ensure effective delivery of Directorate and organisation quality priorities.
To ensure that a therapeutic milieu is maintained by supporting the nursing team and the therapeutic structure.
Person Specification
Education and qualifications
Essential
- Registered Nurse Mental Health/LD Nursing
- Completion of Mentorship Course
- Evidence of continuous professional development.
- Leadership Qualification
Desirable
- Post graduate qualification relating to MH
- Teaching qualification ENB 998 or equivalent
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working alongside people with complex mental health/LD problems
- Extensive experience of providing a range of clinical interventions to people in the designated pathway
- Extensive experience of multi-disciplinary team working
- Extensive experience of conducting clinical assessments including risk assessment and formulation
- Experience of partnership working within and across various statutory and non statutory teams and agencies
- Extensive understanding of clinical governance
- Significant experience of supervision and mentoring of others, and in providing critical and constructive feedback
- Experience of research- based/reflective practice, e.g., understanding and ability to use supervision to reflect on skills
Desirable
- Experience of leading nursing staff or teams in practice improvement
- Lived experience of mental health issues
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Advanced Clinical Skills in: assessment, planning and therapeutic intervention
- Provision of specialist nursing advice in relation to care delivery
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to communicate in a clear and unambiguous way
- Excellent negotiation and conflict resolution skills
- Excellent ability to develop effective professional relationships with others (individuals and groups)
- Excellent ability to develop good therapeutic relationships
- Able to establish and maintain communication with individuals, families, carers and groups about difficult or complex matters.
- Develop own skills and knowledge and impart information to others to facilitate their development
- Strong ability to innovate and implement change
- Skills in influencing, empowering, developing and shaping the behaviours of others.
- Advanced skills in problem solving
- IT skills and willingness to embrace and use new technology; able to use Word, PowerPoint, clinical systems, e-mail.
- The ability to multitask and mental adaptation to different unpredictable situations
Desirable
- Ability to identify problems, review options and take appropriate action without a predetermined framework.
Other
Essential
- Motivated to provide the highest standard of care in a changing service
- Demonstrate support for the values and beliefs of the Care Group and those of the Trust
- Punctual and flexible across hours of work when required.
- Awareness of equal opportunities in the workplace
- Personal integrity
- Flexibility to work across clinical areas as required
Physical requirements
Essential
- Ability to travel across sites
- Able to use IT equipment
- Ability to carry out patient care including manual handling techniques
Knowledge & understanding
Essential
- Advanced specialist knowledge of Nursing assessment, intervention and practice models relevant to the client group
- Significant knowledge of NICE guidance and other National guidance relevant to delivery of care and safe nursing practice
- Significant knowledge, awareness and understanding of Mental Health Law, including legislation of relevance to the setting, the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and Community Treatment Orders (CTO).
- Excellent understanding of the NMC Code and its application in practice.
- Significant understanding of safeguarding issues and responsibilities under relevant legislation
- Knowledge of physical healthcare needs
- Good understanding of NICE guidance and quality standards relevant to setting
Person Specification
Education and qualifications
Essential
- Registered Nurse Mental Health/LD Nursing
- Completion of Mentorship Course
- Evidence of continuous professional development.
- Leadership Qualification
Desirable
- Post graduate qualification relating to MH
- Teaching qualification ENB 998 or equivalent
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working alongside people with complex mental health/LD problems
- Extensive experience of providing a range of clinical interventions to people in the designated pathway
- Extensive experience of multi-disciplinary team working
- Extensive experience of conducting clinical assessments including risk assessment and formulation
- Experience of partnership working within and across various statutory and non statutory teams and agencies
- Extensive understanding of clinical governance
- Significant experience of supervision and mentoring of others, and in providing critical and constructive feedback
- Experience of research- based/reflective practice, e.g., understanding and ability to use supervision to reflect on skills
Desirable
- Experience of leading nursing staff or teams in practice improvement
- Lived experience of mental health issues
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Advanced Clinical Skills in: assessment, planning and therapeutic intervention
- Provision of specialist nursing advice in relation to care delivery
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to communicate in a clear and unambiguous way
- Excellent negotiation and conflict resolution skills
- Excellent ability to develop effective professional relationships with others (individuals and groups)
- Excellent ability to develop good therapeutic relationships
- Able to establish and maintain communication with individuals, families, carers and groups about difficult or complex matters.
- Develop own skills and knowledge and impart information to others to facilitate their development
- Strong ability to innovate and implement change
- Skills in influencing, empowering, developing and shaping the behaviours of others.
- Advanced skills in problem solving
- IT skills and willingness to embrace and use new technology; able to use Word, PowerPoint, clinical systems, e-mail.
- The ability to multitask and mental adaptation to different unpredictable situations
Desirable
- Ability to identify problems, review options and take appropriate action without a predetermined framework.
Other
Essential
- Motivated to provide the highest standard of care in a changing service
- Demonstrate support for the values and beliefs of the Care Group and those of the Trust
- Punctual and flexible across hours of work when required.
- Awareness of equal opportunities in the workplace
- Personal integrity
- Flexibility to work across clinical areas as required
Physical requirements
Essential
- Ability to travel across sites
- Able to use IT equipment
- Ability to carry out patient care including manual handling techniques
Knowledge & understanding
Essential
- Advanced specialist knowledge of Nursing assessment, intervention and practice models relevant to the client group
- Significant knowledge of NICE guidance and other National guidance relevant to delivery of care and safe nursing practice
- Significant knowledge, awareness and understanding of Mental Health Law, including legislation of relevance to the setting, the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and Community Treatment Orders (CTO).
- Excellent understanding of the NMC Code and its application in practice.
- Significant understanding of safeguarding issues and responsibilities under relevant legislation
- Knowledge of physical healthcare needs
- Good understanding of NICE guidance and quality standards relevant to setting
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).
