Job summary
We are seeking a Nurse Consultant to work alongside our existing UCR VFW Nurse Consultant and join our Berkshire UCR VFW teams, where your clinical expertise and strategic leadership will make a real difference.
This is a rotational post across our four UCR VFW teams, giving you the opportunity to work with a range of professionals, share best practice and influence the delivery of high-quality consistent care across the service.
As Nurse Consultant for UCR VFW, you will be working closely with our Nurse Consultant and be jointly responsible for leading and developing advanced nursing practice across the service. Operating at a strategic level, you will collaborate with Consultant Geriatricians and multidisciplinary teams including nursing, therapy and medical colleagues to deliver safe, effective and person-centred care that supports people to remain well at home.
You will jointly lead on clinical innovation and excellence in patient care, provide strategic and operational leadership, and work flexibly across the four teams within Berkshire. You will spend at least 50% of your time in direct autonomous clinical practice, maintaining a strong connection to patient care.
We are looking for a senior nurse with extensive experience in older adult care, strong leadership and strategic thinking skills, a commitment to continuous improvement and evidence-based practice, and the flexibility to travel across multiple sites as required.
Main duties of the job
Advanced and Expert Level Practice
- Lead advanced, autonomous clinical care for older adults living with frailty, including assessment, prescribing, and care planning.
- Maintain expert clinical skills and provide direct patient care (minimum 50% of time).
- Support safe, evidence-based practice across UCR VFW service and promote patient-centred care in partnership with families and carers.
- Actively contribute to multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings and apply advanced clinical reasoning in complex cases.
Consultancy and Leadership
- Lead the development and implementation of frailty care models across the service
- Act as a senior clinical leader, offering expert advice, driving quality improvement, and promoting patient safety.
- Represent the service in internal and external reviews, legal proceedings, and trust-wide initiatives.
- Provide compassionate leadership, coaching, and mentorship to support team development and workforce sustainability.
Education and Training
- Create a learning culture that supports professional development for nurses and students.
- Collaborate with education providers to develop and deliver training on frailty, ageing well, and clinical excellence.
- Promote evidence-based practice and enhance the clinical competence of UCR VFW staff.
- Service Development, Evaluation, Research & Audit
- Develop and implement clinical standards, policies, and protocols aligned with national best practice.
About us
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.
Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:
- Caring for and about you is our top priority
- Committed to providing good quality, safe services
- Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions
Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:
- Flexible working options to support work-life balance
- 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
- Generous NHS pension scheme
- Excellent learning and career development opportunities
- 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
- Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
- Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
- Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
- Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
- Free parking across Trust sites
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main duties cont.
Staff Leadership and Management
- Act as a role model, mentor, educator, and coach, supporting staff development and succession planning.
- Follow performance management policies and recognise staff achievements.
- Promote effective communication, collaboration, and sharing of best practice.
- Oversee service delivery, ensuring patient and carer feedback is managed and addressed appropriately.
- Participate actively in regular team meetings.
Record Keeping
- Maintain accurate, timely documentation and care plans following NMC and governance standards.
- Lead inpatient documentation audits and share findings with the team.
- Monitor and record service activity, using data collaboratively to inform decision-making.
The must haves for this role:
- Registered Nurse with the NMC
- Teaching qualification with recent experience of delivering training
- Advanced history taking and physical examination with clinical reasoning qualification
- Non-medical prescribing
- Leadership & management qualification
- Previous experience within older & adult and urgent care.
- Advanced and effective leadership/communication skills, written & verbal.
- UK driving licence
For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.
We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.
Were committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.
We have identified that this is a role where we have underrepresentation of ethnically diverse colleagues. As part of our commitment to inclusion and Unity Against Racism we offer guaranteed interviews to candidates who meet the essential criteria and identify as: Asian or Asian British, Black or Black British, Mixed and Other Ethnic Groups
We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please dont hesitate to call: Deepa Devadas (UCR VFW Nurse Consultant) on 07836 778002 or email: deepa.devadas@berkshire.nhs.uk wholl be delighted to help.
Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main duties cont.
Staff Leadership and Management
- Act as a role model, mentor, educator, and coach, supporting staff development and succession planning.
- Follow performance management policies and recognise staff achievements.
- Promote effective communication, collaboration, and sharing of best practice.
- Oversee service delivery, ensuring patient and carer feedback is managed and addressed appropriately.
- Participate actively in regular team meetings.
Record Keeping
- Maintain accurate, timely documentation and care plans following NMC and governance standards.
- Lead inpatient documentation audits and share findings with the team.
- Monitor and record service activity, using data collaboratively to inform decision-making.
The must haves for this role:
- Registered Nurse with the NMC
- Teaching qualification with recent experience of delivering training
- Advanced history taking and physical examination with clinical reasoning qualification
- Non-medical prescribing
- Leadership & management qualification
- Previous experience within older & adult and urgent care.
- Advanced and effective leadership/communication skills, written & verbal.
- UK driving licence
For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.
We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.
Were committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.
We have identified that this is a role where we have underrepresentation of ethnically diverse colleagues. As part of our commitment to inclusion and Unity Against Racism we offer guaranteed interviews to candidates who meet the essential criteria and identify as: Asian or Asian British, Black or Black British, Mixed and Other Ethnic Groups
We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please dont hesitate to call: Deepa Devadas (UCR VFW Nurse Consultant) on 07836 778002 or email: deepa.devadas@berkshire.nhs.uk wholl be delighted to help.
Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications/Training
Essential
- Registered Nurse
- Masters and /or other higher degree
- Teaching qualification with recent experience of delivering training/seminars
- Advanced History Taking and Physical Examination with Clinical Reasoning qualification
- Non-medical prescribing
- Non-medical prescribing Leadership/ Management qualification
Desirable
- PhD
- Post graduate diploma in Geriatric Medicine
Continuous Professional Development
Essential
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Previous Experience
Essential
- Recent experience within older adult and urgent care
- Extensive experience of managing a team of nurses/AHPs
- Experience of analysis and reporting of data
- Extensive senior leadership experience
- Audit and research experience
- Working and liaising with external partners
- Experience of policy and protocol development and production
- Engaging with senior managers and directors
- Provide evidence of presenting and working with external professional networks
- Minimum of 6 yrs. post registration at senior nurse/management level
- Minimum of 3 yrs. practising at an advanced clinical level with older people with complex needs
- Proven experience of implementing major change initiatives in a clinical setting
- Evidence of leading service improvement programmes across services and with MDT's and in partnership with patients
- Evidence of managing budgets and budget setting
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Ability to write for publication
Additional Requirements
Essential
- UK Driving Licence
- Daily use of a car
- Ability to travel between multiple sites efficiently
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications/Training
Essential
- Registered Nurse
- Masters and /or other higher degree
- Teaching qualification with recent experience of delivering training/seminars
- Advanced History Taking and Physical Examination with Clinical Reasoning qualification
- Non-medical prescribing
- Non-medical prescribing Leadership/ Management qualification
Desirable
- PhD
- Post graduate diploma in Geriatric Medicine
Continuous Professional Development
Essential
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Previous Experience
Essential
- Recent experience within older adult and urgent care
- Extensive experience of managing a team of nurses/AHPs
- Experience of analysis and reporting of data
- Extensive senior leadership experience
- Audit and research experience
- Working and liaising with external partners
- Experience of policy and protocol development and production
- Engaging with senior managers and directors
- Provide evidence of presenting and working with external professional networks
- Minimum of 6 yrs. post registration at senior nurse/management level
- Minimum of 3 yrs. practising at an advanced clinical level with older people with complex needs
- Proven experience of implementing major change initiatives in a clinical setting
- Evidence of leading service improvement programmes across services and with MDT's and in partnership with patients
- Evidence of managing budgets and budget setting
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Ability to write for publication
Additional Requirements
Essential
- UK Driving Licence
- Daily use of a car
- Ability to travel between multiple sites efficiently
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).
