Job Summary
As a Community Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist, you will provide expert palliative and end-of-life care, support, and advice to patients and families. Working autonomously and as part of a multidisciplinary team, you will assess complex needs, coordinate care, offer emotional and bereavement support, and collaborate with healthcare professionals to ensure high-quality, person-centred care. You will also contribute to education, service development, and the delivery of evidence-based practice within the hospice and wider community.

Main duties of the job

• To provide specialist clinical advice and support in the care of patients requiring Palliative care in the Bassetlaw area.
• To build and maintain a continuing care relationship with the patient and family throughout a negotiated period or episode of care. This includes some element of bereavement support as required.
• To liaise with other health and social care professionals involved in their care and work within an MDT.
• To make a specialist contribution to the teaching of nurses, health and social care professionals and other members of the palliative care team
• To contribute to the delivery of evidence-based practice through research, service standards and audit, as a member of the Specialist Palliative Care team.
• To provide advice and support to patients throughout the Bassetlaw area.

About us
At Bassetlaw Hospice, we provide compassionate, person-centred palliative and end-of-life care for patients and their families. Our staff, volunteers and supporters work together to create a warm, safe and supportive environment where dignity, safety and confidentiality are respected at all times. We expect all colleagues to uphold these values and ensure that every patient receives the highest possible standard of physical, psychological and spiritual care.

Details
Date posted: 13 July 2026
Pay scheme: Other
Salary: Depending on experience £38,682 - £50,273 pro rata
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: E0220-26-0013BLH
Job locations: Bassetlaw Hospice, North Rd, Retford, Nottinghamshire, DN22 7XF, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
Key Accountabilities
Clinical

• Accept referrals as agreed through current referral process and pathways.
• Undertake a holistic assessment of the Specialist Palliative Care needs of patients/carers, and plan appropriate care.
• Be responsible for the provision of Specialist Palliative Care advice and support to patients, health care professionals, and other carers, to meet the needs identified in the assessment.
• Plan and undertake follow up and support visits when required, continuing specialist input to the care of patients and their families.
• Provide accurate information to patients/carers/professionals as appropriate.
• Provide bereavement support to carers and families.
• Act as a resource for integrated care teams, primary and secondary care professionals and social care and tertiary providers involved in the care of patients with palliative care needs.
• Act as a mentor for staff by supporting individual coping strategies.
• Contribute to the weekly SPC multidisciplinary team meeting
• Attend other MDT team meetings when requested to do so in acute and community settings attend and contribute to
• GP Palliative Care (GSF) Meetings
• Liaise with/refer to other services where appropriate to ensure the needs of patients and carers are met.

Communication

• Utilise a wide range of communication skills to facilitate the development of a therapeutic relationship with patients and carers.
• Provide psychological and emotional support.
• Communicate effectively with other professionals involved in the care of patients on the caseload.
• Recognise and respond to complex relationship dynamics between patients, families and carers.
• Use formal and informal opportunities for education to guide and support those involved in the patients care to improve communication skills.

Education

• Contribute to the development, and educational needs of other health care professionals. This includes staff within the hospice but also outsourcing to other professionals to benefit the patients and to support income generation of the hospice by outsourcing appropriate teaching sessions.
• Participate in the delivery of palliative care related courses/study days.
• Provide informal education to other members of the multidisciplinary teams during clinical practice.
• Maintain, update and develop personal professional knowledge and skills to achieve high standards of patient care at all times.

Managerial

• Manage own workload, caseload and capacity through effective caseload management and teamwork.
• Maintain accurate records, including Systmone.
• Participate in regular team business/operational meetings to shape the strategic planning of the service.
• Participate in regular specialist palliative care meetings, with representation from national and clinical network palliative care organisations to facilitate and plan local services.

