Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated and dynamic nurse or allied health care professional to join the University Hospitals Dorset's (UHD) Parkinson's Service as a Parkinson's Specialist Practitioner in a Band 6-7 training post*
We are looking for an enthusiastic, dedicated registered nurse or allied health care professional. The successful candidate will have excellent communication skills and relevant experience to deliver high quality, specialist care to people with Parkinson's and will be part of the on-going development of this forward-thinking service. The service is transforming in response to the needs of our community and our team are always developing to be able to deliver safe, effective and patient-centred care.
We are committed to continuous professional development and offer on-going training within the Parkinson's service. *Band 7 in the training post would be gained after successful completion of the Non-medical prescribing qualification and full achievement of Band 6 competencies (with emergence into Band 7 competencies) in the local Parkinson's competency framework.
Car driver essential (or the ability to travel to meet the needs of the role - not all locations are accessible by public transport) .
Interview date: 23nd January 2026
Main duties of the job
The nurse or allied health care professional will be responsible for the assessment and management of people with Parkinson's using an enhanced level of professional accountability, autonomy, and judgement, underpinned by theory and experience; this will include the need for complex history taking, physical examination, prescribing and ongoing patient assessment.
To understand the role in more detail please read the full job description and person specification documents which are attached to this advert.
About us
Our values define who we are as #TeamUHD. They underpin everything we do now and in the future. They define how we treat our patients, visitors, and each other, our valued team mates and colleagues.
UHD are investing in services across the Trust, with many being transformed and developed following merger and the New Hospital Programme.
In some cases this means that a services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or long term. Recruiting Managers interviewing for this role will be happy to answer any specific questions that you have at interview.
Please note if the role or service is relocated as part of a planned move, employees will not be eligible for excess mileage reimbursement. Travel from the postholder's home to the new work base will be considered a normal commute. Any other changes not related to this relocation will be managed according to the relevant Trust or National terms and conditions.
If a role or service relocates as part of a planned move, excess mileage will not be reimbursed. Travel from home to the new work base will be classed as a normal commute. Any other changes will be managed under Trust or national terms and conditions.
UHD has active networks including Women's, BAME, Pride, EU, Pro Ability, and Armed Forces. We support Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant interview schemes.
AI tools may be used, but applications must honestly reflect your own skills and experience. Integrity is key to our recruitment process
Job description
Job responsibilities
As a Parkinsons Specialist Practitioner you will provide a weekday service to people with Parkinson's. You will work closely with Neurologists, Older People's Services Consultants, Pharmacists, General Practitioners, Therapists, Social Services and voluntary groups to enhance the care and improve the quality of life to people with Parkinson's.
You will be supported in your development to manage this patient group including patients with Multiple System Atrophy and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. You will be required to have experience of working independently in a band 6 clinical role.
The role of the Parkinsons Specialist Practitioner is multifaceted, you will work autonomously incorporating key functions; practice policy and standard development, education, research and professional development. The ultimate aim is to provide a co-ordinated, accessible, well-governed service for patients with Parkinsons that provides compassionate holistic, high-quality evidence-based care. You will have the ability to work autonomously and make key decisions to influence patient care. Training and education for patients and their families is a key element to the role, and you will play an active part in encouraging patients to manage their long-term condition. Practitioner-led clinics are a crucial part of the role and you will manage your own clinics and undertake domiciliary visits, with the support and guidance from senior members of the Parkinson's Service team as well as the Consultant team.
The post is currently based at Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch sites with clinics also held at Wimborne and Swanage hospital.
To understand the role in more detail please read the full job description and person specification documents which are attached to this advert.
Job description
Job responsibilities
As a Parkinsons Specialist Practitioner you will provide a weekday service to people with Parkinson's. You will work closely with Neurologists, Older People's Services Consultants, Pharmacists, General Practitioners, Therapists, Social Services and voluntary groups to enhance the care and improve the quality of life to people with Parkinson's.
You will be supported in your development to manage this patient group including patients with Multiple System Atrophy and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. You will be required to have experience of working independently in a band 6 clinical role.
