Trinity Hospice and Palliative Care Services have a vision that ‘By 2020, everyone on
the Fylde Coast should have access to good end of life care and a good death’.
JOB DESCRIPTION: Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist Manager
ACCOUNTABLE TO: Clinical Director
RESPONSIBLE FOR: Palliative Care Community and Hospital Clinical Nurse Specialists and
Hospice at Home.
OVERALL PURPOSE:
To provide leadership and team management for the Community and Hospital Palliative Care
Nurses and Hospice at Home to ensure that the service to patients is of the required standard and
effectively utilises the resources available.
To develop practice in line with the Specialist Palliative Care Review and Quality Standards for End
of Life Care.
To evidence consistent and sustained improvements in standards of practice and care in specialist
palliative care.
To inspire and encourage the team members, guiding them through change processes with skill
and sensitivity.
To introduce appropriate metrics (measurement systems) to enable the effective management of
the service.
To develop comprehensive communication links with community and acute trust partners to
ensure that Trinity is recognised and a valuable partner in End of Life care for the Fylde Coast.
To make an effective contribution to achieving Trinity’s vision, strategic objectives and key work
programmes, by working in partnership with the Clinical Director, Hospital and Community
Consultants as clinical leads for these areas.
On occasions it may be necessary to provide clinical expertise, support and advice to patients
living with life threatening limiting illness and their families.
MAIN DUTIES OF RESPONSIBLITIES:
Leadership and Management
1. Account to the Clinical Director for the overall performance of the team, working within
Trinity’s policies, procedures, code of conduct etc.
2. Lead and manage the teams ensuring the right skills and capabilities are in place to deliver the
strategic goals shared with partners.
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3.
Monitor the workload of staff ensuring work is fairly allocated, forecasting demand for the
service and ensuring sufficient resources are in place, to deliver high quality care within the
departmental budget.
4.
Manage performance of staff effectively and take appropriate remedial action when
necessary utilising Trinity’s HR policies.
5.
Coordinate and conduct annual staff personal development reviews and reviews for the team,
setting work objectives and personal development plans in line with the Trinity Strategy and
Business Plan as wells as required clinical competences.
6.
Ensure staff members work within Trinity’s policies and procedures.
7.
Promote team harmony and close, collaborative working within the Hospice and other service
providers.
8.
Work closely with Consultants in Palliative Medicine, NHS leads, GPs, District Nursing Teams,
all other relevant professionals and colleagues within Trinity to sustain and further develop
effective partnerships delivering innovative integrated End of Life Care initiatives within
primary and secondary care.
9.
Build strong relationships and shared goals/work programmes with the Palliative Care
Consultant, clinical leads in the community and Foundation trust.
10. Ensure high level performance monitoring of key performance indicators of the clinical nurse
specialists and Hospice at Home, using IT systems and reporting these to the board along
with analysis of appropriate actions to improve performance based on the results that will
profile the service and inform future strategic development.
11. Promote a consistently high level of quality information exchanges between service providers.
12. Undertake investigations of specific incidents or complaints relating to Palliative Care and End
Life Care utilising clinical expertise and advanced communication skills.
13. Represent the CNS team & Hospice at Home team at Hospice meetings / events.
14. Contribute to policy development at Trinity in response to local and national policy changes
and to ensure compliance with the Care Quality Commission.
15. Act as a role model for excellent advanced communications skills and expertise.
16. Take every opportunity to raise the profile of Trinity through a variety of agreed initiatives.
Clinical Responsibilities
17.
Demonstrate expert knowledge by being visible and accessible. Work clinically and take a
patient case load for a period of time when this is in the best interest of the service.
18.
Discuss all treatments with sensitivity, knowledge and expertise. Act as patient advocate
when appropriate and respect patient confidentiality and privacy with respect for diverse
cultural backgrounds and requirements.
Foster and maintain effective communications and promote collaborative working
relationships, with other professionals and formal carers providing relevant information about
patients’ needs, clinical knowledge and shared goals to improve EOL care and provision on
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19.
the Fylde Coast.
20.
Contribute to Clinical Governance, and fundamentals of care within Trinity via service
improvement initiatives to improve standards of specialist care by developing practice to
ensure that patients and carers have a quality experience, and to reduce risk and increase
safety for staff and patients.
21.
Ensure team members undertake and document comprehensive specialists palliative care
assessments.
22.
Ensure team members gather relevant information from other sources to assist the
assessment process.
23.
Encourage and support advance care planning.
24.
Provide all relevant and necessary information and advice to patients, families and carers.
25.
Develop systems and practice to ensure patients and carers are fully engaged in the
assessment and care planning process.
26.
Apply highly developed evidence-based knowledge to influence the provision of complex
symptom management.
27.
Contribute to multi-disciplinary team meetings.
28.
Ensure the recording of the MDS and Departmental KPI’s and review the targets set within
the team action plan and Trinity Strategy and Business plan.
29.
Ensure a seamless service for patients moving between services.
Education Training Audit and Research
30.
Ensure strong mentorship of newly appointed members of staff and others who are pursing
palliative care training/education.
31.
Utilise professional supervision and reflective practice skills to enhance development of self
and colleagues in the professional team to optimise care.
32.
Oversee the management and development of competencies for the Clinical Nurse Specialists
and Hospice at Home Team to care for end of life care patients.
33.
Lead the CNS Team and Hospice at Home Team in developing and delivering palliative care
educational initiatives across the Fylde Coast Health Economy, working with other partners
delivering end of life training.
34.
Keep abreast of developments in Palliative Care and advanced /expert practice and update
other staff accordingly.
35.
Lead the CNS Team and Hospice at Home Team in identifying areas of research. Initiate or
participate in active research as appropriate and implement findings into practice.
36.
Lead the CNS team and Hospice at Home Team in identifying areas for clinical and
organisational audit and completing the audit cycle.
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37.
Continually update and maintain own professional development in palliative care through
attendance at meetings/study days and through utilisation of appropriate educational and
study resources.
38.
Disseminate findings from own professional development through the use of written reports,
presentations and the implementation of educational initiatives.
Service Development and Strategic Work
39.
Ensure up to date knowledge of local and national standards of care and be able to lead and
inspire on the development of national agenda and strategies within our locality.
40.
Ensure that services are continually reviewed and adjusted to meet patients’ need and choice
ensuring a culture of patient involvement and engagement.
41.
Actively participate in the Specialist Palliative Care Peer Review and End of Life Care Quality
Standards.
42.
Meet regularly with the Clinical Director and Consultants in Palliative Medicine to report on
and discuss service developments including Hospice @ Home opportunities.
43.
Ensure effective relationships and communications with the Primary and Acute Healthcare
Teams and Trusts and other professionals.
44.
Participate in local and national committees/steering groups and working parties as
appropriate.
45.
Participate in the audit programme to assess patient satisfaction.
46.
Chair team meetings and encourage staff to actively and positively contribute to service
development.
47.
Be an active member of Trinity Management Team.
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