Are you an enthusiastic and experienced nurse specialising in Multiple Sclerosis?
University Hospital Sussex NHS Trust is looking for a dynamic, motivated Band 7 MS Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) to join our well-established, friendly Neurology team. We are committed to providing high-quality, patient-centred care, and we need a passionate nurse to help us make a significant difference in the lives of people living with MS.
Internal applicants should note that this opportunity will be offered on a secondment basis. Before applying, internal colleagues must discuss the opportunity with their current line manager to confirm whether they can be released from their substantive role if successful.
Release to undertake a secondment is not automatic and must be agreed between the colleague, their current line manager, and the recruiting line manager.
The Role:
Manage an autonomous caseload of MS patients, providing support from diagnosis through to ongoing treatment.
Run nurse-led clinics managing relapses, spasticity and other MS symptoms.
Provide advice on Disease Modifying Therapies (DMTs) and monitor patient outcomes.
Work as a professional link between patients, neurologists, and multidisciplinary teams (MDT).
Evidence of advanced continuing professional development (CPD).
Non-Medical Prescribing (NMP) qualification desirable .
Excellent communication skills and passion for patient advocacy.
This role is eligible for visa sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker route. Sponsorship can only be provided where applicants meet the specific requirements set by UKVI, including the relevant skill and salary thresholds, and any role-specific criteria. For example, applicants for the Senior HCA role must be able to evidence a minimum of 2 years’ experience in the same role to qualify for sponsorship.
If you are applying using a Graduate visa as your right to work, you must have a minimum of 18 months remaining on your visa at time of application.
At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always deliver Excellent Care Everywhere, as shown in our Outstanding for Caring CQC rating. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of staff networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 3) and a Veteran Aware Trust.
Candidate Pack
The post holder will be an expert field of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) working across divisional and organisational boundaries and who holds a highly specialised knowledge and understanding the needs of people living with MS (PwMS) from diagnosis to end of life.
They will develop, implement and evaluate a seamless specialist service ensuring that patients receive the highest standard of clinical care and that specialist advice, education and support to health professionals and patients is provided. The post holder will drive service development, audits and research within the MS service. They will have highly developed clinical expertise and acumen enabling them to plan, deliver and co-ordinate complex care in routine and non-routine circumstances to ensure that the needs of the person with MS are best served.
The post-holder will design and deliver education and self-management courses to people with MS and patient groups and the specialist education and training to other professionals involved in the care of PwMS. They will supervise clinical practice of Band 6 MSSNs and other health professionals delivering care for PwMS and take responsibility for embedding patient and public involvement, within their sphere of competence
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Clinical Procedural Skills & Responsibility for Patient Care
To provide specialist nursing advice and support to patients, their families and other healthcare professionals following diagnosis and through treatment through a range of nurse-led outpatient clinics including annual reviews, spasticity and relapse follow up and telephone clinics.
To provide specialist nursing advice and support to patients, their families and other healthcare professionals following unplanned hospital admissions to hospital, t o co-ordinate care, liaising with the full range of multi-disciplinary team members to ensure implementation of appropriate care plans, treatment delivery, and safe and effective discharge.
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 manage nurse led clinic and independently ,conduct neurological examinations and objective measures of function such as assessments of cognition, fatigue, upper limb function or walking .
Assess patients with acutely deteriorating symptoms and diagnoses relapse in routine and non-routine circumstances using high level assessment and consultation skills and ensure timely and appropriate treatment is offered.
Competently reviews and interprets data generated through these assessments and revises the care plan in conjunction with the person with MS accordingly.
To develop, deliver and evaluate a plan of care relating to symptom management which will include assessment, planning, implementing, reviewing and documenting care plans in agreement with the person with MS. This will include but not exhaustive of ordering diagnostic tests and making and receiving referrals.
To support PwMS with decisions regarding disease modifying therapies (DMT’s).
To ensure all patients are fully informed of the risks and benefits of proposed treatments, contributing to the process of securing informed consent.
To produce and provide all patients with relevant and accessible written information regarding their treatment in accordance with Trust standards.
To comply with measures to actively manage and reduce risk to patients.
Communication
1. Provides and receives highly complex, sensitive and potentially distressing information.
2. Overcomes barriers to understanding such as stress or poor cognition, demonstrating empathy and reassurance.
3. Communicates openly and appropriately with patients and carers in situations of highly distressing or sensitive nature, such as discussions with the person with MS and their family around end of life care matters.
