Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland
Stroke Nurse - Highland
Job Description
Position:
Stroke Nurse - Highland
Location:
Inverness Regional Office
Responsible to:
Director of Advice & Support
Contacts:
(internal)
Deputy Director of Advice & Support
Advice & Support Staff Team
Community Stroke Services Regional Manager(North West)
Fundraising Manager – North of Scotland
Director of Public Relations
HR Manager
Contacts:
(external)
Health and Social Care Professionals from primary and
secondary care
Professionals from statutory, non-statutory and voluntary organisations
Patients, Families and Carers
General Public
Main purpose of job:
Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland improves the quality of life for people in Scotland affected by
chest, heart and stroke illness, through medical research, influencing public policy, advice
and information and support in the community.
The aim of the Stroke Nurse is to help people who have had a stroke and their families
adjust to the changes associated with the stroke, through the provision of information, advice
and support. Where there has been an inpatient stay the Nurse will facilitate a smooth
transition from hospital back into the community,
Most challenging part of the job:

Managing a geographically spread, complex and diverse caseload.

Maintaining effective integration and communication within the Managed Clinical
Network environment.
Key responsibilities:
Clinical
1


To provide information, advice and support for stroke/TIA patients and their families,
helping them to adjust to the changes in their life resulting from stroke by promoting self
management, fostering independence and reducing the effects of social isolation
To help meet the particular needs of younger patients in areas such as employment,
education and training, family relationships

To follow up, in their own home or by telephone, patients and their families after
discharge helping identify needs and facilitate solutions to problems. This might involve
referring patients to the primary or secondary care teams, or other organisations.

To provide informal professional support to NHS staff involved in referring to the Stroke
Specialist Support Service, as required

To attend and participate in local Multi-Disciplinary Team meetings, as required, to apply
evidence based knowledge to achieve best nursing practice

To be involved as appropriate in the training of others involved in the care of patients
with stroke (in liaison with the NHS Highland Stroke Co-ordinator). This includes health
promotion for the general public

To liaise and network with hospital, community, social work services and voluntary
bodies

To maintain confidential records of all referrals

To participate in the evaluation and audit of the post and the service provided, ensuring
continuous quality improvement

To provide monthly reports on the work undertaken, identifying any particular gaps in
provision for stroke patients and their families
CHSS
 To ensure awareness of the existence and function of the Stroke Nurse and the Charity.

To keep up-to-date in advances in stroke care and attend study days where appropriate

To participate in CHSS appraisal and support and development process, working to
agreed targets and personal objectives

To participate in departmental, regional, organisational meetings and associated groups,
as required

To represent CHSS at meetings and associated groups, as required by the Line
Manager

To contribute to the work of the CHSS Public Relations and Health Information Team as
required.

To ensure the well being, health & safety of people visiting CHSS and/or participating in
training.
2

To comply fully with CHSS Policies and Procedures

To liaise regularly with the Director of Advice & Support

To undertake additional duties as directed by the Director of Advice & Support
Organisation chart:
Director of
Advice &
Support (A&S)
Stroke Nurse
Inverness
based
Stroke Nurse
Wick based
Stroke Therapist
Fort William based
The holder of this position will have unsupervised one to one contact as part of their
normal duties with adults at risk; therefore this position is subject to membership of
the Protection of Vulnerable Groups Scheme.
The above job description is not exhaustive and is clarified to include broad duties inherent
in the post. Evaluation and development of this post may, in time, indicate a need to revise
duties herein.
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Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland
Stroke Nurse - Highland
Person Specification
Essential
Education &
Knowledge
Current 1st level Nursing professional
registration
Evidence of Continuing Professional
Development [CPD]
Confident IT use:
 Word
 Internet/E-mail
Driving licence (and access to a car)
3 years post registration experience
Previous
Experience
Liaising with statutory and voluntary
services.
Desirable
Attainment/working towards
relevant degree/equivalent
professional qualification
Knowledge of geographical
area
IT Experience with:
 PowerPoint
 Excel
 Access
.
Rehabilitation based nursing
post
Experience in information,
advice and support giving.
Experience working with
stroke patients and their
families.
Aptitudes, Skills &
Abilities
Good oral and written communication
skills.
Strong inter-personal skills.
Ability to work on initiative / as part of
a team
Ability to work under pressure
Good organisational and time
management skills
Values /
Attitudes
Commitment to ethos of the voluntary
sector
Commitment to equal opportunities
Willingness to work flexibly, including
out-of-hours
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Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland
Stroke Nurse - Highland
Further Details
Structure:
The post is one of a Stroke Specialist Support Team of three covering
the hospitals within the Highland area: Raigmore, Caithness General
and Belford
Location:
This post is based within the CHSS Regional Office, 5 Mealmarket
Close, Inverness, IV1 1HT.
Term:
Fixed term for a period of 14 months
Salary:
On a scale of £23,663 - £29,402 per annum
Grade 3(ii), NJC Scale Points 27 - 34
New appointments are normally placed at the base of the salary
scale unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Hours of work:
25 hours per week (full-time is 32.5).
Flexibity of working hours is required. A system of managed time is in
operation.
Review of Work:
The postholder is subject to the CHSS objective setting, supervision
and appraisal process.
Annual Leave:
24-30 days per annum, dependent on length of service, plus 12 public
and local holidays.
Travel:
You will be required to use your own car on CHSS business, which is
reimbursed at a rate of 45p per mile. If a secondment reimbursement
will be at the rate set by your employment from which seconded. All
other reasonable travel, subsistence and other necessary expenses
are reimbursed.
Pension scheme:
CHSS operates a contributory Group Personal Pension scheme,
which all employees are eligible to join; contributions are on an agerelated scale of 1% to 5%. There are also schemes which provides
death-in-service benefit and permanent health insurance.
Equal
opportunities:
CHSS is committed to equality of opportunity and to non
discrimination on the grounds of race, religion or belief, age, sex,
marital or civil partnership status, disability, sexual orientation,
transgender status, pregnancy or maternity.
Closing Date for Applications: 12noon on Friday 8 February 2012
Interviews will take place on Wednesday 20 February 2013
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