Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 7 COPD Nurse Specialist within the Community COPD Rapid Response service, Oxygen service and COPD diagnostic hub within the Community who deliver care across primary and secondary care to cover maternity leave on a 12 months fixed term or secondment opportunity , the post holder will provide hospital at home and early supported discharge for patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COPD.
We are seeking enthusiastic and motivated individuals, with a passion for providing 5-star patient care to join our team.
Respiratory experience is essential, and applicants must be committed to continued professional develop and non-medical prescribing qualification.
To apply you should have:-
- Significant post registration experience
- Ability to be flexible
- Good communication skills
- Car owner with access to vehicle for work use is essential.
If you wish to apply for a secondment you must have the agreement of line manager to support secondment prior to applying.
Interview Date - 26th August 2025
Main duties of the job
The post holder(s) will be expected to deliver care to the highest standard and the ability to work as part of a team, joining an outgoing and experienced team that work together to provide Respiratory support to patients with a wide range of respiratory disease across primary and a secondary care.
The post holder(s) must have a flexible and positive approach to delivering care to our patients, excellent communication skills and established IT skills.
The post holder will work as part of an integrated Community team specialising in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease (COPD) working autonomously across primary and secondary care with specialised respiratory knowledge, clinical skills and diagnostic testing to prevent hospital admission. Reduce length of stay for patient with an exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease (COPD) and registered with St Helens GP.
The Post holder will also demonstrate specialised knowledge and skill working autonomously during the delivery of nurse led oxygen clinics and the community COPD diagnostic Hub.
About us
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 9000 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.
We strongly believe that the communities we serve should all have access to Five Star Patient Care.
Our services:
Acute Care
Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.
Primary Care
Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.
Community Services
Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation, freeing up space for more unwell patients. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.
Specialist Regional Services
We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.
Achievements:
- Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
- Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
- National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme
Job description
Job responsibilities
CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- To assist the Lead Nurse to meet the commissioned targets whilst ensuring optimum care for patient.
- To be aware and adhere to NMC guidelines for the Administration of Medicines Act 1992 and misuse of Drugs Act 1991.
- Adhere to lone working policy & carry lone working devices each shift to maintain safety, activating the device each day to ensure satellite recording of staff location in line with trust policy.
- To work within trust guidelines and national guidance education, use and distribution of drugs under patient group directives within the service, attending education and use of patient group directives.
- Attend national training programme to obtain qualifications and practice as a non-medical prescriber, adhering to national and local policies.
- To observe the provisions of and adhere to all Trust policies and procedures and standard operating procedures.
- To be aware of the confidential aspects of the post. Breaches of confidentiality will result in disciplinary action that may involve dismissal. The post holder should also be aware that, regardless of any action taken by the employing authority, breaches of confidentiality could result in civil action for damages.
- All employees must fully comply with the relevant sections of the Health and Safety at Work. They must also understand and implement St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Hospitals Trust Statement of Policy on Health and Safety at Work and the Trust corporate Health and Safety Policies and Procedures. You are required to follow all applicable rules and procedures relating to Health and Safety at Work and to take all responsible precautions to avoid actions.
- All staff will be treated with respect by management, colleagues, patients, and visitors and equally staff will treat management, colleagues, patients and visitors with the same level of respect. Staff will be supported to challenge any discriminatory behaviour that may be based on differences in race, disability, language, culture, religion, sexuality, age, and gender or employment status.
- St. Helens & Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust has a No Smoking Policy and smoking is not permitted in Trust buildings or vehicles.
- All employees are individually responsible for the prevention and control of infection within their own area. The employee must attend Infection Control Induction training and mandatory Infection control training. The employee must follow all, Trust policies, procedures and guidelines relating to Infection Control.
- To adhere to relevant Code of Practice of Professional body and Maintain Professional Registration and revalidate 3 yearly.
- The duties contained in this job description are not intended to be exhaustive. The tasks and responsibilities of this post are likely to evolve in line with the Trusts continued organisational development.
