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Job summary

Main area
Diabetes and Endocrine
Grade
Band 6
Contract
Permanent
Hours
  • Full time
  • Part time
  • Flexible working
37.5 hours per week
Job ref
359-7227156-T2-A
Employer
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Tunbridge Wells (Cross site contract)
Town
Tunbridge Wells
Salary
£38,682 - £46,580 per annum pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
15/08/2025 23:59

Employer heading

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust logo

Diabetes Clinical Nurse Specialist/Diabetes Specialist Nurse

Band 6

Job overview

We are looking to recruit an experienced band 6 Diabetes Specialist Nurse to join our team at Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust who is enthusiastic, highly motivated and forward thinking, to help us drive improvements in service delivery.

The successful applicant, will have demonstrable experience of working as a diabetes specialist nurse, with proven clinical skills.

The ideal candidate will have experience of working as a diabetes specialist nurse will specific experience running clinics; ideally within diabetes antenatal, Type 1, YAC, pumps and/or community spoke clinics.

Strong nurse led out-patient clinic experience is essential, with either a working knowledge or willingness to learn developing diabetes technologies.

You will be self-motivated, organised, computer literate and able to demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills and committed to service provision whilst maintaining own continual professional development.

Although all roles are cross site, we are looking specially for someone to support us with antenatal out-patient clinics at Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone Hospital.

Main duties of the job

We aim to offer diabetes specialist nurses the opportunity to work in any area of our service over time, to ensure a broad range of diabetes knowledge, experience and skills. Our service covers in-patient, out-patient and community diabetes CNS roles, so a unique place to work for any Diabetes CNS wishing to progress in the professional.

Responsibilities include:-

To work as an autonomous practitioner and effectively co-ordinate and deliver an expert nursing service within diabetes

To manage patients/client caseloads

To ensure that patients and their families are fully informed and supported by providing clinical and social support

To be involved in the development of evidence based clinical nursing practice in line with current research and guidelines

To work collaboratively with colleagues

To establish clear lines of communication with primary healthcare.

To be involved in research/audit

 

We are a friendly team and a team who would support anyone new to our service.

If you are interested in applying for this role, please do make contact with the Diabetes CNS Lead for further details and/or to arranged an informal visit.

We ask that when completing your application, you clearly demonstrate where your skills and experience meet criteria for the role and your specific experience, skills and knowledge acquired since you became a DSN / PN or Spoke nurse.

Working for our organisation

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust ranks among the top 10 NHS Trusts nationwide and was named the second-best Trust to work for in the South East in the 2023 and 2024 NHS Staff Survey.

We are a large acute hospital trust in south-east England, providing general hospital services and specialist care to around 600,000 residents in West Kent and East Sussex. With a dedicated and diverse team of over 8,000 staff we are proud to offer specialised cancer services to over two million people through the Kent Oncology Centre.

Fordcombe Hospital, near Tunbridge Wells, became part of the Trust in October 2024. Specialising in planned care, it offers two operating theatres, 28 inpatient and day-care beds, diagnostic services (X-ray, MRI, CT, and endoscopy), and consultation/treatment rooms.

Looking for flexible working?
We are a flexible working-friendly organisation. Whether it’s adjusting your hours or exploring other flexible arrangements, we want to work with you to find the best solution for you, our patients, and the Trust. Talk to us about how we can accommodate your working needs.

Click here to hear what our staff say.

Joining us includes a comprehensive benefits package:

  • At least 27 days of annual leave plus public/bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time staff).
  • Membership in the NHS Pension Scheme, with a 20.6% employer contribution and life assurance benefits
  • Blue Light card eligibility
  • And more, additional benefits can be found in the benefits documents below

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

We’ve provided all the details you need about this role in the job description and person specification. Please take a moment to review the criteria in the person specification and share specific examples in your application that demonstrate how you meet these requirements. Please also check your application for errors/omissions prior to submission.

Please note that appointment to this post will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check at Enhanced Level. (Enhanced level now includes regulated checks against vulnerable adults and children)

All successful applicants will be required to complete our corporate trust induction once a start date had been agreed.

Following your corporate induction you will be expected to attend the Trust’s 2-week Induction Programme for RNs, NAs, RMs, ODPs and Paramedics. The programme is full-time (please email [email protected]t if this is problematic) and will involve travel to both Trust sites. The programme includes supernumerary shifts in the clinical area, classroom-based sessions and e-learning.

Person specification

Qualification

Essential criteria
  • Level 1 NMC Adult Registered Nurse
  • •Diabetes Course (Degree, Diploma or Certificate) (If candidate has undertaken a diabetes secondment this will be accepted in replace of a diabetes course)
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of managing diabetes in specialist clinics,( renal. pregnancy/gestational , pump, YAC)
  • DAFNE qualification
  • Mentorship qualification or willingness to undertake
  • Counselling qualification or willingness to undertake
  • Diabetes Diploma/Certificate
  • Non-Medical Independent Prescriber/ Willingness to undertake.

Experience/Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Post registration experience.
  • Extensive knowledge of diabetes having previous experience in a DSN role.
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team within diabetes.
  • Knowledge of Type 1 & Type 2 Diabetes
  • Able to demonstrate understanding and empathy
  • Knowledge of diabetes specialist clinical treatments and an awareness of diabetes technologies.
Desirable criteria
  • Experience with implementing change
  • Knowledge of key resources
  • Willingness to learn and acquire skills, training to meet needs of service.
  • Knowledge of NSF and NICE Guidance for diabetes.
  • Experience of teaching and presenting
  • Critical application of knowledge in the field of diabetes.
  • Willingness to develop using the Trend Career competency document.
  • Experience of clinical supervision and mentoring junior staff/nursing students.
  • To contribute to the development of policies and protocols to improve patient care.

Skills

Essential criteria
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills.
  • Computer literacy
  • Good clinical assessment skills or willingness to develop these
  • Good listening, observational and interpretive skills.
  • Demonstrate effective teaching skills
  • Excellent interpersonal skills.
  • Have awareness of own limitations and when to seek advice from senior members of the team
Desirable criteria
  • Effective presentation skills
  • Experience of undertaking research/audits programmes.
  • Project management skills

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Kent and Medway Work Place Wellbeing AwardNHS Pastoral Care Quality AwardTrust IDVeteran AwareApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyMenopause Friendly EmployerPositive about disabled peopleAge positiveStep into healthDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - GoldArmed Forces CovenantRoyal College of Anaesthetists AccreditedNHS England Bronze Award

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 may close early if it receives a high number of applications. Please complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Angela Murphy
Job title
Diabetes CNS Lead
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07710069359
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