Job summary
This post offers an exciting and rare opportunity for a candidate looking to advance their career as a Diabetes Nurse Consultant, leading an established Specialist Community Diabetes Service in Bedfordshire. The vacancy has arisen due to the current post-holder retiring. We are seeking a highly motivated and dynamic individual to join Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust.
The successful candidate will provide clinical, strategic, and professional leadership for the Bedfordshire Integrated Community Diabetes Service (BICDS), ensuring the service supports primary care in delivering excellent, safe, and effective care. The post-holder will act as a source of expert knowledge and work with a high level of autonomy while collaborating closely with senior medical colleagues.
You will lead a well-established, supportive, and collaborative multidisciplinary team dedicated to delivering high-quality care for people living with diabetes. As the professional lead for the BICDS nursing workforce, you will demonstrate a person-centred, motivational approach and a strong 'can-do' attitude.
You will also champion and develop strong partnership working to ensure truly integrated care across the local area, leading a responsive service that is fit for the future.
Main duties of the job
The Nurse Consultant provides overall leadership for the Integrated Community Diabetes Service, acting as the senior clinical expert for individuals with complex type 2 diabetes. They undertake assessment, diagnosis, prescribing, and management of high-risk patients, while offering specialist guidance to GPs, practice nurses, community teams, and care homes. They also oversee senior diabetes nurses and ensure the delivery of safe, high-quality clinical practice across the service.
They lead the development and delivery of all diabetes-related education for both patients and healthcare professionals, including structured education programmes, insulin management training, and primary care workforce development. The role includes producing patient information resources, evaluating the quality of training, and supporting staff to develop advanced diabetes expertise.
At a strategic level, the post influences diabetes pathways across the ICB, drives service improvement, leads audits and research activity, and ensures compliance with national standards and commissioning requirements. Responsibilities also include managing the service budget, monitoring performance, contributing to business planning, and representing the service locally and nationally to promote excellence in diabetes care.
About us
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.
Job description
Job responsibilities
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Provide clinical leadership for the Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire Integrated Community Diabetes Service (ICDS).
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Lead and manage the Community Diabetes Nursing Service across both sites.
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Lead the diabetes structured education team.
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Work with the ICB to oversee the implementation and delivery of the ICDS service specification and the agreed diabetes care pathway across Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire.
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Collaborate closely with the ICB to drive ongoing clinical improvements in diabetes care, aligned with national best practice and the GIRFT Further Faster initiative.
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Support primary care practitioners in reducing hospital attendances for people with diabetes by delivering expert diabetes care within primary care settings and providing specialist advice across NHS Bedfordshire.
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Develop and deliver education programmes and skillsdevelopment opportunities for healthcare professionals at all levels through teaching and mentorship.
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Promote and embed an expert patient approach to strengthen selfmanagement among people living with diabetes.
-
Manage the financial budget for the service
Job description
Job responsibilities
-
Provide clinical leadership for the Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire Integrated Community Diabetes Service (ICDS).
-
Lead and manage the Community Diabetes Nursing Service across both sites.
-
Lead the diabetes structured education team.
-
Work with the ICB to oversee the implementation and delivery of the ICDS service specification and the agreed diabetes care pathway across Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire.
-
Collaborate closely with the ICB to drive ongoing clinical improvements in diabetes care, aligned with national best practice and the GIRFT Further Faster initiative.
-
Support primary care practitioners in reducing hospital attendances for people with diabetes by delivering expert diabetes care within primary care settings and providing specialist advice across NHS Bedfordshire.
-
Develop and deliver education programmes and skillsdevelopment opportunities for healthcare professionals at all levels through teaching and mentorship.
-
Promote and embed an expert patient approach to strengthen selfmanagement among people living with diabetes.
-
Manage the financial budget for the service
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Proven experience of working in a management/leadership role in diabetes
- Experience in managing and motivating a large team
- Leading complex projects within diabetes
- Teaching experience - the ability to provide specialist education and training
Desirable
- Experience of managing a significant budget and budget setting
- Business case development
- Experience of writing policies and protocols
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Adult Nurse (NMC)
- Education, knowledge and experience to master's level or equivalent
- Diabetes qualification at level 7 or above
Desirable
- Project Management Qualification
- Teaching and assessing qualification
Knowledge
Essential
- Demonstrates skills for assessing and interpreting specialist patient conditions in diabetes
- Organisational skills and the ability to work effectively within a management structure
- Participation in selection and recruitment of staff
Desirable
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Proven experience of working in a management/leadership role in diabetes
- Experience in managing and motivating a large team
- Leading complex projects within diabetes
- Teaching experience - the ability to provide specialist education and training
Desirable
- Experience of managing a significant budget and budget setting
- Business case development
- Experience of writing policies and protocols
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Adult Nurse (NMC)
- Education, knowledge and experience to master's level or equivalent
- Diabetes qualification at level 7 or above
Desirable
- Project Management Qualification
- Teaching and assessing qualification
Knowledge
Essential
- Demonstrates skills for assessing and interpreting specialist patient conditions in diabetes
- Organisational skills and the ability to work effectively within a management structure
- Participation in selection and recruitment of staff
Desirable
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).
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