4. Is able to communicate and debate professional issues and findings in own and other’s research with experts and non-experts in MS.
5. To actively involve service users in providing feedback of their experience of the current service and suggestions for improvements.
6. To contribute positively to the leadership of nursing within the care group acting as an effective role model.
Service Delivery and Improvement
To develop and deliver a specialist MS nursing service and give direct expert nursing care in the specialist area of MS that is high quality and cost-effective.
Leads on development and implementation of integrated care pathways and SLA’s with other services that input into the care of PwMS.
Leads on development and implementation of policy, clinical guidelines, protocols and pathways that contribute to the safety and effectiveness of the MS service in the context of national guidelines, research and recommended best practice.
Ensures development of such protocols and clinical guidelines achieve a fair and equitable service to all PwMS.
To participate in the annual review process of operational policies in accordance with national standards.
To ensure all care is given in accordance with agreed protocols.
To actively contribute to any relevant initiatives within the care group and provide support to the lead specialist nurse and heads of nursing.
To actively engage with nurse specialists across the Trust and partnered Trusts to promote development of the specialist nurse role.
Embeds patient and public involvement within sphere of practice.
To autonomously manage a caseload of patients from the point of diagnosis, at regular intervals and during periods when they require co-ordination of complex care and demonstrate specialist knowledge and skills through nursing practice.
Ensure effective and complete database for all PwMS is maintained and shared with all colleagues both within the Trust and partnered Trusts.
Co-ordinates programme of care with other health professionals and makes appropriate referrals to ensure needs of patient are met.
Facilitates self-management, undertaking risk stratification to determine those who can self-manage aspects of their MS following education, those who will need guided support to self-manage and those who will require more intensive face to face support.
Ensures compliance with the Trust's Equality and Diversity Policy, supporting the delivery of the Trusts Race Equality Scheme and the Trust's duty to positively promote race equality and equality of opportunity for disabled people ensuring services are responsive to the needs of equality groups.
People Management and Development
To empower PwMS by providing information, support and advice about the condition at diagnosis and throughout the disease spectrum.
To act as the clinical expert to professionals within and external to the MS service.
Designs and leads the delivery of specialist education and training to other professionals involved in the care of people with MS
Provides high level clinical expertise, specialist advice and support to other professionals involved in the care of people with MS
Supervises the clinical practice of band 6 MS nurses and other health professionals.
To provide mentorship to MS nurses working within the service, in communities and in other regions of the UK.
Additionally, where appropriate, to act as a practice supervisor to Trust and honorary contract employees.
To actively participate in educational events provided by the Trust and primary care sector.
To attend meetings and conferences as appropriate ensuring that you are fully conversant with current issues both within the Trust and within the specialist services locally and nationally.
To promote and facilitate evidence based practice and clinical audit within the Trust, raising the profile and enhancing the contribution of nursing to patient care and informing business and service development plans.
Promotes the service and clinical excellence by publishing and presenting innovations, audit and research locally and nationally.
Personal Professional Development
To achieve a range of clinical competencies as required to fulfil the role.
To keep up-to-date with current literature and research in the speciality.
To maintain statutory and mandatory training in line with Trust policy.
To undergo and actively participate in own performance appraisals
To keep up to date with NMC, relevant specialist Faculty & Trust guidelines and protocols.
To adhere to the NMC Code of Professional conduct working within and accepting responsibility for maintaining agreed levels of competence.
To establish successful links with other multiple sclerosis nurse specialists in order to share examples of good practice.
To be comfortable with fast- paced change and innovation.
Learning and Development
- Attend mandatory training updates as required.
- Undertake training as necessary in line with the development of the post and as agreed with the line manager as part of the personal development process.
- Achieve and demonstrate agreed standards of personal and professional development within agreed timescales.
- Identify own learning needs and jointly plan training requirements with your line manager
- Participate in the Trust’s appraisal process to discuss how your role will help deliver the best possible care to our patients and help to deliver any changes in service.
This job description is an outline of the role and responsibilities. From time to time due to the needs of the service, we may ask you to flexibly undertake other duties that are consistent with your role and banding, including project work, internal job rotation and absence cover.
The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the department and the organisation.
