Oxford Health NHS Trust

Heart Failure Nurse

The closing date is 28 April 2026

Job summary

We are seeking an experienced and motivated Band 7 Community Heart Failure Nurse to join our Oxfordshire team on a 12-month fixed-term basis. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in delivering high-quality, patient-centred care to individuals living with heart failure in their own homes and community settings.

The post holder will work autonomously and as part of a multidisciplinary team to provide specialist assessment, diagnosis support, treatment optimisation, and ongoing management of patients with heart failure. You will contribute to reducing hospital admissions, improving quality of life, and supporting patients and their carers through education and self-management strategies.

The role involves close collaboration with GPs, cardiologists, community teams, and acute services to ensure seamless, coordinated care across the patient pathway. You will also support service development, clinical audit, and quality improvement initiatives to enhance outcomes for patients with heart failure.

This position is ideal for a nurse with significant cardiology or heart failure experience who is confident in clinical decision-making, medication titration, and delivering care in community settings.

Main duties of the job

  • Deliver specialist heart failure care in community settings, including home visits and clinic-based reviews, for patients with confirmed heart failure.
  • Undertake comprehensive clinical assessments, including history taking, physical examination, and interpretation of relevant investigations (e.g. blood tests, ECGs, echocardiogram reports).
  • Initiate, titrate, and optimise guideline-directed medical therapy for heart failure in line with local and national protocols, using independent prescribing skills where appropriate.
  • Monitor patients' clinical status, response to treatment, and disease progression, adjusting management plans to reduce risk of deterioration and hospital admission.
  • Provide expert education and support to patients, families, and carers to promote self-management, including advice on medication adherence, symptom recognition, fluid management, and lifestyle modification.
  • Deliver and support advance care planning, and provide palliative and end-of-life care for patients with advanced heart failure, working closely with patients, families, and specialist palliative care services to ensure care is aligned with patient wishes.
  • Work collaboratively with GPs, cardiologists, community teams, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals to coordinate care and ensure timely escalation when required.
  • Contribute to service development, including audit, quality improvement initiatives, and implementation of evidence-based practice.

About us

Oxford Health is a great place to work and to be able to showcase the best of yourself when making an application please read the "candidate guide to making an application" and ensure your supporting statement is tailored to the role you are applying for and addresses any essential criteria.

As a Trust we provide physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and Northeast Somerset. Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people's homes, delivering care as close to home as possible. Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive: "Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team"

Our values are: "Caring, safe and excellent"

We offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:

o Excellent opportunities for career progressiono Access to tailored individual and Trust wide learning and developmento 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous serviceo NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailerso Competitive pension schemeo Lease car schemeo Cycle to work schemeo Employee Assistance Programmeo Mental Health First Aiderso Staff accommodation (please note waiting lists apply)o Staff networking and support groups hosted by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team

Details

Date posted

16 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£49,387 to £56,515 a year Per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

267-CH7910788

Job locations

Countywide, Oxfordshire

Banbury

OX16 2EZ


Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Demonstrate autonomous decision making at a highly specialist level whilst taking responsibility and accountability for a designated caseload of patients to optimise health and wellbeing.
  • Be an expert clinical resource and role model, delivering advanced clinical nursing review and consultations within nurse led clinics and patients homes. This will be in accordance with the developing needs of the service.
  • Have the knowledge and skill to undertake a full and thorough assessment of a patients health status, including physical examination, a review of their medical history and medications, determine a differential diagnosis, as well as analysis and interpretation of diagnostic test results.
  • Using a holistic approach assess and evaluate, with patients and/or carers, the effectiveness of the treatment and care provided in conjunction with specialist teams, implementing necessary adjustments to management plans based on their evolving needs and response to treatment.
  • Analyse and interpret complex facts and situations that enable the delivery of appropriate treatments and interventions such as medication management, symptom control, lifestyle modifications, and anticipatory care planning.
  • Work autonomously within the wider health care team and as a lone practitioner.
  • Provide expert support and guidance to those receiving and delivering palliative care to heart failure patients (including GPs, Palliative care HCPs, Community HCPs).

Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Demonstrate autonomous decision making at a highly specialist level whilst taking responsibility and accountability for a designated caseload of patients to optimise health and wellbeing.
  • Be an expert clinical resource and role model, delivering advanced clinical nursing review and consultations within nurse led clinics and patients homes. This will be in accordance with the developing needs of the service.
  • Have the knowledge and skill to undertake a full and thorough assessment of a patients health status, including physical examination, a review of their medical history and medications, determine a differential diagnosis, as well as analysis and interpretation of diagnostic test results.
  • Using a holistic approach assess and evaluate, with patients and/or carers, the effectiveness of the treatment and care provided in conjunction with specialist teams, implementing necessary adjustments to management plans based on their evolving needs and response to treatment.
  • Analyse and interpret complex facts and situations that enable the delivery of appropriate treatments and interventions such as medication management, symptom control, lifestyle modifications, and anticipatory care planning.
  • Work autonomously within the wider health care team and as a lone practitioner.
  • Provide expert support and guidance to those receiving and delivering palliative care to heart failure patients (including GPs, Palliative care HCPs, Community HCPs).

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Registered Adult Nurse with the NMC

Desirable

  • Evidence of community based nursing

Education

Essential

  • Advanced clinical assessment course

Desirable

  • Independent prescribing qualification (NMP)

Skills

Essential

  • Excellent communication skills

Desirable

  • Previous experience of formal/informal teaching of patients, staff and colleagues
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Registered Adult Nurse with the NMC

Desirable

  • Evidence of community based nursing

Education

Essential

  • Advanced clinical assessment course

Desirable

  • Independent prescribing qualification (NMP)

Skills

Essential

  • Excellent communication skills

Desirable

  • Previous experience of formal/informal teaching of patients, staff and colleagues

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

Oxford Health NHS Trust

Address

Countywide, Oxfordshire

Banbury

OX16 2EZ


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Oxford Health NHS Trust

Address

Countywide, Oxfordshire

Banbury

OX16 2EZ


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Community heart failure nurse, clinical lead

Jennifer Jay

jennifer.jay@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk

07748954230

Details

Date posted

16 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£49,387 to £56,515 a year Per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

267-CH7910788

Job locations

Countywide, Oxfordshire

Banbury

OX16 2EZ


Supporting documents

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