- The post holder must be flexible in the duties performed and it is expected that similar duties, not specifically listed above, will be carried out as required and may be cross site. Any such variation will be agreed in advance between the post holder and their manager as part of the continuing process of management review and development.
- Maintain Professional Registration
- Adhere to relevant Code of Practice of Professional body.
ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
- Ensure appropriate affective service delivery; maintain an accurate service database and filing systems; ensure that all activity is recorded accurately to support accurate reporting to CCG.
- Maintain, clear, concise. Legible and contemporaneous patient records always in line with Trust policy and The Standard for Recording Keeping (NMC April 20150
TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSBILITIES
- To act as a resource, providing education and training across primary and secondary care regarding the administration, delivery of oxygen and management of COPD for students and clinical staff.
- To raise awareness of respiratory issues by teaching and providing education across the organisation.
- Provide education and development for others within a multi-disciplinary framework.
- To facilitate and appropriate learning/practice environment for students across primary and secondary care, facilities education on the role of the COPD nurse within local universities.
- Demonstrate critical thinking and reflective skills to ensure own professional development in line with revalidation.
- Attend annual appraisal to identify and agree training and development needs as part of a Personal Development Plan.
- Attend all statutory/mandatory training sessions, identifying when training is required and discussing with line manager.
LINE MANAGEMENT/SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Coordinate service delivery in the absence of the Lead Nurse
- Assist in the evaluation of service delivery, identify areas of improvement and initiate changes.
- Ensure effective and efficient use of physical and financial resources within the service.
- To support the development of assistant practitioner and junior staff; supporting the line management and annual appraisal and to allocate assistant practitioners and junior staff works load each shift.
- Participate fully in Clinical Supervision sessions arranged by the Lead Nurse and Clinical Supervisor.
- Work collaboratively with the professional agencies to ensure patient needs are met and especially in relation to on-going care and informed discharge with self-management skills.
- Exercise judgement, discretion and decision making in clinical care.
- Support the Service Manager to evaluate and improve service provision. Identify areas of improvement, initiate, and embed change.
- Ensure effective and efficient use of physical and financial resources within the service.
- Monitor health, safety and security of self and others to promote best practice.
- Ensure effective delivery of multi-disciplinary weekly team meetings.
- Coordinate with the Trust Practice education facilitator (PEF) to ensure delivery of appropriate student mentorship; attend annual mentorship updates as per trust policy.
RESEARCH & AUDIT
- Continually monitor standards of care and participate in the improvement of care through benchmarking/audit/research.
- Promote patient and public involvement activities in specialist area leading to service improvement.
- Support the development and delivery of annual patient satisfaction survey to monitor patient satisfaction across the service.
- Evaluate service provisions by collecting audit information, reviewing outcomes to improve service outcomes.
Job description
Job responsibilities
CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- To assist the Lead Nurse to meet the commissioned targets whilst ensuring optimum care for patient.
- To be aware and adhere to NMC guidelines for the Administration of Medicines Act 1992 and misuse of Drugs Act 1991.
- Adhere to lone working policy & carry lone working devices each shift to maintain safety, activating the device each day to ensure satellite recording of staff location in line with trust policy.
- To work within trust guidelines and national guidance education, use and distribution of drugs under patient group directives within the service, attending education and use of patient group directives.
- Attend national training programme to obtain qualifications and practice as a non-medical prescriber, adhering to national and local policies.
- To observe the provisions of and adhere to all Trust policies and procedures and standard operating procedures.
- To be aware of the confidential aspects of the post. Breaches of confidentiality will result in disciplinary action that may involve dismissal. The post holder should also be aware that, regardless of any action taken by the employing authority, breaches of confidentiality could result in civil action for damages.
- All employees must fully comply with the relevant sections of the Health and Safety at Work. They must also understand and implement St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Hospitals Trust Statement of Policy on Health and Safety at Work and the Trust corporate Health and Safety Policies and Procedures. You are required to follow all applicable rules and procedures relating to Health and Safety at Work and to take all responsible precautions to avoid actions.
