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Job summary

Main area
Community Health Services
Grade
Band 7
Contract
Permanent
Hours
  • Full time
  • Part time
  • Flexible working
37.5 hours per week (Shifts covering 8am – 9pm)
Job ref
448-LCA-8073289
Employer
East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust (Cambridgeshire)
Employer type
NHS
Site
The Poynt
Town
Luton
Salary
£49,387 - £56,515 per annum, pro-rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
28/06/2026 23:59
Interview date
08/07/2026

Employer heading

East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust (Cambridgeshire) logo

Senior Rapid Response Sister/Charge Nurse/Urgent Care Practitioner

Band 7

East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust delivers expert healthcare in people’s homes, community hospitals and local settings across the East of England.

Our nurses, therapists, clinicians, support teams and partners work together to provide coordinated care that supports independence, recovery and wellbeing. We believe people are best cared for close to home, in the communities where they live and belong.

By combining professional expertise with strong local relationships, we help people stay well, feel supported and access the right care at the right time. Expert healthcare, close to home, trusted by our communities.

Different ideas, experiences and backgrounds make us stronger and more creative and applications from all walks of life are welcomed. Our processes ensure that all applicants are treated fairly at every stage of the recruitment process.

East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust is committed to creating a modern and inclusive work environment. We actively promote flexible working opportunities where possible to meet the needs and wishes of our workforce and maintain and improve their wellbeing. We also offer flexible working patterns and we would encourage you to discuss this with the recruiting manager before or during the application process if this would interest you.

We welcome applications from people who share our values and can help us deliver outstanding care in our local community.

Before applying for this vacancy, please make sure you’re familiar with ongoing GOV.uk sponsorship eligibility criteria which will impact the organisations ability to provide sponsorship, whether this is currently or in the future.

Please note, our selection processes are in place to ensure we recruit candidates with the right values and skills. Please be advised that the use of AI in applications is monitored. We remain watchful of candidates who misuse these tools to generate an application that doesn’t accurately reflect their skills.

Please note all new starters will be subject to a 6 month probationary period.

Job overview

Are you an experienced, dynamic clinician ready to lead & deliver high-quality urgent care in the community?

We are seeking a Senior Rapid Response Sister / Charge Nurse to join our Rapid Response Team. You’ll play a vital role in delivering urgent care at home, preventing hospital admissions, supporting timely discharges; all while leading & developing a highly skilled multidisciplinary team

Provide urgent community-based assessment, diagnosis & treatment for patients at home

Lead, manage &support the Rapid Response team to deliver safe, effective care

Triage referrals, manage caseloads & coordinate care pathways

Work collaboratively with Frailty Virtual Ward, GPs, hospitals, ambulance services, MDT teams

Deliver advanced clinical care including IV therapy, assessment, prescribing 

Contribute to service development, audits, continuous improvement

Help prevent unnecessary admissions & support safe discharge planning.

Why Join Us?

Be part of a forward-thinking community service 

Opportunity to lead & shape service development

Work within a supportive multidisciplinary team

Access to continuous professional development, including advanced training opportunities

Make a real impact on patient outcomes & experience

You must be able to travel across the locality & hold a valid UK driving licence

Flexibility required to support a 7-day service

Requires a DBS check, commitment to safeguarding

(Should we receive a high number of applications we reserve the right to close this vacancy after 17/06/2026)

Main duties of the job

What We're Looking For

Essential Qualifications & Experience

Registered Nurse (RGN) / Paramedic / ECP with current registration

Degree-level education (or equivalent)

Significant post-registration experience, including community care.

Proven experience in team leadership, service coordination, and performance management.

Strong clinical skills in acute assessment and managing unwell patients.

Key Skills

Excellent leadership and communication skills.

Ability to prioritise and manage complex workloads

Advanced clinical competencies (e.g., IV therapy, cannulation, assessment).

Strong decision-making and problem-solving abilities

Desirable

Independent prescribing qualification (or willingness to undertake).

Experience in service development or project management.

