Band 7 Clinical Nurse Specialist - Heart Failure

Job summary

The post holder will:

Work as an autonomous specialist practitioner within Royal Free London,delivering high-quality acute and chronic cardiology and heart failure care.

Practise within professional boundaries and agreed protocols, using clinical judgment to manage complex patient care.

Lead outpatient clinics, conducting clinical assessments, ordering appropriate investigations, and developing patient-centred care plans.

Lead identification of undiagnosed heart failure cases using an automated NT-proBNP pathway, facilitating rapid diagnostic pathways.

Review heart failure patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings toprovide optimal evidence-based treatment, adjusting and titrating therapy to improve outcomes for patients.

Main duties of the job

Our Heart Failure Specialist Nurse Team plays a key role in delivering high-quality, patient-centred care. We have established innovative services, including automated NT-proBNP referrals, a Heart Failure Virtual Ward and a comprehensive heart failure pathway, working closely with cardiology, community and palliative care colleagues.

In this role, you will provide care across inpatient and outpatient settings, supporting patients throughout their heart failure journey from diagnosis to advanced disease. Responsibilities include optimising heart failure therapies, providing lifestyle and self-management advice, supporting discharge planning, preparing cases for MDT discussions, and contributing to the National Heart Failure Audit (NICOR).

We offer excellent opportunities for professional and career development. You will receive a comprehensive induction, supported by experienced Heart Failure Specialist Nurses, and follow the British Society for Heart Failure (BSH) Competency Framework to guide your development. There are opportunities to advance autonomous practice skills, contribute to research, education and training, lead service improvements, and develop leadership skills through Trust-funded programmes.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a supportive and forward-thinking team committed to innovation, learning and excellence in heart failure care.

This is a one year fixed term post to cover a secondment.

About us

The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK's biggest and most innovative trusts. Across three main hospitals, our dedicated army of staff care for over 1.6million patients, treat more than 200,000 in A&E, deliver over 8,000 babies and carry out more than 17million tests.

Our size, scale and influence offer you unrivalled career opportunities and a forward-thinking approach to working that works around your lifestyle. From flexible hours and generous benefits, to next level training, we make it easier to take your career to the top

For more information please follow link https://www.royalfreelondonjobs.co.uk/

Job responsibilities

Please see attached job description for more information about this role and working at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.

Person specification

Royal Free World Class Values

Essential

• Demonstrable ability to meet the Trust Values

Education & professional Qualifications

Essential

• First level registration
• First level degree
• Evidence of post registration qualification in Coronary/Cardiac care
• Heart Failure Module
• Physical Examination course and evidence of using these skills in practice

Desirable

• End of Life/Advanced communication qualification or willing to work towards

Experience

Essential

• Minimum 5 years recent cardiology experience with minimum 2 years at band 6 in cardiac environment
• Evidence of teaching and developing others
• Ability to analyse and interpret ECG's, Echos and routine blood tests
• Extensive experience of nursing patients living with heart failure.
• Experience of service planning/managing change e.g. provide examples of projects/research undertaken under own initiative
• Experience of running nurse led clinics
• Experience of managing own caseload of patients

Skills and Aptitudes

Essential

• Expert specialist skills for the post
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of team
• Understanding of recognised standards & policies related to heart failure.
• Understanding of advanced practice nursing roles
• Understanding of audit and research process
• Basic computing skills
• Excellent patient assessment skills
• Excellent communication skills and ability to negotiate and influence
• Able to lead, manage and motivate others in complex problem solving and assessment skills
• Successful track record in conflict resolution and performance management
• Commitment to ongoing lifelong learning and personal development.
• Able to manage stressful situations and challenge decisions to ensure that patient needs are met
• Ability to develop collaborative working relationships with multi professional teams

Personal Qualities & Attributes

Essential

• Be a positive role model with the ability to demonstrate a credible and professional approach
• o Flexibility in shift and working patterns to meet the needs of the service
• o Ability to work under pressure
• o Ability to work as a team and form professional relationships with colleagues
• o To be flexible and approachable