Lead Nurse- Therapeutic Apheresis Services

Job summary

Therapeutic apheresis is the only patient facing service provided by NHS Blood and Transplant and is highly regarded within the organisation as a flagship service. There are currently eight therapeutic apheresis units throughout England, soon to be nine. Therapeutic Apheresis Services are expanding their service offering into Cambridge and the surrounding area. The Lead Nurse will be pivotal in the set up and establishment of this exciting service which will initially offer automated red cell exchange services to a number of patients across the region. In March 2012, the first strategic plan for Therapeutic Apheresis Services was approved by the Board of NHS Blood and Transplant. This important milestone acknowledged the increased demand within the NHS for consolidation of specialist services delivered by centres of excellence. As a national provider, Therapeutic Apheresis Services is uniquely positioned to supply these services to patients. In addition to working for a unique, national NHS Employer, we will provide you with an extensive induction and ongoing development programme specific to this role to support you in achieving your career ambitions. Because our therapeutic apheresis units are based within large NHS Trust our nurses benefit from the infrastructure and facilities of NHS Blood and Transplant and the host Trust.

Main duties of the job

The Lead Nurse - Therapeutic Apheresis Services is responsible for ensuring the delivery of Therapeutic Apheresis services for NHS patients and facilitating the collection of special donations within Donor Services within a designated region. Your responsibilities include: Managing and leading the team within a defined area for the provision of the safe and effective Therapeutic Apheresis Service (TAS). Being responsible for all aspects of nursing and clinical care of patients, ensuring a safe environment. Being responsible for the clinical standards of the nursing team, ensuring best practice and clinical effectiveness are achieved within the policy frameworks, in conjunction with the Senior Nurse Manager. Being a clinical expert and a source of clinical knowledge and expertise for advice and direction. Communicating effectively with donors on all issues of donation using tact and diplomacy when discussing complex issues e.g. those linked to donor selection. The unit is open for routine work between Monday and Friday. There is also an element of on-call required to provide emergency 24-hour cover. On call work may involve travel to different hospitals in the region. You will be required to travel and spend time away from base, which will involve working irregular hours and overnight stays when required, with prior notice.

About us

At NHS Blood and Transplant, were incredibly proud of the many talented people who come together every day to make our organisation the very best it can be. We have clearly defined values that are centred around offering exceptional care to our donors and their families. We take care of each other too and we focus on building our expertise so we can change lives, provide quality support and offer fulfilling careers. Its an opportunity to contribute to a unique team as part of a service that saves lives 365 days a year. We offer brilliant benefits including 27 days of holiday (plus bank holidays), a comprehensive induction and training programme, and competitive pension scheme. We are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace and aim to reflect the diverse communities we work with and positively encourage applications from all sectors of the community. Three small words, one big difference - Caring, Expert and Quality. Together we'll save and improve more lives than ever