Clinical Nurse Specialist - Hydrocephalus
This job is now closed
Job summary
Expected Shortlisting Date
21/02/2025
Planned Interview Date
10/03/2025
An exciting opportunity has arisen in the Leeds Hydrocephalus Service for a part time (15hrs per week) Band 7 Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS). We are looking for an innovative, enthusiastic and dedicated CNS to provide highly specialised care to our patients. Experience in Neurosurgery with at least 3 years experience at Band 6 level is required for this role, and to support the nursing and medical teams.
Main duties of the job
The Hydrocephalus Service in Leeds provides acute and elective care and this role helps facilitate the smooth running of the LTHT Shunt Care Pathway. The role involves assessing patients and making clinical decisions on care (within your clinical knowledge, competence and Trust guidelines), as well as making specialist clinical decisions and working autonomously. You will work collaboratively with the wider MDT team, referring patients to other services where appropriate.
About us
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is one of the largest providers of specialist hospital services in the country, covering over 100 specialities, many of which are delivered across the region. The Centre for Neurosciences (CfN) CSU delivers regional tertiary services across 7 specialities namely: spinal surgery, neurosurgery, neurology, neurorehabilitation, neurophysiology, chronic pain and stroke. It brings together expertise across the full range of neurological, spinal and neurosurgical conditions, as well as bringing cutting edge research to the bedside for the benefit of our patients.
The Hydrocephalus CNS works within the Neurosurgery Service.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk' members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any questions.
Details
Date posted
29 January 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 7
Salary
£46,148 to £52,809 a year
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Part-time
Reference number
C9298-NEU-114
Job locations
St. James's University Hospital
Beckett Street
Leeds
LS9 7TF
Job description
Job responsibilities
THE LEEDS TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUST
Job Title: Nurse Specialist (Hydrocephalus Adults)
Reports To: Matron
Accountable To: Matron
Band: 7
Unit/Department: Neurosciences Clinical Services Unit
Location: Leeds General Infirmary
JOB PURPOSE
The Jobholder will carry continuing responsibility for a defined caseload, including the setting of standards of care, the assessment of care needs and the development, implementation and evaluation of programmes of care. The jobholder will provide advanced nursing expertise to a specific patient group and will contribute to the development of the speciality service as well as contributing to the strategic direction of nursing within the Trust. The jobholder will ensure cost effective use of resources.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
Qualifications
Registered Nurse (Level 1)
Recognised teaching/assessing qualification
First level Degree Education
Post registration qualification in speciality field.
Post registration study at masters level in specialist field or equivalent experience. (Desirable)
Extended/Supplementary Prescribing (Desirable)
Experience
At least 3 years experience at Sister/Charge Nurse level or equivalent within relevant specialty during which the following experience will have being gained:
Clinical audit, research and standard setting
Service development and or change management (desirable)
Skills
Communication skills
Leadership skills
Teaching
Recruitment and Selection
IT skills
Plan specialist nursing provision, including education and training
Knowledge
Highly developed specialist knowledge, underpinned by theory and experience
Current issues in healthcare
Standards of professional practice
Personal Attributes
Excellent interpersonal skills
Innovator
Motivator
Assertiveness
Flexibility, adaptable, capable of lateral thinking
Politically aware
CORE VALUES
Commitment to delivering high quality evidence based care
Commitment to working in a multi-disciplinary team
Commitment to the specialty area, valuing the contribution of all team members, encouraging a positive and creative working environment
Commitment to own personal and professional development and to the development of others within the team.
CORE BEHAVIOURS AND SKILLS
Communication skills
Teaching and assessment skills
Organisational skills
Time management skills
Change management skills
Understanding of research based practice research conscious
Team player
Conflict management
Managing stress
Uses initiative to resolve issues within their own control
Ability to act professionally at all times
CORE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
Understanding of the local and national nursing agenda
Understanding of relevant National Service Frameworks (if appropriate)
Awareness of Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust guidelines and policies
Understanding of organisational structures
PRINCIPLE DUTIES AND AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
Acts in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Code of Conduct
Clinical
Clinical care delivery
To ensure continuity of a high standard of evidence based nursing care, assessing health, health related and nursing needs of patients, their families and other carers by identifying and initiating appropriate steps for effective care. This can include:
Managing a patient caseload
Ordering diagnostic tests e.g. CT Scans and X-Rays.