Clinical Governance/Quality Assurance

• Strive to maintain and improve own knowledge and skills in relation to all aspects of specialist palliative care.
• Understand, interpret, and participate in the research process and utilise relevant findings to inform practice.
• Work within agreed policies/procedures and governance of Bassetlaw hospice.
• Work within national and local standards set for the Community Specialist Palliative care teams.
• Use audit to evaluate standards of care delivered, documentation, workload and education provision.
• Contribute to the development of policies, procedures and guidelines in relation to palliative care.
• Critically evaluate own performance through reflection, analysis, and performance appraisal development (PAD).
• Undertake clinical supervision and provide clinical supervision for others
• Seek opportunities to lead and support quality initiatives at local, network and national level.

Dimensions

• The Community Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialists provides care, advice and education across the Bassetlaw area inclusive of community and hospice settings .
• To maintain own clinical caseload involving complex case management
• Provide expert clinical support as and when appropriate to staff and/or students
• To give professional advice on issues relating to therapies / management plans within Specialist Palliative Care

Safeguarding
All employees are responsible for taking all reasonable measures to ensure that the risks of harm to children and vulnerable adults are minimised. They should take all appropriate actions to address concerns, working to agreed local policies and procedures including the guidance on Safeguarding, in partnership with other relevant agencies.This includes accessing appropriate training, advice, and support.

Knowledge Training and Experience

• First level General Nurse Registration
• Post-basic qualification in palliative care.
• Teaching qualification
• Non- medical prescribing qualification or willingness to undertake course
• If candidate does not possess module in palliative care at degree level, advanced communications skills training and psychology level 2 training. Then they must be in agreement to undertake on commencement of post.
• Substantial proven Palliative Care clinical experience
• Knowledge of symptom management at a depth expected for band 7.
• Sound knowledge of palliative care philosophy.
• Knowledge of Clinical Governance including audit and research.
• Basic computer skills.
• Well-developed inter-personal and communication skills.
• Ability to manage stress and distress in self and others.
• Flexibility to accommodate attendance out of normal working hours for: patient/carer contact, education provision, professional development, professional meetings, public relation responsibilities.
• Required to take part in the weekend and bank holiday working rota.

Infection Control
All employees of Bassetlaw Hospice have an individual responsibility to have knowledge of and employ the basic principles of infection prevention and control practice. All employees must comply with infection prevention and control mandatory training requirements specific to their role.

Planning and Organisational Skills

• Organising and co-ordinating patient care.
• Care planning skills.
• Ability to manage own case load, time etc.
• Ability to work unsupervised and use initiative as required
• Ability to work efficiently and productively with the rest of the team on common projects e.g. teaching courses etc.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• First level General Nurse Registration
• Post-basic qualification in palliative care
• Non- medical prescribing - or willingness to undertake

Desirable

• Degree module in palliative care
• Degree in a health related subject
• Advanced communications skills training
• Psychology level 2 training
• Teaching qualification

Personal Attributes
Essential

• Able to work in highly pressured and distressing environments
• Highly motivated and enthusiastic
• If candidate does not possess module in palliative care at degree level, advanced communications skills training and psychology level 2 training, then they must be in agreement to undertake on commencement of post.
• Flexibility to accommodate attendance out of normal working hours for: patient/carer contact, education provision, professional development, professional meetings, public relation responsibilities.

Knowledge and skills
Essential

• Knowledge of symptom management at a depth expected for band 7
• Sound knowledge of palliative care philosophy.
• Knowledge of Clinical Governance including audit and research.
• Basic computer skills
• Well developed inter-personal and communication skills
• Ability to manage own case load, time etc.
• Ability to manage stress and distress in self and others
• Ability to work efficiently and productively with the rest of the team on common projects e.g. teaching courses etc.
• Sound clinical assessment skills. Problem solving skills

Desirable

• Sound knowledge of advance care planning
• Recognised qualification/s in computer skills
• Dedicated communication skills training

Experience
Essential

• Experience working at Band six level or other substantial proven palliative care experience

Desirable

• Experience in a specialist nurse role.
• Community experience / insight into community issues.
• Specialist palliative care experience.

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. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details
Employer name: Primary Integrated Community Services
Address: Bassetlaw Hospice, North Rd, Retford, Nottinghamshire, DN22 7XF, United Kingdom
Employer's website: http://picsnhs.org.uk/