Multiple Sclerosis Specialist Nurse

Job description

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The post holder will work as an autonomous specialist practitioner within the MS Team and wider Neurology Service, providing expert nursing care to people with Multiple Sclerosis. Responsibilities will include management of a defined caseload, delivery of nurse-led clinics, specialist assessment, symptom management, treatment monitoring, patient and carer education, and multidisciplinary working.

The post holder will work closely with the MS Team, Lead Nurse - Neurology, consultant neurologists and colleagues across primary, secondary and community care. The role will also include contributions to medicines optimisation, teaching, audit, quality improvement and service development within agreed governance arrangements.

Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details of the role and responsibilities.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Registered Adult Nurse with current NMC registration.
• Educated to degree level or equivalent.
• Evidence of continuing professional development relevant to clinical practice.
• Non-Medical Prescribing qualification or willingness to undertake.

Desirable criteria

• Non-Medical Prescribing qualification.
• Relevant teaching, mentorship or practice assessor qualification.
• Postgraduate qualification in neuroscience, long-term conditions, Advanced Clinical Practice or another relevant specialty.
• Advanced clinical assessment qualification.

Experience and Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Significant post-registration nursing experience.
• Experience caring for patients with complex or long-term conditions.
• Experience of clinical assessment, care planning and patient/carer support.
• Experience of multidisciplinary working, audit, service evaluation or quality improvement.

Desirable criteria

• Experience caring for people with MS or another neurological condition.
• Experience of managing a caseload and/or nurse-led clinics.
• Knowledge of MS symptoms, treatments and evidence-based guidance.
• Experience of treatment monitoring, medicines optimisation or specialist therapies.

Skills and Abilities

Essential criteria

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work autonomously and exercise sound clinical judgement within professional scope.
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively within the MS Team, wider Neurology Team and multidisciplinary team, or similar setting.

Desirable criteria

• Advanced clinical assessment skills.
• Teaching or presentation experience.
• Evidence of clinical leadership.
• Experience of service improvement or pathway development.

Personal / Other

Essential criteria

• Demonstrates Trust values and professional behaviours.
• Commitment to developing specialist knowledge and skills in Multiple Sclerosis.
• Recognises when consultation, collaboration or escalation is required.
• Willing and able to work cross-site and undertake community/home visits where required.

Desirable criteria

• Evidence of reflective practice.
• Links with relevant neurological or specialist nursing networks.
• Experience of patient/carer engagement initiatives.
• Experience of research or innovation.

It is an exciting time to join Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. We run two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Our 7,500 staff provide high quality care for a growing population of around 700,000 across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas.

You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. Travel between hospital sites may be required. We have state-of-the art facilities placing us at the heart of cutting edge health care. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering their first six months in post.

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