Band 6 Specialist Palliative Care Nurse

• Deliver high-quality, person-centred specialist palliative care to patients and their families across West Cumberland Hospital.
• Work alongside Clinical Nurse Specialists, the Consultant in Palliative Medicine and the wider multidisciplinary team to provide specialist advice, assessment and support for patients with complex palliative care needs.
• Contribute to the assessment, management and review of patients, supporting effective symptom control, advance care planning and end-of-life care.
• Work collaboratively with hospital teams and community services to support safe, coordinated and timely care and discharge planning.
• Contribute to education, training and mentorship of colleagues within the hospital and wider multidisciplinary team.
• Maintain accurate clinical records and documentation in line with professional, clinical governance and organisational standards.

• Being a clinically led organisation
• Quality and safety at the heart of our Trust
• A positive patient experience every time
• A great place to work
• Managing our money well

Essential

• Registered Nurse (Level 1) with current professional registration.
• Evidence of sustained personal and professional development.
• Degree-level education or equivalent experience.
• Post-registration qualification or demonstrable specialist development in palliative care or a relevant field.

Desirable

• Post-registration qualification in palliative care, oncology, advanced communication or another relevant clinical speciality.
• Evidence of undertaking relevant specialist palliative care education or development.
• Evidence of ongoing professional development relevant to the role.

Essential

• Demonstrable specialist knowledge of palliative and end-of-life care.
• Experience assessing and managing patients with complex palliative care needs.
• Knowledge of clinical governance, quality improvement and evidence-based practice
• Understanding of multidisciplinary and cross-organisational working
• Ability to apply evidence and professional guidance to practice.
• Experience supporting education, supervision or development of colleagues

Desirable

• Experience of working within a specialist palliative care service.
• Experience of caring for patients with complex palliative and end-of-life care needs.
• Experience of supporting patients and families with advance care planning and complex decision-making.
• Experience of working across organisational boundaries, including acute, community, primary care or hospice settings.
• Experience of supporting or delivering education to other healthcare professionals.
• Experience of participating in clinical audit, service improvement or research.
• Knowledge of current developments and national guidance relating to palliative and end-of-life care.
• Knowledge of advance care planning, treatment escalation planning and end-of-life care
• Knowledge of symptom management and the principles of palliative prescribing.
• Awareness of the wider health and social care system and the role of different services in supporting patients with palliative care needs

Essential

• Highly developed verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to communicate sensitively in difficult and emotionally challenging situations.
• Ability to work autonomously and prioritise competing demands.
• Sound clinical judgement and recognition of professional limitations.
• Ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to contribute to audit, quality improvement and service development.
• Competent IT and electronic record-keeping skills.

Desirable

• Experience or competence in non-medical prescribing.
• Advanced communication skills, including experience of facilitating difficult or complex conversations.
• Experience of using electronic patient record systems and clinical information systems.
• Ability to contribute to quality improvement and service development.

Essential

• Flexible and adaptable to changing service needs
• Self-motivated, compassionate and approachable.
• Able to work effectively in unpredictable and emotionally demanding situations.
• Able to demonstrate tact, diplomacy and professional resilience.

Essential

• Satisfactory occupational health screening.
• Current driving licence and ability to travel between service locations where required.
• Ability and willingness to work across both hospital sites and provide support to community services where required.
• Ability to travel between service locations as required by the needs of the role.