Job summary
Are you a compassionate and motivated Nursing Associate looking for an exciting opportunity to develop your skills in a high-performing, supportive community team? We have a fantastic opportunity for a Band 4 Nursing Associate to join the Urgent Community Response and Virtual Frailty Ward Service based at St Mark's Hospital.

This is a 6 months secondment until 31 March 2027. Applicants should discuss this opportunity with their line manager and obtain approval before applying. There may be potential for this role to become permanent in the future, subject to service requirements and organisational approval.

You will work alongside nurses, therapists, paramedics, doctors and pharmacists, supporting people in their own homes and care homes who require urgent assessment, monitoring and short-term interventions to help prevent unnecessary hospital admission. We are looking for a caring, organised and proactive Nursing Associate who is committed to high-quality, person-centred care and enjoys working as part of a multidisciplinary team. This is a full-time role of 37.5 hours per week, covering a 7-day rota between 8am and 8pm, including weekends and bank holidays.

The role is based at St Marks Hospital, Maidenhead, with free staff parking available on site.

Main duties of the job

• Undertake delegated clinical assessments, observations and interventions for patients accepted onto the Urgent Community Response and Virtual Frailty Ward pathways.
• Support the delivery of individualised care plans, including monitoring, rehabilitation, health promotion and therapeutic interventions.
• Recognise changes in a patient's condition and escalate concerns promptly to registered clinicians or emergency services when required.
• Complete clinical skills within agreed scope of practice and assessed competence, including observations, venepuncture, wound care and other delegated interventions where trained and authorised.
• Maintain accurate, contemporaneous clinical records using RiO, Adastra and other approved clinical systems.
• Work collaboratively with nurses, therapists, paramedics, doctors, pharmacists, care homes, GPs, social care colleagues and voluntary sector partners.
• Contribute to handovers, multidisciplinary discussions, safety huddles and care planning meetings.
• Work within the Nursing Associate scope of practice, agreed competencies and local authorisation at all times, escalating when care needs fall outside role scope or competence.

About us
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:

• Caring for and about you is our top priority
• Committed to providing good quality, safe services
• Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:

• Flexible working options to support work-life balance
• 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
• Generous NHS pension scheme
• Excellent learning and career development opportunities
• 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
• Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
• Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
• Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
• Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
• Free parking across Trust sites

Job responsibilities
The must haves for this role:

• Registered Nursing Associate with active NMC registration.
• Nursing Associate Foundation Degree or equivalent approved qualification.
• Experience providing direct patient care in a health or social care setting.
• Ability to recognise deterioration and escalate concerns appropriately.
• Ability to work safely within the Nursing Associate scope of practice.
• Good communication skills and the ability to maintain accurate clinical records.
• Ability to work flexibly across a 7-day service, including weekends and bank holidays.
• Ability to travel independently between patient homes, care homes and Trust sites.

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification. Your application is your opportunity to demonstrate to us how you meet the requirements of the role. We recognise that AI tools can support accessibility, equity and confidence for applicants. However, its important that examples and responses given in your supporting statement genuinely reflect your own experience and abilities, as these will be explored further during the selection process. AI must not be used to provide misleading or false information during any stage of the application journey.

In addition to explaining how you meet the person specification, you must complete your employment history for at least the last five years. Any experience, skills or responsibilities referenced in your supporting statement should be evidenced within your employment history. Applications that do not include sufficient employment history to support the experience claimed may not be shortlisted.

We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Stonewall Proud Employer, Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please do not hesitate to call Cristee George on 07812 512175 or email cristee.george@berkshire.nhs.uk who'll be delighted to help.

Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.

Person Specification
Education, qualifications or training
Essential

• NMC Registered Nursing Associate.
• Nursing Associate foundation degree qualification

Previous Experience
Essential

• Demonstrable experience of delivering personal care and a range of related procedures, some of which may be non-routine, using safe evidence-based techniques and maintaining dignity and respect at all times.
• Demonstrable previous experience delivering delegated clinical care to patients or clients in a healthcare setting, for example blood pressure, venepuncture or urinalysis.
• Experience of working in a care role in an inpatient or community setting

Knowledge, skills and abilities
Essential

• Knowledge of care and related procedures gained through experience or short courses
• Proficient IT skills, with the ability to input, save and retrieve information using a range of systems.
• Ability to communicate effectively with colleagues in a variety of roles and seniorities, and with patients where there may be barriers to understanding or engagement.

Additional Requirements
Essential

• Ability to travel between multiple Trust sites and non-Trust locations, including patient homes, some of which may not be easily accessible by public transport.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.