Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Staff Nurse - Rheumatology (Fixed Term 10 Months)

The closing date is 30 November 2025

Job summary

Band 6 Rheumatology Senior Staff Nurse

**This is a fixed-term/secondment opportunity for 10 months to cover maternity leave.**

We are pleased to offer an exciting fixed-term/secondment opportunity for a dynamic and motivated individual to join our Rheumatology Team at Royal Berkshire Hospital.

This role is ideal for someone passionate about improving patient safety, experience, and outcomes, with a particular focus on promoting independence and preventing hospital admissions.

What We're Looking For:

  • A confident educator - Someone who enjoys sharing knowledge and is comfortable teaching both patients and colleagues. Strong interpersonal and communication skills are essential.
  • A lifelong learner - We value individuals who are committed to ongoing professional development, including advancing skills in history taking and prescribing, and staying current with research and clinical guidelines.
  • Excellent communicator - High standards of spoken and written English are required. Experience in audits and research is desirable.
  • Clinical experience - Familiarity with Biologic and DAWN monitoring is advantageous, though full training will be provided for the right candidate.

This is a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact during a key period of service delivery. If you're enthusiastic about patient-centred care and admission prevention, we'd love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

Adhere to Departmental, Trust, and British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) protocols and guidelines, including conducting relevant investigations, data collection, research, and audits.

Deliver Rheumatology-specific education to staff, patients, and their families/carers.

Ensure the smooth operation of the Rheumatology service in the absence of senior nurses, providing both clinical and leadership support to the team.

Support the development of specialist strategies, policies, and plans that enhance capacity and resilience across the Trust, aligned with the Trust-wide strategy.

Collaborate closely with Rheumatology Consultants, Pharmacists, Physiotherapists, and Homecare services to ensure robust monitoring of patient conditions and act in accordance with specialty instructions and standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Work in partnership with clinicians, care group leaders, and administrators to deliver the strategic vision of the Rheumatology service.

Provide specialist clinical services across the acute trust for Rheumatology patients.

Participate in local and national clinical audits in collaboration with Rheumatology teams.

Deliver clear, accurate, and courteous advice line support to patients, working autonomously and documenting all communications on EPR and DAWN systems.

About us

Reading sits on the river Thames and is served by great road and rail links to London, Oxford and Southampton. With excellent leisure and shopping facilities, and a thriving cultural scene, Reading is a wonderful place to live, work and play and provides excellent facilities for families, including some of the best state and private schools in the UK.

The CQC rated the care provided by the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust as Good.

Our "CARE" values:Compassionate,Aspirational,Resourceful,Excellent, reflect the type of Trust we aspire to be and you can join our dedicated and talented staff to make this happen.

Details

Date posted

16 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

10 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

193-7579067NCG-A

Job locations

Royal Berkshire Hospital

Cat 9, North Block, Level 2, London Road

Reading

RG1 5AN


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for further details of the role.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for further details of the role.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications/Training

Essential

  • Current Registered Nurse, Degree level
  • Resuscitation-minimum of Intermediate Life Support
  • Mentorship / Assessor/ facilitator/ coaching qualification

Desirable

  • Evidence of recent clinical practice in specialist area and evidences of recent appropriate experience
  • History taking, Assessment and Diagnostics module

Experience

Essential

  • Significant post registration experience
  • Demonstrate excellent role modelling
  • Demonstrates excellent team-working

Desirable

  • Recent clinical experience in related client group
  • Understand blood monitoring and remote surveillance service
Person Specification

Education/Qualifications/Training

Essential

  • Current Registered Nurse, Degree level
  • Resuscitation-minimum of Intermediate Life Support
  • Mentorship / Assessor/ facilitator/ coaching qualification

Desirable

  • Evidence of recent clinical practice in specialist area and evidences of recent appropriate experience
  • History taking, Assessment and Diagnostics module

Experience

Essential

  • Significant post registration experience
  • Demonstrate excellent role modelling
  • Demonstrates excellent team-working

Desirable

  • Recent clinical experience in related client group
  • Understand blood monitoring and remote surveillance service

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.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Royal Berkshire Hospital

Cat 9, North Block, Level 2, London Road

Reading

RG1 5AN


Employer's website

https://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Royal Berkshire Hospital

Cat 9, North Block, Level 2, London Road

Reading

RG1 5AN


Employer's website

https://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Lead Nurse

Shirley Lee

siumkan.lee@royalberkshire.nhs.uk

01183226553

Details

Date posted

16 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

10 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

193-7579067NCG-A

Job locations

Royal Berkshire Hospital

Cat 9, North Block, Level 2, London Road

Reading

RG1 5AN


Supporting documents

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