Job summary
Diabetes Specialist Nurse (Adult In-Patient)
Division: Medicine and Emergency
Care Group: Specialist Medicine
Band: 7
Salary: £46,148 - £52,809 Per Annum/Pro Rata
Interview Date: week commencing 21st of July 2025
We are recruiting for a Diabetes Specialist Nurse (Adult In-Patient)who shares our ambition and vision to deliver theBest of Care by the Best People and has the drive to take us forward, by ensuring that the Trust continues to be the first choice for patients and our staff.
Main duties of the job
Deliver expert assessment and care for inpatients with complex diabetes, including insulin pumps, CGM, and hybrid closed-loop systems. Formulate individualized care plans, adjust medications, and support early discharge. Prioritize referrals and advise on complex scenarios like surgery, steroids, and enteral feeding. Educate patients and families with empathy and sensitivity. Act as a clinical leader, supporting service development aligned with trust and national priorities. Contribute to audits, service reviews (e.g., NaDIA), and develop clinical guidelines and SOPs. Deliver structured and informal education, mentor staff, lead insulin safety and POCT training, and promote reflective practice. Engage in research, translate evidence into practice, and present findings at professional forums. Collaborate with MDTs and external teams to ensure continuity of care. Communicate complex information effectively and lead discharge planning. Maintain accurate records, comply with trust policies, support incident reviews, and contribute to governance and staff development activities.
About us
Do you have the ambition and vision to deliver our mission of theBest of Careby the Best of People providing excellent care, every time?
Here at Medway, we pride ourselves on working together as one to ensure that our sharedvisionis achieved for our patients.
As a key partner in the healthcare of our local population, we are keen to deliver this as an outcome of our Trust-wide strategy -Patient First.Using an Operational Excellence approach to align our priorities and operational management structures, we are just over a year and half into ourPatient Firstdeployment. We are looking for creative, skilled people to join our Transformation Team and further support us on this journey.
Our culture and values define us here at Medway NHS Foundation Trust and are the heartbeat of who we are as an organisation.
OurBESTvalues underpinPatient Firstand are at the core of the care we give to our patients, the support we offer to our staff and our overall leadership approach:
B - Bold
E - Every person counts
S - Sharing and open
T - Together
Our Trust is a great choice for people who want to develop their career in an ambitious and dynamic environment; our employees are able to choose the coverage and supplemental benefits that best fit their needs and those of their families. This includes the promotion of flexible working opportunities across the Trust.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Diabetes Inpatient Specialist Nurse (DISN) is a highly skilled and autonomous practitioner responsible for the expert management of inpatients with diabetes. This role requires advanced clinical knowledge and decision-making skills to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate care for individuals with complex needs related to diabetes in the hospital setting. Acting as a central figure in the inpatient diabetes care pathway, the DISN ensures that patients receive evidence-based, safe, and effective treatment throughout their hospital stay.
Working in close collaboration with consultants, medical staff, diabetes specialist teams, and wider multidisciplinary and primary care teams, the DISN plays a pivotal role in promoting a seamless and holistic approach to diabetes management. The nurse leads on developing and embedding inpatient diabetes care pathways to ensure consistency of care and safe transitions between acute and community settings. A key element of the role is the empowerment of patients through tailored education to promote self-management, particularly in preparation for discharge.
Education and staff development are fundamental to the DISNs responsibilities. The post holder proactively establishes and delivers ongoing diabetes training for ward-based teams across disciplines and seniority levels. By doing so, the DISN enhances the overall competence and confidence of hospital staff in managing diabetes, ultimately improving patient outcomes.
In addition to clinical and educational duties, the DISN contributes to the ongoing development of the service through participation in clinical audit, quality improvement initiatives, and representation of the Trust in external acute diabetes forums. The role demands a dynamic, compassionate, and forward-thinking approach, with the flexibility to manage an independent workload while remaining responsive to the needs of the clinical environment.