Postgraduate or management qualification

Interview date will be on 8 July 2026 which will be held at the Poynt in Luton which will be face to face interviews.  This will give you the opportunity to see the working environment and meet the team.

Working for our organisation

Rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission, we are proud to provide high quality innovative services across most of the east of England that enable people to receive care closer to home and live healthier lives.

There’s one reason why our services are outstanding – and that’s our amazing staff  who, for the seventh year running, rated us incredibly highly in the national staff survey.

If you share our passion for innovative and high-quality care delivery, then please submit your application and join us on our exciting journey as a leading-edge specialist community provider. All are welcome to apply and our promise to you is a culture which prioritises staff engagement and development. 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Provide acute clinical assessment and treatment to patients in their own home, including care homes undertaking the planning, assessment and evaluation of patient care packages and arranging onward referrals as required.

Triage/co-ordinate referrals and review caseloads.

You will contribute to ensuring that local policy, protocols and procedures are monitored and developed in order to provide safe, effective assessment and prioritization of patient referrals to ensure effective and safe delivery of care.

Develop and provide specialised care packages for patients, plan and deliver prescribed therapy in patient’s homes, including intravenous therapy as prescribed.

Liaise with Discharge Planning and medical staff to effectively manage the safe discharge of patients and care in community.

Liaise with GPs and the multi-disciplinary team / community nursing team to effectively respond and plan packages of care to support patients at home which avoid inappropriate hospital admission.

Ensure appropriate staff cover for management of caseload / service and take necessary action to provide a safe high-quality service.

Using highly developed clinical skills and knowledge recognise and assess any complication surrounding patient care and refer to physicians / GPs / Specialists as required.

Prioritise workload.  Be responsible for the caseload including the allocation and follow-up of delegated visits.

Provide education to patients on nature of treatment, side effects and expected outcome which empower patients to manage their own condition to encourage independence.

Undertake responsibility for prescribing medication where applicable in line with independent nurse prescribing guidelines following accredited training and competence. 

Ensure at all times patients are treated with care and compassion, provide understanding and support to patients coping with acute and/or long-term conditions.

 Identify and manage unpredicted crisis situations i.e. staff, caseload, support network and supervision. Escalate to senior managers the situation, risk, action and outcome as required.

(Please see JD and PS for detailed responsibilities)

Person specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential criteria
  • RGN with current registration
  • Educated to degree level or equivalent
  • MSPP or equivalent
  • Evidence of recent continuing clinical and professional development
  • Independent Nurse prescribing course
  • Commitment to undertake appropriate education at Masters level
  • History taking or equivalent (Top to Toe)
Desirable criteria
  • Management qualification
  • Specialist post graduate course in relevant subject

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Experience in team management, resource management and workload coordination.
  • Performance management
  • Significant post registration experience including community experience.
  • Work across organisational boundaries and multidisciplinary care coordination
  • Experience / knowledge of clinical governance and audit cycles, evaluation of services, research.
  • Change management , supporting staff through change
  • Holistic patient assessment and care planning in community setting
  • Experience managing acutely unwell patients
  • Experience of clinical triage
Desirable criteria
  • Experience developing and implementing new services
  • Frailty
  • Audit

Knowledge and Skills

Essential criteria
  • Time Management and prioritisation skills
  • Evidence of IT competency e.g. Word, Excel
  • Ability to analyse and negotiate at a high level
  • Leadership skills
  • Excellent interpersonal skills
  • Acute clinical skills / competencies e.g. - IV Therapy , - Phlebotomy, Cannulation - Clinical assessment, diagnosis
  • Ability to communicate effectively both individually and to groups (verbal and written) face to face
Desirable criteria
  • Point of Care Testing

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Carers Friendly Tick award EmployersVeteran AwareDisability confident leaderArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Step into healthNational 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.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Petrina Kaye
Job title
Service Manager
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07881516886
Additional information

Petrina Kaye - 07881516886

Emma Farquhar - 0782 723 3906

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