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Job summary

Main area
Rheumatology
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 6
Contract
Permanent: 3 days week
Hours
Part time - 26 hours per week
Job ref
193-7925685NCG
Employer
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Royal Berkshire Hospital
Town
Reading
Salary
£39,959 - £48,117 pro-rata per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
30/04/2026 23:59

Employer heading

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust logo

Clinical Nurse Specialist (Rheumatology) - 26 hrs p/w

NHS AfC: Band 6

At the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust we put our patients at the heart of every element of health and care that we provide. The Trust works together as a community to deliver its vision which is “Working together to provide outstanding care for our community.”

Royal Berkshire Hospital are pleased to announce that following our CQC inspection we have been rated ‘Good’ with inspectors reporting that we have made significant improvements.  The Trust’s overall rating has also improved to ‘good’.  

We are Compassionate in our thoughts, words and actions

We are Aspirational and have a true desire to be dynamic and to innovate

We are Resourceful and responsible in the way we work and live

We are Excellent in our development, fairness and sharing best practice

At the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, we value candidates who bring their unique personalities, skills, and experiences to the Trust. When completing your application, we encourage you to highlight your individual achievements and strengths, showing us how they align with the requirements outlined in the job description and person specification. While we recognise that some applicants may use AI tools during the process, please be mindful that AI-generated responses can often lack the personal detail and relevance needed to demonstrate your suitability for the role. AI generated content is discouraged by the Trust and may diminish the candidates chances of success.

Amazing things happen at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust; delivered by amazing people so why don’t you come and join us.  We offer a range of learning and development for all employees may you be clinical or non-clinical.  

Please note: all vacancies automatically close when 50 applications have been received.

Job overview

Band 6 Clinical Nurse Specialist (Rheumatology)

This is a part-time post for 26 hours per week.

The Rheumatology Team have an exciting opportunity for a dynamic and motivated individual to join our team working to improve the safety, experience and outcomes for patients at the Royal Berkshire Hospital. 

This post offers the opportunity to have a real impact on the independence and confidence in patients at the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

A passion for admission prevention is a must for this position.

We are looking for:

An individual who is confident in teaching colleagues/patients. Sharing knowledge with patient’s and colleagues is an important part of the job, so confidence and good interpersonal skills are key.

Someone who is interested in continuing their learning and willing to work towards History taking and Prescribing. A candidate who is committed to staying up to date on research/guidelines.

A candidate who has a high standard of spoken and written English. Experience in working with audits and research would be desirable.

Experience in Biologic/Dawn Monitoring is desirable but training will be provided to the right candidate.

Please Note: This post does not offer Remote working.

Main duties of the job

The post holder is a skilled practitioner and is responsible for the delivery of patient-focused care, which address the complex and changing health and well-being needs of the Rheumatology patient.

The post holder is able to exercise clinical judgement and decision making about patient needs in terms of long-term goals and plans.

To follow Departmental, Trust and BSR Protocols and Guideline, including conducting related investigations, data collection, research and audit.

Provide Rheumatology specific education to staff, patients and their families/carers.

The post holder ensures the smooth running of the Rheumatology service in the absence of Senior Nurses and provides clinical and managerial leadership support to the team.

Support the development of specialist strategies, policies and plans to build capacity and resilience within and across the Trust, in line with Trust wide strategy.

The post holder will also work closely with the Rheumatology Consultants, Pharmacist, Physiotherapist and Homecare to support robust monitoring of the patient condition and act accordingly to the specialty instructions and SOPs.

The post holder works with clinicians, care group leaders and administrators to set and deliver the strategic vision of the services.

Working for our organisation

We are one of the largest hospital foundation trusts in the country, and currently touch the lives of half a million patients in the west of Berkshire every year by providing high quality acute medical and surgical services for our local communities.  The Trust strives to provide high quality, compassionate care for our patients and their families. 

Our "CARE" values:

•    Compassionate
•    Aspirational
•    Resourceful
•    Excellent

Reading sits on the River Thames and is served by great road and rail links to London, Oxford, and Southampton. With excellent leisure and shopping facilities, and a thriving cultural scene, Reading is a wonderful place to live, work, and play and provides excellent facilities for families, including some of the best state and private schools in the UK.

The CQC rated the care provided by the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust as Good.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for further details of the job role.

Person specification

Education/ Qualifications/ Training

Essential criteria
  • Current Registered Nurse, Degree level
  • Resuscitation-minimum of Intermediate Life Support
  • Mentorship / Assessor/ facilitator/ coaching qualification
  • Evidence of recent clinical practice in specialist area and evidences of recent appropriate experience
  • Significant post registration experience
Desirable criteria
  • History taking, Assessment and Diagnostics module
  • Non-Medical Prescriber qualification

Clinical and Governance

Essential criteria
  • Understand blood monitoring and remote surveillance service
  • Ability to make decisions, organise and prioritise
  • Excellent communication, negotiation and influencing skill
  • Demonstrate willingness to develop clinical skills in specialist area
  • Experience of data collection for audit, research and quality improvement
Desirable criteria
  • Demonstrates a desire to explore innovative ways of delivering services
  • Understand Trust budget, costing and Blue-Teq

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyCare quality commission - GoodArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerStonewall equality policy. Equality and justice for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people.Florence Nightingale FoundationNational Preceptorship for Nursing Quality Mark 2024

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Application numbers

This vacancy will automatically close when 50 applications have been received.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Shirley Lee
Job title
Lead Nurse
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07767837888
Additional information

Helen Wheeler  07774 335793

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