The role of the Parkinsons Specialist Practitioner is multifaceted, you will work autonomously incorporating key functions; practice policy and standard development, education, research and professional development. The ultimate aim is to provide a co-ordinated, accessible, well-governed service for patients with Parkinsons that provides compassionate holistic, high-quality evidence-based care. You will have the ability to work autonomously and make key decisions to influence patient care. Training and education for patients and their families is a key element to the role, and you will play an active part in encouraging patients to manage their long-term condition. Practitioner-led clinics are a crucial part of the role and you will manage your own clinics and undertake domiciliary visits, with the support and guidance from senior members of the Parkinson's Service team as well as the Consultant team.
The post is currently based at Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch sites with clinics also held at Wimborne and Swanage hospital.
To understand the role in more detail please read the full job description and person specification documents which are attached to this advert.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Professional registration with relevant professional body
- Degree level qualification
- English GCSE at C Grade, or Functional Skills English Level 2 (certificates required). Maths GCSE at C Grade, or Functional Skills Maths Level 2 (certificates required)
- Willingness to undertake and complete an M level Advanced Clinical Practice/Equivalent Masters
- Recognised mentoring qualification or equivalent experience
Desirable
- Evidence of ability to study at MSc level
- Non-Medical Prescribing course
- Advanced communication / counseling courses
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience of working independently in a Band 6 Clinical role
- Experience of teaching, mentoring and developing staff
- Experience in patient education and empowerment
- Evidence of working under own initiative
- Experience of working in partnership with all levels of staff and within the multi-disciplinary team
Desirable
- Experience in managing patients with Parkinson's
- Participation in research and experience of critical appraisal of the evidence base to inform practice
- Participation in audit
- Experience of service and practice development and managing change
- Developing policies and protocols
Techniacal Skills Competencies
Essential
- Clinical skills in patient assessment and development /implementation of treatment plans
- Computer literacy using a range of software
- Demonstrable ability to work in a busy environment and resilience when the service is under pressure.
- Ability to work unsupervised and on own initiative and as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
Desirable
- Evidence of acquisition and maintenance of advanced clinical skills
Personal Attributes
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, using a range of methods, e.g. verbal, written, record keeping , complex report writing
- Seeks out, and takes, opportunities for improving the service offered, with customer focus in foresight
- Adaptive to unpredictable workloads
Desirable
- A commitment to improving patient services through an ability to sustain a clear performance focus on achieving demanding goals.
- Ability to be intellectually flexible and to look beyond existing structures, ways of working, boundaries and organisations to produce more effective and innovative service delivery and partnerships
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Professional registration with relevant professional body
- Degree level qualification
- English GCSE at C Grade, or Functional Skills English Level 2 (certificates required). Maths GCSE at C Grade, or Functional Skills Maths Level 2 (certificates required)
- Willingness to undertake and complete an M level Advanced Clinical Practice/Equivalent Masters
- Recognised mentoring qualification or equivalent experience
Desirable
- Evidence of ability to study at MSc level
- Non-Medical Prescribing course
- Advanced communication / counseling courses
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience of working independently in a Band 6 Clinical role
- Experience of teaching, mentoring and developing staff
- Experience in patient education and empowerment
- Evidence of working under own initiative
- Experience of working in partnership with all levels of staff and within the multi-disciplinary team
Desirable
- Experience in managing patients with Parkinson's
- Participation in research and experience of critical appraisal of the evidence base to inform practice
- Participation in audit
- Experience of service and practice development and managing change
- Developing policies and protocols
Techniacal Skills Competencies
Essential
- Clinical skills in patient assessment and development /implementation of treatment plans
- Computer literacy using a range of software
- Demonstrable ability to work in a busy environment and resilience when the service is under pressure.
- Ability to work unsupervised and on own initiative and as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
Desirable
- Evidence of acquisition and maintenance of advanced clinical skills
Personal Attributes
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, using a range of methods, e.g. verbal, written, record keeping , complex report writing
- Seeks out, and takes, opportunities for improving the service offered, with customer focus in foresight
- Adaptive to unpredictable workloads
Desirable
- A commitment to improving patient services through an ability to sustain a clear performance focus on achieving demanding goals.
- Ability to be intellectually flexible and to look beyond existing structures, ways of working, boundaries and organisations to produce more effective and innovative service delivery and partnerships
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).
