University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.
Please see below for detailed job description of the role.
This is a Rheumatology Nurse Specialist role within our existing rheumatology team based at Southampton General Hospital.
The Nurse Specialist role provides expert care and support for patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory rheumatic diseases as part of the multidisciplinary rheumatology team. It is for 35 hours a week.
About the team.
This is an excellent opportunity for a registered nurse who is highly motivated and interested in working as part of an innovative and friendly rheumatology team.
You will be predominantly based at University Hospital Southampton and will be expected to work in outreach clinics as part of your service development.
The majority of the time you will work Monday to Friday 8-4pm; however we expect that you will also work a variety of flexible hours on an adhoc basis as service needs demand. Compressed hours may also be considered if this fits in the service demand.
You will report to the lead Rheumatology nurse in the department and work with the other nurse specialists in the team. We also have oversight of the outpatient department.
University Hospital Southampton is one of England's largest acute teaching Trusts, offering a wide range of learning and development opportunities to support your career aspirations.
Located on the south coast with an international airport and direct rail links to London, Southampton offers an ideal setting to live and work, with the New Forest, South Downs and Jurassic Coast.
We believe that using technology wisely shows strong time management and commitment to innovation. However, personalising your recruitment application to highlight your unique skills and experiences is crucial. Relying too heavily on generic, AI-generated content instead of drawing from your own strengths and accomplishments may lead to your application being rejected if multiple candidates present identical or similar information.
At UHS, we’re committed to providing a flexible working environment where possible. Whether you are balancing family, study, or your wellbeing with your career, we want to support you so you can help our patients.
At UHS, we proudly champion individuality, recognising that outstanding care is only possible with a diverse, inclusive team. We’re committed to creating an anti-racist, anti-discriminatory environment where everyone feels valued, safe, and empowered to make a meaningful impact in our communities. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences to join us in building a healthcare community where everyone can belong, thrive, and contribute.
You will be responsible for the assessment and supervision of patients with different types of rheumatology conditions in dedicated nurse led clinics and have an interest in developing your skills in this area.
General duties include;
1. Holistically assess and identify health and psychosocial needs of individual patients and plan a Personalised Care programme to meet these needs, in partnership with patients/carers and colleagues.
2. Establish contact with patients/carers from the time of initial referral or identification to provide specialist nursing advice and practical and psychosocial support.
3. Manage a patient caseload to agreed referral/discharge criteria. Act as a ‘key worker’, effectively working in partnership with other professionals and referring patients to other practitioners as required.
4. Deliver knowledgeable nursing care to patients in agreed practice settings, working as part of nursing teams and in partnership with ward and departmental clinical leaders.
5. Communicate with patients in ways that empower them through shared decision making to make informed choices about their health and health care. Act as advocate for individual patients and the client group.
6. Provide appropriate education to patients and their families to promote health and encourage self-care and participation in the planned programme of treatment and care.
For an overview of the position, please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification document. This includes a detailed breakdown of the key responsibilities, role expectations, and the qualifications we are looking for.
What we’re looking for:
Enthusiastic and confident in using own initiative and supporting the rheumatology department aims, you will have the skills to balance effective service delivery with clinical commitments while being able to contribute to a team approach.
Applicants must possess excellent communication and organisational skills. Ideally you will possess experience working in a rheumatology role, this would be an advantage although not essential.
If you are a nurse who takes pride and ownership in giving a high standard of patient/participant centred care with great attention to detail and who is interested in an exciting role, this is a fantastic opportunity for you.