Overall, the DISN serves as a clinical leader and resource within the hospital, championing best practices in diabetes care and ensuring that patients receive high-quality, person-centered support throughout their inpatient journey.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Diabetes Inpatient Specialist Nurse (DISN) is a highly skilled and autonomous practitioner responsible for the expert management of inpatients with diabetes. This role requires advanced clinical knowledge and decision-making skills to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate care for individuals with complex needs related to diabetes in the hospital setting. Acting as a central figure in the inpatient diabetes care pathway, the DISN ensures that patients receive evidence-based, safe, and effective treatment throughout their hospital stay.
Working in close collaboration with consultants, medical staff, diabetes specialist teams, and wider multidisciplinary and primary care teams, the DISN plays a pivotal role in promoting a seamless and holistic approach to diabetes management. The nurse leads on developing and embedding inpatient diabetes care pathways to ensure consistency of care and safe transitions between acute and community settings. A key element of the role is the empowerment of patients through tailored education to promote self-management, particularly in preparation for discharge.
Education and staff development are fundamental to the DISNs responsibilities. The post holder proactively establishes and delivers ongoing diabetes training for ward-based teams across disciplines and seniority levels. By doing so, the DISN enhances the overall competence and confidence of hospital staff in managing diabetes, ultimately improving patient outcomes.
In addition to clinical and educational duties, the DISN contributes to the ongoing development of the service through participation in clinical audit, quality improvement initiatives, and representation of the Trust in external acute diabetes forums. The role demands a dynamic, compassionate, and forward-thinking approach, with the flexibility to manage an independent workload while remaining responsive to the needs of the clinical environment.
Overall, the DISN serves as a clinical leader and resource within the hospital, championing best practices in diabetes care and ensuring that patients receive high-quality, person-centered support throughout their inpatient journey.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NMC Adult Registered Nurse
- Diabetes qualification (graduate or post graduate level) supplemented by specialist training, experience and short courses
- Recognised prescribing qualification or willingness to undertake
- Relevant post registration qualification
Knowledge
Essential
- Advanced clinical, managerial and leadership skills in diabetes
- Advanced knowledge of management of type 2&1 diabetes; carbohydrate counting; insulin dose adjustment
- Proven listening / counselling skills with the ability to manage complex situations and appropriately deliver sensitive and difficult outcomes
- Extensive experience of working autonomously at an advanced level within the specialist area delivering effective patient focused care
Experience
Essential
- Recent Diabetes care experience at band 6/7 or above
- Proven experience of intensive type 2&1 diabetes management
- Ability to work independently and as part of the diabetes team
Skills
Essential
- Ability to care for patients with complex Diabetes Mellitus management
- Intensive type 2&1 diabetes management
Desirable
- Conversant with carbohydrate counting (desirable)
- Ability to care for patients on DKA, HSSA, VRII and regular insulin management
- Experience of Diabetes Management
Experience and qualification
Essential
- Experience and qualification
Desirable
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NMC Adult Registered Nurse
- Diabetes qualification (graduate or post graduate level) supplemented by specialist training, experience and short courses
- Recognised prescribing qualification or willingness to undertake
- Relevant post registration qualification
Knowledge
Essential
- Advanced clinical, managerial and leadership skills in diabetes
- Advanced knowledge of management of type 2&1 diabetes; carbohydrate counting; insulin dose adjustment
- Proven listening / counselling skills with the ability to manage complex situations and appropriately deliver sensitive and difficult outcomes
- Extensive experience of working autonomously at an advanced level within the specialist area delivering effective patient focused care
Experience
Essential
- Recent Diabetes care experience at band 6/7 or above
- Proven experience of intensive type 2&1 diabetes management
- Ability to work independently and as part of the diabetes team
Skills
Essential
- Ability to care for patients with complex Diabetes Mellitus management
- Intensive type 2&1 diabetes management
Desirable
- Conversant with carbohydrate counting (desirable)
- Ability to care for patients on DKA, HSSA, VRII and regular insulin management
- Experience of Diabetes Management
Experience and qualification
Essential
- Experience and qualification
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).
