Lead Nurse for SWAN, End of life and Bereavement
The closing date is 28 July 2026.

Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity for a dedicated experienced nurse to lead the SWAN end of life and Bereavement service. This role is emotionally demanding but highly respected, it combines clinical practice, leadership, family support, education and service development based on dignity, compassion, personalisation, family inclusion and creating meaningful experiences after death at a senior strategic leadership level.

It is a broad role which means working alongside Merseyside police, HM Coroners Court, mortuary and pathology teams, safeguarding teams and NHS Blood and Transplant services to name but a few.

Main duties of the job
The responsibilities include leading the Trust wide SWAN service strategy, managing and developing specialist nursing teams. Influencing policy and organisational standards. Contributing to governance groups. Leading audits, service evaluations and quality improvement programmes. Representing the Trust in regional or city wide meetings. Developing partnerships with external agencies using a high degree of autonomy and visibility across hospital sites and external organisations. Responsibilities also include developing bereavement support pathways across services, improving culturally sensitive and inclusive care. Working with charities, faith groups and community organisations and also strengthening public engagement around bereavement support. The role focuses heavily on ensuring compassionate experiences for families during highly traumatic circumstances.

About us
NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group (UHL Group) was formed on 1 November 2024, born from a shared aim to improve the care we provide our communities.

We are one of the largest employers in region, with over 18,900 colleagues who are dedicated to caring for our communities - from birth and beyond.

For the 630,000 people across Merseyside, we are their local NHS. We provide general and emergency hospital care, alongside highly specialised regional services that extend to more than two million people in the North West.

We operate from five hospital sites: Aintree University Hospital is the single receiving site for adult major trauma patients in Cheshire and Merseyside, and hosts a number of regional services including an award-winning stroke facility. Broadgreen Hospital is home to several elective surgical, diagnostic and treatment services, together with specialist patient rehabilitation. Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital provide specialist services in cardiothoracic surgery, cardiology and respiratory medicine, both in the hospital and out in the community. Liverpool Women's Hospital specialises in the health of women and babies, delivering over 7,200 babies in the UK's largest single site maternity hospital each year. The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is the largest hospital in the country to provide inpatients with 100% single en-suite bedrooms and mainly focuses on complex planned care and specialist services.

Details
Date posted: 14 July 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £57,528 to £64,750 a year per annum, pro rata
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: 287-CEF-202-26-A
Job locations: LUHFT, Lower Lane, Liverpool, L97AL, United Kingdom

Job description
Job responsibilities
The responsibilities include leading the Trust wide SWAN service strategy, managing and developing specialist nursing teams.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• RGN
• 1st Degree in nursing related subject
• Masters degree or equivalent
• Post-registration qualification in Nursing related subject Leadership/Management qualification or equivalent
• ENB 998, C&G 730 or equivalent teaching qualification
• Intermediate IT skills
• qualification in word processing and spreadsheets or equivalent experience

Desirable

• Patient Safety Qualification/Module

Experience
Essential

• Significant experience at Ward Manager/Department Manager/Specialist Nurse or above
• Broad range of clinical experience in the NHS
• Participated in service development and implementation of change
• Experience of leading and managing change in service developments
• Development of Strategies, Policies and Procedures
• Broad experience of managing others
• Evidence of continuous professional development

Desirable

• Experience of maintaining links with various organisations
• Experience of business planning

Knowledge
Essential

• Broad knowledge of professional and NHS issues
• Knowledge of health service and modernisation programme

Skills
Essential

• Ability to communicate in a variety of settings, to achieve co-operation and influence others
• Demonstrate leadership and motivational skills
• Influencing skills beyond immediate sphere of work
• Able to analyse data and provide written reports/board papers
• Ability to prioritise and work pro-actively
• Able to work autonomously, coordinate the work of multiple clinical areas, plan and prioritise
• Effective delegation skills
• Ability to develop and promote effective interpersonal relationships with colleagues across health and social care setting
• Ability to communicate unpleasant and sensitive information, and to resolve conflict

Desirable

• Dissemination of knowledge through publication

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

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

Employer details
Employer name: Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address: LUHFT, Lower Lane, Liverpool, L97AL, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.liverpoolft.nhs.uk/

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Divisional Director of Corporate Nursing, Pam Stanford
Email: pam.stanford@liverpoolft.nhs.uk
Telephone: 07714573308