About the Organisation:
As Scotland’s smallest health board, NHS Orkney is committed to delivering excellent care to our 22,000 residents. Whether you’re new to the NHS or bringing experience from elsewhere, your skills will make a real difference.
Our modern healthcare facility, The Balfour, brings together inpatient care, emergency services, outpatient clinics, diagnostics, GP practices and the Scottish Ambulance Service. We’re also investing in services across our outer isles, ensuring high-quality care reaches every corner of Orkney.
We are guided by our core values that shape everything we do – Open and honest, Respect and Kindness – from how we care for our patients to how we support each other as colleagues.
About Orkney:
With over 70 islands – 20 of them inhabited – Orkney offers a unique blend of natural beauty, close-knit community and an opportunity for adventure. From dramatic coastlines and rare wildlife to rich cultural traditions and active lifestyles, it’s a place where compassion thrives and every day brings something new. Regularly named one of the UK’s best places to live, Orkney offers a lifestyle that’s both fulfilling and inspiring.
The Position: This post offers a unique and exciting opportunity to gain knowledge and skills with a broad range of patients, but mainly oncology and palliative care patients. The successful candidate will work with a multi-professional team to ensure a high standard of support is given to the patients and relatives attending the Macmillan Department.
The Macmillan department supports patients with cancer and some long-term conditions. The department delivers Systemic Anti-Cancer Treatment and provides symptom control interventions to patients who often have complex and end of life care needs.
In this role you will provide and support the delivery of patient care under the supervision of registered staff. Be able to adapt to emotionally challenging scenarios with patients and relatives. There will also be an administrative aspect to this role, for example ordering stock and supplies, to support the department. There will be a combination on day duty and night duty caring for the patients within the 4 bedded inpatient setting.
The Candidate: Applicants should possess an SVQ3 in Health & Social Care or have demonstrable evidence of competence through equivalent work experience. Evidence of experience in a care setting with palliative and end of life care is essential.
Location, Working Pattern and Contract Duration:
This post will be based at The Balfour
The successful candidate will work: Part Time 36 hours per week
This post is Permanent
It is a condition of this employment that you must live and remain a resident within the UK for the post in which you will be employed with NHS Orkney.
Benefits and Salary:
Did you know NHS Scotland salaries are higher than those in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland?
The salary for this post is Band 3 £28,011 - £30,230 and if residing on Orkney, you’ll also receive a Distant Islands Allowance of £1,654 pro rata per annum, adding extra value to your rewarding career with us.
NHS Orkney also offers an attractive pension scheme, wide range of work life balance policies, employee assistance programme and various discounts to both local and national retailers.
Further Information:
If you share our vision and are ready to be part of Team Orkney, we’d love to hear from you. Your rewarding career starts here!
We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates may need during the recruitment process, and you will be asked whether you require any during your application. If there are additional requirements you would like to request, please contact ork.recruitment@nhs.scot
For further guidance on the recruitment process and tips for creating a strong application, please refer to our Candidate Application Pack.
To find out more about this opportunity please contact Emma McGuigan, Senior Charge Nurse on emma.mcguigan@nhs.scot
This post is subject to a Disclosure Scotland check.
Interview Date: Wednesday 10th December 2025