Making and receiving referrals
Admitting and discharging patients on the shunt pathway within agreed protocols
Running nurse led clinics
Re-programming of shunts as appropriate
To accept responsibility for own patient caseload, ensuring all patients have an accurate plan of care, which reflects the assessment undertaken and incorporates the issues and recommendations made ensuring clear documentation in the patients records and hand held records
To attend and play a lead role in neurosurgical ward rounds. Participating in information gathering and decision making process.
To be actively involved in in-patient care, liaising with ward staff to ensure high quality nursing care
To liaise at least weekly with lead Hydrocephalus Consultant to discuss problems, feedback and facilitate solutions.
To attend out-patients, ensuring nurse consultation with all newly diagnosed patients
To follow-up patients as appropriate and ensure all relevant information is available to enable patients to make an informed choice about their treatment
To attend and co-ordinate MDT meetings if appropriate to the role ensuring all patients are represented
To deliver a seamless service through the development of enhanced Multidisciplinary team (MDT) processes and communication
To participate in the identification and development of clinical protocols and strategies to enhance both the continuity and standard of specialist care, both pre and post treatment, whilst ensuring equity of access to the service
To participate in the process of operational policies review annually in accordance with national standards
To ensure all care is given in accordance with agreed protocols.
To liaise with the discharge coordinator regarding potential discharge problems and ward staff to ensure appropriate and timely discharge/follow-up arrangement in place for patients. I
To make direct referrals where relevant to neurologists/ neuropsychologists for specific patient advice and information.
To identify real or potential problems through contact with patients/relatives/pre-assessment team and flag these to appropriate Consultant.
To participate in the running of hydrocephalus clinics
To liaise with local community, social services, paramedics and voluntary organisations in order to develop existing services for clients, carers and health professional
To actively involve service users in providing feedback of their experience of the current service and suggestions for improvements.
To participate in the development of appropriate patient group directives to facilitate/enhance the discharge process
- Provide a clinical lead and role model to other nursing staff by delivering high quality care as an expert practitioner
- Undertake clinical procedures where dexterity and accuracy are required.
- Maintain a safe working environment
Responsibilities for patient and client care
- Assesses, develops and implement specialist nursing care programmes and evaluate care and treatments using advanced clinical knowledge and clinical skills
- Plan specialist nursing service provision organising and managing own workload.
- Provides specialised advice contributing to the diagnosis and care of patients.
- freedom to act
- Makes clinical assessments and treatment decisions within clearly defined policies and protocols
- Refer patients as appropriate to other members of the multi-disciplinary team
- When required exercises significant clinical discretion and judgement within broadly defined clinical parameters and policies.
Communication
- Maintains accurate clinical and other records using the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trusts documentation
- Support patients and their families communicating very sensitive, complex condition related information, ensuring they receive required information to enable them to participate on their care delivery
- Liaise with Community Services (as appropriate) to ensure seamless provision of care delivery
Education and Training
- Plans, provides and facilitates specialist training and education of learners and other junior staff within own speciality area
- Provides specialist training and education at post-graduate level within the University settings as agreed with Matron.
- Actively participate in the development of own personal development plan and performance review.
- Participate in national, regional and local conferences as agreed with Matron.
- Provide education and training to patients and their carers.
- Keep up to date with developments, advances within the specialty
Leadership and management
- Provide leadership to the clinical team working with Matron, develop new roles/ways of working
- Investigate and respond to accidents, complaints, untoward incidents and other significant events
- Maintains record of workload and performance monitoring information for own practice and reviews this on a regular basis with Matron.
- Work with Matron to promote the development of nurses undertaking the CNO Ten Key Roles as considered appropriate
- Exercises a personal duty of care in relation to equipment, resource and stock control ordering and utilising equipment and supplies appropriately.
- Work with Matron to lead the development of nursing practice, reflecting the CMT and Nursing Directorate business plans
- Set, monitor and seek to continuously improve standards and the quality of patient care, including those standards defined in the National Benchmarks for Essential Care
- Promote evidence based practice, wherever possible
- Propose, develop and implement policy, protocols and practice guidelines specific to the clinical specialty.
- Contributes to the development of specialist protocols for specialist area.
- Proposes policy and service change and leads the development of the same within and beyond own specialist area.
- Engage users and carers views on service delivery and development.
Research and Audit
- Contribute to the research agenda. Participate in clinical trials as appropriate
- Undertake nursing research and lead audit programmes specific to client group, treatments and developments.
- Participate in clinical trials as appropriate.
