3887 - Charge Nurse / Sister Virtual Wards
12 months fixed term / secondment opportunity
RightcareBarnsley is a Single point of assess and Clinical Advisory Service based in Barnsley. We work collaboratively with Barnsley Hospital, SWYT Community Services, Barnsley ICB, Local Authority, and Primary Care services. We need Registered Nurses to join our well-established team of nurses and call operators to support our work with Barnsley Virtual Wards.
The NHS definition of a VW ward is a safe and efficient alternative to NHS bedded care, enabled by technology. VWs support patients who would otherwise be in hospital to receive the necessary acute care, monitoring, and treatment at home, including preventing avoidable admissions and supporting early discharge from hospital. Virtual Wards are a key element of UEC delivery and Winter planning.
Aspart of the national Operational Planning Guidance, the introduction of Virtual Wards (VW) across the system is a priority for the NHS. Initially, the focus is for each PLACE to develop a VW to support patients with Acute Respiratory Infection (including Covid patients) and Frailty in their routine place of residence. The national ambition is to provide 40-50 virtual ward beds per 100k population by December 2023, which for Barnsley equates to 106-132 beds. VWs will operate seven days a week, 12 hours a day, with out-of-hours support for patients on the VWs requiring assistance.
Main duties of the job
You will assist the Operational Manager in developing and maintaining Barnsley Virtual Wards, ensuring safe, effective, and individualized support to patients discharged early onto a Virtual Ward or stepped up to support hospital avoidance from a community setting.
You will maintain quality patient care, facilitate improvements, ensure a positive patient experience, and manage daily caseload operations. You will be involved in onboarding patients, triaging new referrals, and supporting patient escalation when necessary.
This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the ongoing development of Virtual Wards over the next 12 months to cover a colleague's maternity leave. This can be a fixed-term contract or secondment.
About us
Please note that the Trust reserves the right to close a position early.
Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is a high-performing organization, achieving a 'Good' rating in the latest CQC assessment, with significant progress in strategic objectives. We value our staff's commitment to ensuring a sustainable future for the organization, highly regarded by our communities.
There has never been a better time to join Barnsley Hospital. We are moving at pace with a 'we can do this' attitude, engaging staff in change and growth.
Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is committed to promoting equality and fair treatment for all applicants, regardless of race, nationality, ethnicity, gender, marital status, disability, religion, sexual orientation, age, or offending history.
The cost of DBS checks for Band 6 and above roles will be deducted from salary for successful candidates.
Certificates of Sponsorship
If you require sponsorship under the skilled worker or healthcare visa route, please check your eligibility at the GOV.UK website. Note that from 09/04/2025, sponsorship is no longer available for Band 2 and 3 entry roles.
Job responsibilities
Job Description for Sister / Charge Nurse Virtual Wards
Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details.
Supporting Documents
Refer to the values-based recruitment guidance and related documentation.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* First Level Registered Nurse.
* Experience in Acute and/or Community care.
* Relevant post-registration education and development evidence.
Experience
* Experience in diverse clinical settings.
* Experience with Adult/Child Protection issues.
* Effective leadership skills.
* Significant experience at Band 5.
Knowledge and Awareness
* Understanding of healthcare and community services.
* Knowledge of health and social care policies.
* Awareness of health and safety issues.
* Experience and ability in teaching.
* Ongoing professional development.
* Current healthcare issues.
* Quality benchmarking and audit.
* Clinical governance and NHS standards.
* Risk management, NHSLA, confidentiality, and statutory requirements.
Skills and Abilities
* Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
* Strong organizational skills.
* Ability to work independently.
Trust Values
* Describe what Equality & Diversity means to you and its importance (~100 words).
* Describe how you contribute to a well-functioning team (~100 words).
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