- All staff will be treated with respect by management, colleagues, patients, and visitors and equally staff will treat management, colleagues, patients and visitors with the same level of respect. Staff will be supported to challenge any discriminatory behaviour that may be based on differences in race, disability, language, culture, religion, sexuality, age, and gender or employment status.
- St. Helens & Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust has a No Smoking Policy and smoking is not permitted in Trust buildings or vehicles.
- All employees are individually responsible for the prevention and control of infection within their own area. The employee must attend Infection Control Induction training and mandatory Infection control training. The employee must follow all, Trust policies, procedures and guidelines relating to Infection Control.
- To adhere to relevant Code of Practice of Professional body and Maintain Professional Registration and revalidate 3 yearly.
- The duties contained in this job description are not intended to be exhaustive. The tasks and responsibilities of this post are likely to evolve in line with the Trusts continued organisational development.
- The post holder must be flexible in the duties performed and it is expected that similar duties, not specifically listed above, will be carried out as required and may be cross site. Any such variation will be agreed in advance between the post holder and their manager as part of the continuing process of management review and development.
- Maintain Professional Registration
- Adhere to relevant Code of Practice of Professional body.
ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
- Ensure appropriate affective service delivery; maintain an accurate service database and filing systems; ensure that all activity is recorded accurately to support accurate reporting to CCG.
- Maintain, clear, concise. Legible and contemporaneous patient records always in line with Trust policy and The Standard for Recording Keeping (NMC April 20150
TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSBILITIES
- To act as a resource, providing education and training across primary and secondary care regarding the administration, delivery of oxygen and management of COPD for students and clinical staff.
- To raise awareness of respiratory issues by teaching and providing education across the organisation.
- Provide education and development for others within a multi-disciplinary framework.
- To facilitate and appropriate learning/practice environment for students across primary and secondary care, facilities education on the role of the COPD nurse within local universities.
- Demonstrate critical thinking and reflective skills to ensure own professional development in line with revalidation.
- Attend annual appraisal to identify and agree training and development needs as part of a Personal Development Plan.
- Attend all statutory/mandatory training sessions, identifying when training is required and discussing with line manager.
LINE MANAGEMENT/SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Coordinate service delivery in the absence of the Lead Nurse
- Assist in the evaluation of service delivery, identify areas of improvement and initiate changes.
- Ensure effective and efficient use of physical and financial resources within the service.
- To support the development of assistant practitioner and junior staff; supporting the line management and annual appraisal and to allocate assistant practitioners and junior staff works load each shift.
- Participate fully in Clinical Supervision sessions arranged by the Lead Nurse and Clinical Supervisor.
- Work collaboratively with the professional agencies to ensure patient needs are met and especially in relation to on-going care and informed discharge with self-management skills.
- Exercise judgement, discretion and decision making in clinical care.
- Support the Service Manager to evaluate and improve service provision. Identify areas of improvement, initiate, and embed change.
- Ensure effective and efficient use of physical and financial resources within the service.
- Monitor health, safety and security of self and others to promote best practice.
- Ensure effective delivery of multi-disciplinary weekly team meetings.
- Coordinate with the Trust Practice education facilitator (PEF) to ensure delivery of appropriate student mentorship; attend annual mentorship updates as per trust policy.
RESEARCH & AUDIT
- Continually monitor standards of care and participate in the improvement of care through benchmarking/audit/research.
- Promote patient and public involvement activities in specialist area leading to service improvement.
- Support the development and delivery of annual patient satisfaction survey to monitor patient satisfaction across the service.
- Evaluate service provisions by collecting audit information, reviewing outcomes to improve service outcomes.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Nursing Degree
- Evidence of post registration courses in relevant specialist field
- Non-Medical prescriber qualification or working towards
Desirable
- Obtain qualification in clinical examination and diagnostics (master's level or working towards)
- Part B Home oxygen order ( HOOF) prescriber
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Substantial Post registration experience
- Ability to undertake capillary &arterial blood gases, interpret blood gas results
- Able to manage own caseload with complex sensitive information and needs
- Ability to prioritise workload and cope with emotive situations
- Ability to make decisions and act autonomously & as part of a team
- Knowledge and analytical skills in obtaining & interpreting and following up diagnostic tests including chest X-rays, spirometry, Echo cardiograms ECG and phlebotomy, sputum's, auto antibodies and blood gases etc. Calibration of complex blood gas analysers equipment for use with patients across primary care and use of analyser in secondary care
- Demonstrate specialist knowledge of current national guidelines in the management of oxygen and delivery of care appropriate to patient's needs.