Job description
Job responsibilities
THE LEEDS TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUST
Job Title: Nurse Specialist (Hydrocephalus Adults)
Reports To: Matron
Accountable To: Matron
Band: 7
Unit/Department: Neurosciences Clinical Services Unit
Location: Leeds General Infirmary
JOB PURPOSE
The Jobholder will carry continuing responsibility for a defined caseload, including the setting of standards of care, the assessment of care needs and the development, implementation and evaluation of programmes of care. The jobholder will provide advanced nursing expertise to a specific patient group and will contribute to the development of the speciality service as well as contributing to the strategic direction of nursing within the Trust. The jobholder will ensure cost effective use of resources.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
Qualifications
Registered Nurse (Level 1)
Recognised teaching/assessing qualification
First level Degree Education
Post registration qualification in speciality field.
Post registration study at masters level in specialist field or equivalent experience. (Desirable)
Extended/Supplementary Prescribing (Desirable)
Experience
At least 3 years experience at Sister/Charge Nurse level or equivalent within relevant specialty during which the following experience will have being gained:
Clinical audit, research and standard setting
Service development and or change management (desirable)
Skills
Communication skills
Leadership skills
Teaching
Recruitment and Selection
IT skills
Plan specialist nursing provision, including education and training
Knowledge
Highly developed specialist knowledge, underpinned by theory and experience
Current issues in healthcare
Standards of professional practice
Personal Attributes
Excellent interpersonal skills
Innovator
Motivator
Assertiveness
Flexibility, adaptable, capable of lateral thinking
Politically aware
CORE VALUES
Commitment to delivering high quality evidence based care
Commitment to working in a multi-disciplinary team
Commitment to the specialty area, valuing the contribution of all team members, encouraging a positive and creative working environment
Commitment to own personal and professional development and to the development of others within the team.
CORE BEHAVIOURS AND SKILLS
Communication skills
Teaching and assessment skills
Organisational skills
Time management skills
Change management skills
Understanding of research based practice research conscious
Team player
Conflict management
Managing stress
Uses initiative to resolve issues within their own control
Ability to act professionally at all times
CORE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
Understanding of the local and national nursing agenda
Understanding of relevant National Service Frameworks (if appropriate)
Awareness of Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust guidelines and policies
Understanding of organisational structures
PRINCIPLE DUTIES AND AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
Acts in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Code of Conduct
Clinical
Clinical care delivery
To ensure continuity of a high standard of evidence based nursing care, assessing health, health related and nursing needs of patients, their families and other carers by identifying and initiating appropriate steps for effective care. This can include:
Managing a patient caseload
Ordering diagnostic tests e.g. CT Scans and X-Rays.
Making and receiving referrals
Admitting and discharging patients on the shunt pathway within agreed protocols
Running nurse led clinics
Re-programming of shunts as appropriate
To accept responsibility for own patient caseload, ensuring all patients have an accurate plan of care, which reflects the assessment undertaken and incorporates the issues and recommendations made ensuring clear documentation in the patients records and hand held records
To attend and play a lead role in neurosurgical ward rounds. Participating in information gathering and decision making process.
To be actively involved in in-patient care, liaising with ward staff to ensure high quality nursing care
To liaise at least weekly with lead Hydrocephalus Consultant to discuss problems, feedback and facilitate solutions.
To attend out-patients, ensuring nurse consultation with all newly diagnosed patients
To follow-up patients as appropriate and ensure all relevant information is available to enable patients to make an informed choice about their treatment
To attend and co-ordinate MDT meetings if appropriate to the role ensuring all patients are represented
To deliver a seamless service through the development of enhanced Multidisciplinary team (MDT) processes and communication
To participate in the identification and development of clinical protocols and strategies to enhance both the continuity and standard of specialist care, both pre and post treatment, whilst ensuring equity of access to the service
To participate in the process of operational policies review annually in accordance with national standards
To ensure all care is given in accordance with agreed protocols.
To liaise with the discharge coordinator regarding potential discharge problems and ward staff to ensure appropriate and timely discharge/follow-up arrangement in place for patients. I
To make direct referrals where relevant to neurologists/ neuropsychologists for specific patient advice and information.
To identify real or potential problems through contact with patients/relatives/pre-assessment team and flag these to appropriate Consultant.
To participate in the running of hydrocephalus clinics
To liaise with local community, social services, paramedics and voluntary organisations in order to develop existing services for clients, carers and health professional
To actively involve service users in providing feedback of their experience of the current service and suggestions for improvements.
To participate in the development of appropriate patient group directives to facilitate/enhance the discharge process
- Provide a clinical lead and role model to other nursing staff by delivering high quality care as an expert practitioner
- Undertake clinical procedures where dexterity and accuracy are required.
