Tissue Viability Clinical Nurse SpecialistinPlymouthinPlymouthPUBLISHED MON 24 MAR 2025

24.75 hours per week

12-mths' fixed term contract

An exciting opportunity has arisen should you want to further develop your leadership & management skills, whilst additionally expanding your experience & knowledge of tissue viability and wound management with our established TV Team.

You are required to have knowledge of the National Wound Strategy & other related guidance/policy incorporating this into practice, pathways & policies.

Are you methodical, able to prioritise, have budgetary awareness, the ability to make decisions based on risk through discussion and support of our TV Team, do you want the opportunity to lead or chair TV related meetings?

This post, will provide you the opportunity to build & develop your skills and competence linked with staff management

With the support of our established TV Team, provide specialist clinical, expertise advice & triage, be involved in the strategic development of an established TV education & training

Leading the TV Service, working in partnership with our patients, families, to provide safe, evidence-based practice, through comprehensive holistic assessment & lead on a MDT approach to achieve the best possible outcomes

Representing TV Service, within Livewell meetings and forums, working in collaboration with the Dignity & Care Forum, more strategic Formulary Group, West Country TV Group and other strategic forum opportunities

You will be required to travel independently & timely to areas of Plymouth, South Hams and West Devon

Lead and review the establishment, implement, and maintain high standards of clinical practice in Tissue Viability.

Act as a role model through the provision of professional leadership. Undertake Line Management Supervision and Professional Development Plans for the Tissue Viability team.

Manage performance and ensure mandatory, essential and external training is sourced for the team as required.

Develop and deliver education and training to the whole health economy Livewell Southwest.

Act as a lead for the Tissue Viability team including recruitment, induction, retention and orientation.

Responsible for checking and signing off invoices and managing a budget.

Review and evaluate topical applications, dressings and pressure relieving equipment.

Manage and review the Total Purchase spend monthly. Aligning with the Formulary Group and reviewing the monthly spend on dressings.

Overall management of the Tissue Viability budget.

Participate and be responsible for records keeping audit, pressure ulcer audit.

An in-depth understanding of the local demographics and the needs of the community.

Undertake holistic assessment for people with hard to heal wounds and specialist equipment selection.

This role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route.

Please note that LW may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline.

All staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7 day service.

About us

To deliver specialist nursing care in defined area of nursing in accordance with national and local policy and guidance in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery council.

Manage and co-ordinate a complex nursing caseload within Livewell SW

Act as a Care Manager/Care Co-ordinator as appropriate for patients/carers and commission care packages and care planning to use specialist skills to promote a positive approach to risk management.

Be responsible for assessing, diagnosing, implementing, planning, and reviewing complex packages of care in partnership with patients, carers and multi-professional agencies including case conferences. Providing specialist advise.

The specialist practitioner will utilise their health promotion and behaviour change skills and knowledge to optimise the health of patients with life limiting illness including frailty, by encouraging and promoting maximum independence and maintaining a good quality of life.

The specialist practitioner will provide expert advice and clinical support whilst promoting the effective and efficient delivery of high-quality service within the local community.

Provide professional clinical support to the nursing team and advise on practice. Identify training needs of staff working in partnership with the clinical operational managers and encourage practitioners to develop,

Skills in critical thinking and reflective practice

Excellence in practice

Specialist knowledge

Research based practice

The Advanced nurse will use Health Needs Assessments and change management tools to develop initiatives in health promotion and disease management, which includes monitoring and improving the standards of health in the community.

To work within the scope of the NMC professional code of practice. Moving across the organisation should the need arise, for example, in a pandemic situation.

Your role may require you to be a non-medical prescriber / Nurse Prescriber taking responsibility for prescribing in line with Nurse Prescribing formulary and local Joint Formulary.

To work within Livewell Southwest policies.

To apply advanced skills and knowledge to enable you to undertake holistic assessments and development of care plans in agreement with the person with complex, conditions. Using an evidenced based approach adjacent to theoretical, practical knowledge and skills is required to ensure safe and effective, quality person cantered care

To hold a Specialist Practitioner Qualification and as a result have the skills and knowledge in advanced clinical assessments of body systems to assess diagnose and if appropriate utilise prescribing to be an autonomous practitioner with relevant research for care delivered.

The specialist practitioner will provide expert advice and clinical support whilst promoting the effective and efficient delivery of high-quality service within the local community.

Provide professional clinical support to the MDT and advise on practice. Identifying training needs of staff and encourage practitioners to develop skills in critical thinking and reflective practice, excellence in practice, Specialist knowledge and research-based practice

The post holder depending on role may also be the operational manager for the team and as such undertake operational duties as agreed with integrated operational lead.

If this not applicable to role there is a requirement to deputise for the operational manager in his her absence.

Have a flexible approach to the working day to meet the needs of the patient and the service.

Manage and coordinate a complex Nursing caseload (or caseloads) in conjunction with caseload holders and operational manager, supporting delegation of nursing tasks within the skill mix of the team.

Be a source of specialist knowledge to the team and wider organisation

Be accountable for the direct delivery of service by providing holistic, evidenced based practice to patients, ensuring maximum independence and quality of life in a constantly changing environment.

Facilitate the team when dealing with complex or urgent situations which can be emotionally challenging e.g. continuing NHS healthcare, EOL, safeguarding adults, child protection issues in partnership with patients and carers.

As an advanced nurse you will actively support and take the lead where required for the service contributing to MDT meetings working with multi professionals.

Supervise, monitor, develop standards and audit care delivered to patients and carers by the multi-disciplinary team.

Maintain strong working relationships, communicate effectively with GPs, Practice nurses' social services, Mental Health, Acute and Community hospital colleagues.

Undertake, develop, and maintain nursing skills and competencies that are required for this role.

The Advanced nurse will complement the skill mix of the nursing team and ensure that the ever-changing health needs of patients are met.

Act as advisor professional leader in health care issues and clinical practice in the most complex and urgent cases.

Supportive role in the strategic planning of health and community-based services in partnership with the operational manager.

Deputise and support the modern matron and professional leads.

You may be required to undertake 7 days working, including bank holidays, this is subject to the terms and conditions set out in your contract of employment.

Act as a Care Manager/Care Co-ordinator as appropriate for patients/carers and commission care packages and care planning to use specialist skills to promote a positive approach to risk management.

The Specialist nurse will understand the theory behind and value of therapeutic relationships and be a role model for widespread personalised care and shared decision making between clinicians and patients.

As part of your role there may be a requirement / opportunity to undertake Treatment Escalation Plan (TEP) discussion, to achieve this you will be required to be competent in advanced communication, care planning and attended appropriate training to support competence.

To develop strategies for continued professional development as Non-Medical Prescriber if relevant for role.

To maintain effective verbal and written communication with the clinical team and to keep staff informed of changes to prescribing intervention or treatment provided to service-users.

To work in partnership with medical staff and service-users in the development and implementation of clinical management plans related to an individuals treatment and prescribing needs.

To establish and maintain good liaison with key stakeholders in the individuals care e.g. GP practices and other services in the area, including sharing prescribing information and rationale.

Manage and prioritise a defined complex caseload of patients and delegate where appropriate.

Co-ordinates annual leave, study leave and duty rotas if required in absence of the Operational Team manager or as part of role if dual specialist operational team manager.

Undertake the full range of people management tasks and responsibilities including recruitment, induction, retention, orientation communication, staff engagement, workforce planning, appraisal, training and development and performance management including disciplinary / grievance/sickness with support from operational leads, services managers and or team leads.

Work with other team leads advanced specialists to ensure clinical and operational management cover across services is maintained especially at times of service pressure.

Be aware of pressures facing your work colleagues and offer support to ensure they are aware of the organisation support services available to them.

Act as a role model for all team members demonstrating and maintaining high standards of practice and professional leadership. Addressing issues of poor practice with senior line management and HR.

To support with student placement and training in line with Livewell Southwest policies.

Plan and participate in the supervision, teaching and provision of community experience for all nurses' learners and other personnel as appropriate.

To demonstrate awareness of resources, providing cost effective and quality-controlled usage of products.

To have a working knowledge of statutory and non-statutory funding and the legislation guidance that underpins these funding streams, ensuring service users meet the eligibility criteria when advocating for/ utilising services on the service users behalf e.g. Care Act eligibility, Housing legislation etc

Be authorised signatory and signing off the supplies and expenses. These include off duty, staff overtime, annual leave, bank nurses and the procurement of supplies for the team.

Exercise a duty of care in relation to the use of the organisations equipment and resources in a cost-effective manner.

To be responsible for overseeing and monitoring and authorising of equipment and ensuring maintenance and repair.

Maintain effective working relationships with multidisciplinary team and deliver a cost effective quality service to patient carers within a defined geographical area.

To contribute to resource governance through knowledge and appropriate prescribing decisions.

To work collaboratively with wider team to ensure effective day to day running of service

To report and record all incidents and near misses relating to health, safeguarding, safety, security, fire, physical violence, aggression, and verbal abuse.

The post holder will be required to use a computer, being responsible for timely recording patient activities for IT data collection, dealing with e-mail queries, stock and equipment ordering.

Review and sign-off clinical incident reports alongside supporting caseload management.

Please see supporting information for full Job Description and Person Specification.