- Experience of teaching and assessing students and qualified staff across primary and secondary care and act as a resource/ role model for COPD and Oxygen
- Knowledge and experience in service development & change management & management of junior staff and working across multi-disciplinary teams
- Experience in developing clinical pathways and protocols
Desirable
- Ability to interpret spirometry results
- Evidence of experience in research and Audit
Skills
Essential
- Ability to work autonomously
- Intermediate IT skills in word processing and spread sheets
- Knowledge and skill in history taking, clinical examination and diagnostics and differential diagnosis to support patient with an acute exacerbation across primary care to prevent hospital admission
- Development of individualised care plans for patients to optimise treatment and to prevent hospital admission; experience in identifying patient suitable for early supported discharge to maintain patient safety, developing robust care packages to prevent readmission
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to patient, carers, relatives in a variety of settings
- Evidence of dealing with conflict diplomatically and influencing/negotiation skills.
- Ability to critically appraise research to support the implementation of evidence-based guidelines
- Leadership skills to co- ordinate and prioritise service delivery; working flexibly to respond to service needs and unforeseen circumstances
- Ability to challenge poor practice
- Excellent communications skills to facilitate role as link nurse to allocated GP surgeries to identify patient suitable for review and optimisation.
Other
Essential
- The ability to travel independently across the Trust
- Access to own Car Owner/Assisted Driver
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Nursing Degree
- Evidence of post registration courses in relevant specialist field
- Non-Medical prescriber qualification or working towards
Desirable
- Obtain qualification in clinical examination and diagnostics (master's level or working towards)
- Part B Home oxygen order ( HOOF) prescriber
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Substantial Post registration experience
- Ability to undertake capillary &arterial blood gases, interpret blood gas results
- Able to manage own caseload with complex sensitive information and needs
- Ability to prioritise workload and cope with emotive situations
- Ability to make decisions and act autonomously & as part of a team
- Knowledge and analytical skills in obtaining & interpreting and following up diagnostic tests including chest X-rays, spirometry, Echo cardiograms ECG and phlebotomy, sputum's, auto antibodies and blood gases etc. Calibration of complex blood gas analysers equipment for use with patients across primary care and use of analyser in secondary care
- Demonstrate specialist knowledge of current national guidelines in the management of oxygen and delivery of care appropriate to patient's needs.
- Experience of teaching and assessing students and qualified staff across primary and secondary care and act as a resource/ role model for COPD and Oxygen
- Knowledge and experience in service development & change management & management of junior staff and working across multi-disciplinary teams
- Experience in developing clinical pathways and protocols
Desirable
- Ability to interpret spirometry results
- Evidence of experience in research and Audit
Skills
Essential
- Ability to work autonomously
- Intermediate IT skills in word processing and spread sheets
- Knowledge and skill in history taking, clinical examination and diagnostics and differential diagnosis to support patient with an acute exacerbation across primary care to prevent hospital admission
- Development of individualised care plans for patients to optimise treatment and to prevent hospital admission; experience in identifying patient suitable for early supported discharge to maintain patient safety, developing robust care packages to prevent readmission
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to patient, carers, relatives in a variety of settings
- Evidence of dealing with conflict diplomatically and influencing/negotiation skills.
- Ability to critically appraise research to support the implementation of evidence-based guidelines
- Leadership skills to co- ordinate and prioritise service delivery; working flexibly to respond to service needs and unforeseen circumstances
- Ability to challenge poor practice
- Excellent communications skills to facilitate role as link nurse to allocated GP surgeries to identify patient suitable for review and optimisation.
Other
Essential
- The ability to travel independently across the Trust
- Access to own Car Owner/Assisted Driver
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).
