Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust

Heart Failure Nurse Specialist

The closing date is 18 August 2025

Job summary

This role is offered on a fixed term/secondment basis for 12 months. The hours are part-time, 22.5 hours per week.

Internal applicants who wish to be considered for a secondment opportunity should discuss with their line manager the suitability of apossible secondment.

A challenging and rewarding opportunity has arisen within the Gloucestershire Community Heart Failure team

You will work as part of our countywide team, liaising with cardiology and medical teams within the Acute and Community Hospitals and working closely with GPs. We are looking for a highly motivated, enthusiastic nurse with a minimum 2 years recent cardiac experience and ability to demonstrate a knowledge of heart failure management, to complement our dynamic team. Knowledge of Primary Care working is desirable. You will need to be able to work independently and have excellent communication skills.

You will be supported in this role by the Clinical Nurse Specialists and GPs with a Specialist Interest in Heart Failure. Regular case review and peer reviews are provided to support your practice and development in the role.

You will be required to manage a varied community based caseload of patients with heart failure, using evidence based management strategies to seek the best outcomes to improve morbidity, mortality and quality of life and to provide palliative support to the deteriorating patient.

Main duties of the job

The role incorporates clinical assessment, titration of medications, education and support and rehabilitation to patients and carers. In line with GHC practice the service uses electronic patient records and Information Technology skills are essential. Your role will involve seeing patients in Community hospitals, at home and in clinic.

Be responsible for the management of patients with all grades of heart failure.

To work within an existing team of nurses but will carry their own caseload.

The role incorporates the education, support and treatment of patients and carers. The role involves teaching multi-disciplinary professionals in the management of heart failure.

Act as an expert resource on issues relating to heart failure.

Clinical audit.

Teaching

Triage / support diagnostic pathway

Provide heart failure rehabilitation

Flexibility to adapt role during Covid-19 pandemic as per trust guidance

About us

We have a skilled and dedicated workforce of over 5000 colleagues working in a diverse range of services over 55 sites and within people's homes. We strive to enable a welcoming workplace culture that builds and celebrates civility, inclusivity and diversity, while providing a sense of belonging and trust.

Annual staff surveys, regular Pulse surveys and other engagement opportunities provide our people with lots of opportunity to tell us about their experiences of working with us. In the latest staff survey, 61% of colleagues gave us their views. It was great to hear that:

72% of colleagues would recommend the Trust as a place to work, ranking us 1st for Provider Trusts in the South West region on this question.
76% would recommend the standard of care provided in our services if a friend or relative needed treatment, also ranking us 1st in the South West region.
81% said that care of patients and service users is the Trust's priority, compared with an average in comparable NHS Trusts in England of 64%.

This high-level overview shows we are in a healthy position, with higher scores than average for comparable organisations, alongside a great response rate, indicating good staff engagement. However, we also know we have plenty of room for improvement in many areas. To that end, we continue to prioritise and invest in our commitment to genuinely becoming a Great Place to Work with consistent top-quartile performance in the annual staff survey and Pulse surveys.

Date posted

04 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year per annum (pro rata)

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

327-25-654

Job locations

Southgate Moorings (countywide)

2 Kimbrose Way

Gloucester

GL1 2DB

Job description

Job responsibilities

The Heart Failure Service manages patients with all grades of heart failure and the role requires an experienced qualified nurse to deliver effective management of this group of patients.

The Heart Failure Specialist Nursing team manage patients following discharge from hospital for unplanned admissions with heart failure, patients newly diagnosed with heart failure in the community, and patients with complex heart failure who are experiencing worsening symptoms requiring specialist management.

This is a countywide service bridging the primary / secondary care interface.

Be responsible for the management of patients with all grades of heart failure.

To work within an existing team of nurses but will carry their own caseload.

The role incorporates the education, support and treatment of patients and carers. The role involves teaching multi-disciplinary professionals in the management of heart failure.

Act as an expert resource on issues relating to heart failure.

Clinical audit.

Teaching

Triage / support diagnostic pathway

Provide heart failure rehabilitation

Flexibility to adapt role during Covid-19 pandemic as per trust guidance

LEADER:

Support the wider MDT to ensure that the care and management of heart failure are in line with NICE and ESC guidelines.

Develop efficient and effective working communication and liaison with the multi-disciplinary team in primary care using specialist skills to assess the condition of heart failure patients in order to titrate drug therapy and optimise care.

Support GPs in stabilising the condition of heart failure patients by offering advice, taking a leading role in the titration of drug therapy and the creation of self-management plans.

Act as an intermediary between GPs and specialist tGPSIs, Consultant Cardiologists and Specialist Palliative Care.

Act as a role model demonstrating high standards of care and providing clinical leadership to advance the practice and education of nurses and health care professionals within primary and secondary care.

Develop good working relationships with other nurses and the multi-disciplinary team in the continuation of an innovative service.

Ensure the patient remains the focus of all activity and that high clinical standards are developed and maintained.

CLINICIAN:

Work closely within Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Trust in developing the Heart Failure Service within the community setting.

Establish and lead in nurse led clinics, home visiting patients and advising patients and carers.

Act as an expert resource in heart failure to patient, carers, General Practitioners and other members of the multi-disciplinary team.

Effectively manage a defined case load of patients using advanced nursing skills to assess the physical and psycho-social needs of patients providing expert clinical advice to patients and carers.

Undertake extended clinical skills using locally agreed protocols and guidelines based on international evidence (Extended clinical skills will include taking a medical history specific to heart failure, assessment of breathlessness and oedema; taking appropriate action to help avoid decompensation).

Work autonomously within scope of practice to deliver:

o Clinical assessment

o Drug titration and prescribing

Utililse clinical knowledge and advanced skills to assess, diagnose, plan, implement and initiate changes where required. This will include monitoring and evaluating the response to treatment through analysis and interpretation of clinical tests and investigations

Initiate drug therapy/ medications within the parameters of agreed guidelines and in accordance with prescribing legislation

Monitor and evaluate clinical outcomes using a patient-centred approach, involving the patient and their carers wherever possible

Manage caseload, ensuring that those in greatest need receive the higher priority

Be responsible for maintaining competence and developing professional knowledge and innovative practice including contributing to the governance of the Heart Failure Team.

TEACHER:

Address the health education needs of patients and carers providing support, information and advice on all aspects of the condition, specifically medication, diet, exercise, weight monitoring and resuming daily activities after an acute episode.

Provide support to patients and carers via a telephone helpline.

Provide support, information, education and training to meet the needs of the multi-disciplinary professionals and act as an expert resource.

Provide clinical teaching and support to more junior members of the Heart Failure Team

Participate in continuing education programmes towards the on-going management of heart failure patients.

Use educational support material to reinforce information given to patients and carers as a hand-held record.

Contribute to a regional and national network of professional contacts.

Participate in local, countywide and national training days.

Assist in the work of educational establishments to set up suitable training courses to promote a greater understanding of heart failure.

RESEARCHER:

To participate in continuous audit, review and evaluation of the service.

To ensure that practice is based on contemporary evidence.

To promote and disseminate current research and audit findings and provide continuous patient data entry ultimately via the Heart Failure Service audit platform.

To contribute to the development of standards, protocols and clinical policies for the Heart Failure Service.

Implement research findings and monitor patients satisfaction with the service.

Work collaboratively with all stakeholders to develop pathways for patients with heart failure

This role is not eligible for sponsorship as per the Governments UK VISA and Immigration Rules and Regulations. For more information please visit

https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas