End of Life Specialist CNS (Hospital Specialist Palliative Care Team)
Job overview
The inpatient hospital team of the Supportive and Palliative Care Service at University Hospitals Plymouth are looking for a Band 6 CNS to join the team, on a substantive basis. The post will primarily support activity based in the main hospital, within the acute bed base, supporting the management and care of patients and families at end of life.You will bring an established skillset in palliation and symptom control, along with a passion to improve outcomes for those at, or nearing end of life within the acute setting. The role is based with the inpatient hospital team, however the post holder may be required to support the Emergency Department End of Life team, or community hospital End of Life beds.
Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS at Risk staff throughout Devon who is able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will advise and be the point of expert contact regarding palliation of symptoms in the last phase of life, working closely with clinical areas/wards across the Trust. Focussing on the provision of holistic care (delivering/co-delivering/facilitating others practice), the post holder will support ‘better deaths’ through enhanced communication with patients/families, and advice regarding symptom control; at times there may be the need to provide hands on care to support patients or when joint working with nursing colleagues/the MDT.
The post holder will work closely with internal teams (Wards, AGP, Virtual Ward, MRU, wider Supportive and Palliative Care Teams) in addition to external stakeholder organisations (e.g. St Lukes, Livewell Southwest, Marie Curie).
UHP is a busy acute Trust; the post holder will often be required to work ‘at pace’, independently prioritising and reprioritising allocated work throughout the day (and supporting others in the team to do so).
Whilst the role is based in the Hospital Specialist Palliative Care Team, there would be an expectation for the post holder to work across all elements of the UHP Supportive and Palliative Care Service; this would include travel off-site (to community Trust bedded locations, as example) as requested.
Working for our organisation
We are a people business – where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care.The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY.
If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment team on 01752 432100. We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles.
Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams.
It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Provide specialist advice and support to colleagues within the Trust (and to external agencies, if required) in relation to EoL care within the Trust
Contributes toward care planning, and where appropriate, leads care planning in relation to symptom control, holistic support and pathways relating to preferred place of care/death
Visits areas/departments within the Trust, including ED and ‘hot floors’, in order to proactively identify and support EoL patients
Capable of working ‘at pace’ in often busy and challenged working environments, prioritising own workload/demands, based on patient priority and service needs; including the support of others in the team, with these aims in mind.
Proactively facilitates timely discharge of those in the last phase of life to alternative locations of care (where an acute bed is not wanted/needed)
Communicates sensitively with patients and carers/families viable options, taking into account overall healthcare picture in relation to system resources
Assists, senior colleagues in service improvement and pathway design
Supervises internal and external partner team colleagues, where appropriate
Actively communicates, fostering a relationship of mutual respect and joint working, with external and internal agencies in pursuit of outstanding patient care and choice
Person specification
Knowledge, experience & qualifications
Essential criteria- Demonstrable experience in the provision of specialist advice/support regarding palliation and symptom control relating to the last phase of life
- Specialist proven knowledge obtained through formal end of life education, underpinned by work based experience
- Registered Nurse (NMC/appropriate UK registration)
- Proven evidence of Level 7 learning
- Demonstrable experience in a role where the post holder is a recognised, credible ‘expert’
- Demonstrable experience of facilitating positive patient outcomes in pressured healthcare environment
Key to role
Essential criteria- The ability to work frequently over a 7 day rota
- Advanced communication skills qualification
PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY INCLUDING YOUR JUNK FOLDER.
If you need support with the online application process or require reasonable adjustments with the application and/or interview process please contact the Recruiting Manager for this post.
We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants about less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. We recommend contacting the manager of the role prior to applying and we commit to giving requests full consideration.
We welcome and encourage applicants who identify with all protected characteristics to apply for our roles. We believe that diversity strengthens our teams and improves our patients' experience. At UHP we aim to create an inclusive workplace and hospital where everyone feels they belong and included.
It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.
Providing false information is an offence & could result in the application being rejected or summary dismissal/police action if an applicant is successful.
Please note that if you are successful in your application & accept the position you agree that the Staff Health and Wellbeing Department can access your health records from your current/previous employer in order to check the status of your inoculations & screening tests.This is an automated process & the information will only be used for these purposes prior to your taking up the position with us.
For Doctors Roles:
Unsolicited CVs and Candidate Profiles/Details
University Hospitals Plymouth has a commitment to sourcing candidates directly and as such we do not accept speculative CVs from agencies.
We do, however, work with a defined list of preferred HTE Framework suppliers who may be invited to support us in sourcing candidates for particular roles.
In line with our preferred supplier list, we only pay agency fees where we have a signed agreement in place and an agency has been instructed by a member of the Trust’s Medical Workforce team.
We do not pay agency fees where speculative and unsolicited CVs are submitted to the Trust or Trust employees by any other means than the official route above. Where this is not observed the Trust reserves the right to contact these candidates directly and initiate discussions without payment of any agency fee.
Any candidate details (whether written or spoken) or CVs that are referred directly will not constitute an introduction. The Trust will under no circumstances be responsible for any recruitment fees in relation to these contacts.
Submission of any unsolicited CVs, candidate’s details and/or proposals to the Trust will not be considered further and will be deemed evidence of full and unlimited acceptance of this Agency Protocol.
In order to establish and maintain good working relationships with the Trust’s agency suppliers, we ask that this Protocol is adhered to and thank you for your co-operation.