Job summary
A Paediatric Diabetes Clinical Nurse Specialist plays a central role in delivering expert, family-centred care to children and young people living with diabetes. In this role, the nurse provides advanced clinical assessment, ongoing management, and education to help patients and their families understand and confidently manage the condition. Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, the specialist leads on care planning, supports insulin therapy optimisation, and offers guidance on technology such as pumps and continuous glucose monitoring. They also coordinate care across hospital and community settings, deliver training to schools and healthcare staff, and contribute to service development, audit, and evidence-based practice to improve outcomes for children with diabetes. This role blends clinical expertise, teaching, and compassionate support to empower young people to live well with their condition.

Main duties of the job
The Paediatric Diabetes Clinical Nurse Specialist provides expert, family-centred care for children and young people with diabetes. Key duties include:

• Advanced clinical assessment, interpreting findings and adjusting treatment to optimise glycemic control
• Care planning and management, developing and reviewing individualised plans with families, schools, and the multidisciplinary team
• Leading insulin therapy optimisation, supporting MDI, pump therapy, and hybrid closed-loop systems
• Delivering technology education, training families in CGM, flash monitoring, and pump use
• Providing family education and support, offering structured teaching and emotional guidance
• Acting as a school and community liaison, ensuring safe diabetes management outside hospital
• Working in multidisciplinary collaboration with consultants, dietitians, and psychologists
• Supporting emergency management of hypoglycaemia, hyperglycaemia, and DKA
• Contributing to service development and audit, quality improvement, and delivering professional education to staff
• Providing transition support for young people moving to adult services, upholding strong safeguarding responsibilities

Job responsibilities
The Paediatric Diabetes Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is an essential member of the multidisciplinary paediatric diabetes team, providing highly specialised, family-centred care to children and young people living with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. The postholder acts as an expert practitioner, delivering comprehensive clinical assessment, supporting complex treatment decisions, and offering advanced guidance on insulin therapy, diabetes technologies, and self-management strategies. Through skilled communication and compassionate support, the CNS empowers children, young people, and their families to develop confidence and competence in managing diabetes safely in everyday life.

Working across inpatient wards, outpatient clinics, emergency settings, community environments, and educational establishments, the CNS ensures continuity and consistency of care throughout the patient journey. The role involves proactive case management, early identification of clinical deterioration, and timely intervention to prevent complications. The postholder provides specialist advice to colleagues, schools, and external agencies, acting as a key liaison to promote safe diabetes management beyond the hospital setting.

The CNS contributes significantly to the strategic development of the paediatric diabetes service, participating in clinical governance, audit, and quality-improvement initiatives to enhance patient outcomes and service performance. They play a central role in delivering structured education programmes, supporting transition to adult services, and embedding evidence-based practice across the team. As an autonomous practitioner and clinical leader, the CNS models high standards of care, supports the development of junior staff, and helps drive innovation within the service to meet national standards and best-practice guidance.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Minimum 2-4 years in a paediatric setting
• NMC Registration

Desirable

• Nursing Degree
• EPALS

Experience
Essential

• Care of children with Diabetes

Desirable

• Link role

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.

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Team Lead Children's Diabetes Team, Annelita Owen, annelita.owen@nhs.net, 07580912610

Reference number: 390-WAC-BR-6918-A. Closing date: 10 November 2026.