- Maintain a safe working environment
Responsibilities for patient and client care
- Assesses, develops and implement specialist nursing care programmes and evaluate care and treatments using advanced clinical knowledge and clinical skills
- Plan specialist nursing service provision organising and managing own workload.
- Provides specialised advice contributing to the diagnosis and care of patients.
- freedom to act
- Makes clinical assessments and treatment decisions within clearly defined policies and protocols
- Refer patients as appropriate to other members of the multi-disciplinary team
- When required exercises significant clinical discretion and judgement within broadly defined clinical parameters and policies.
Communication
- Maintains accurate clinical and other records using the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trusts documentation
- Support patients and their families communicating very sensitive, complex condition related information, ensuring they receive required information to enable them to participate on their care delivery
- Liaise with Community Services (as appropriate) to ensure seamless provision of care delivery
Education and Training
- Plans, provides and facilitates specialist training and education of learners and other junior staff within own speciality area
- Provides specialist training and education at post-graduate level within the University settings as agreed with Matron.
- Actively participate in the development of own personal development plan and performance review.
- Participate in national, regional and local conferences as agreed with Matron.
- Provide education and training to patients and their carers.
- Keep up to date with developments, advances within the specialty
Leadership and management
- Provide leadership to the clinical team working with Matron, develop new roles/ways of working
- Investigate and respond to accidents, complaints, untoward incidents and other significant events
- Maintains record of workload and performance monitoring information for own practice and reviews this on a regular basis with Matron.
- Work with Matron to promote the development of nurses undertaking the CNO Ten Key Roles as considered appropriate
- Exercises a personal duty of care in relation to equipment, resource and stock control ordering and utilising equipment and supplies appropriately.
- Work with Matron to lead the development of nursing practice, reflecting the CMT and Nursing Directorate business plans
- Set, monitor and seek to continuously improve standards and the quality of patient care, including those standards defined in the National Benchmarks for Essential Care
- Promote evidence based practice, wherever possible
- Propose, develop and implement policy, protocols and practice guidelines specific to the clinical specialty.
- Contributes to the development of specialist protocols for specialist area.
- Proposes policy and service change and leads the development of the same within and beyond own specialist area.
- Engage users and carers views on service delivery and development.
Research and Audit
- Contribute to the research agenda. Participate in clinical trials as appropriate
- Undertake nursing research and lead audit programmes specific to client group, treatments and developments.
- Participate in clinical trials as appropriate.
Person Specification
Skills & behaviours
Essential
- Willing to undergo training as necessary
- Excellent written and verbal skills
- Ability to organise and prioritise own and others workload
- Capable of lateral thinking
Desirable
- Advanced IT skills
Experience
Essential
- At least 3 years post registration experience at Sister/Charge Nurse level or equivalent within speciality
- Audit & Standard setting
- Managing human and material resources
Desirable
- Service development and/or change management
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Able to fulfil Occupational Health requirements for the post.
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Nurse (Level 1)
- Post registration qualification in specialty
- First Level Degree Education
- Recognised teaching/assessing qualification
- Evidence of continued professional development
Desirable
- Masters Level Degree Education
- Medical prescribing qualification
Person Specification
Skills & behaviours
Essential
- Willing to undergo training as necessary
- Excellent written and verbal skills
- Ability to organise and prioritise own and others workload
- Capable of lateral thinking
Desirable
- Advanced IT skills
Experience
Essential
- At least 3 years post registration experience at Sister/Charge Nurse level or equivalent within speciality
- Audit & Standard setting
- Managing human and material resources
Desirable
- Service development and/or change management
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Able to fulfil Occupational Health requirements for the post.
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Nurse (Level 1)
- Post registration qualification in specialty
- First Level Degree Education
- Recognised teaching/assessing qualification
- Evidence of continued professional development
Desirable
- Masters Level Degree Education
- Medical prescribing qualification
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
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).
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
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).
Employer details
Employer name
Leeds Teaching Hospitals
Address
St. James's University Hospital
Beckett Street
Leeds
LS9 7TF
Employer's website
https://www.leedsth.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
Employer details
Employer name
Leeds Teaching Hospitals
Address
St. James's University Hospital
Beckett Street
Leeds
LS9 7TF
Employer's website
https://www.leedsth.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Details
Date posted
29 January 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 7
Salary
£46,148 to £52,809 a year
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Part-time
Reference number
C9298-NEU-114
Job locations
St. James's University Hospital
Beckett Street
Leeds
LS9 7TF
Supporting documents
Privacy notice
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