Job overview
Located in central London, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust has one of the most respected Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) services in the UK.
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Clinical Nurse Specialist (Band 7) to join our IBD Team. The successful candidate will work with IBD Specialist Nurses/ IBD Infusion Nurses & IBD Co-ordinator and become an integral part of the established Nurse Led Service to provide support, advice and improve access for both inpatients and outpatients.
Responsibilities will include telephone helpline, telephone clinics, face to face clinical review, infusions, and involvement in the planning and delivery of all treatments for patients with IBD.
This is a full time maternity cover for nine months which will suit a dynamic and motivated nurse, with experience in the management and care of IBD. It is an excellent opportunity to develop your role within an established IBD specialist nursing team and will be expected to work at both hospital sites. Training and supervision will be provided within the role from both nursing and medical supervisors, along with opportunities to attend relevant study as appropriate.
Candidates need to have relevant experience in inflammatory bowel disease, be able to manage a workload of patients, able to prioritise and communicate effectively. The post is an excellent opportunity for individuals who wish to develop their skills in specialised inflammatory bowel disease nursing.
Main duties of the job
Main Duties and Responsibilities
·To work as a member of the IBD team contributing to the delivery and development of all aspects of the IBD specialist service.
·To assess plan and implement patient’s care, providing specialist and advanced clinical management, education, information and support to patients and their families/ carers with IBD problems. This includes administration of parenteral therapies in our dedicated infusion unit.
·To undertake and further develop nurse-led services including outpatient clinics, inpatient specialist review, telephone advice via the help lines, transition care for adolescents and their families, monitoring of immunomodulation and biologic therapies.
·To work with other members of the multidisciplinary team and other relevant departments throughout the hospital to ensure safe and effective delivery of care for our IBD patients.
·To deputise for the Senior IBD Nurse practitioner during periods of leave.
· To assist the Senior IBD Nurse Specialist in providing clinical supervision and training to colleagues/ other healthcare professionals and students as appropriate.
Working for our organisation
Within the IBD service, there is a strong focus on delivering responsive, evidence-based care, supporting patients with complex needs, and enhancing self-management. Staff are encouraged to contribute to service development, audit, and quality improvement initiatives.
This is an environment that values leadership, supports career progression, and fosters a positive and inclusive workplace where high standards of care are consistently achieved.
IBD team offers the benefit of a highly cohesive and supportive multidisciplinary environment, where collaboration is central to delivering safe and effective patient care. Strong teamwork between nurses, consultants, dietitians, pharmacists, and surgeons enables holistic management of complex IBD patients and promotes shared decision-making.
The team fosters a culture of open communication, mutual respect, and continuous learning, allowing staff to develop specialist knowledge and confidence in managing biologics, flare pathways, and long-term care. Flexibility within the service supports both patient needs and staff well being, with opportunities for adaptable working and shared responsibilities across the team.
Overall, the IBD team provides a positive and dynamic working environment that values innovation, supports professional growth, and is aligned with standards set by NHS, ensuring high-quality, patient-centred care.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Clinical Practice
·Provide specialist IBD advice, to patients (including transition) their families/ carers, other healthcare professionals and students.
·Takes responsibility for his/her own patient caseload/workload within the designated clinical area and for the assessment and treatment of patients on a day to day basis, without direct guidance from line manager. Escalates concerns to senior IBD nurse / Consultant Gastroenterologist in a timely fashion.
·Undertake nurse led clinics and manage help lines (IBD & infusion room) for patients in routine follow-up; newly diagnosed; in transition from paediatric care; having flare-ups and those undergoing immuno-suppressive and biologic therapy. Working within the guidelines and protocols in place, which will provide expert assessment, management, education; information and support for patients, and their families, ensuring patients receive therapy in a safe and timely manner.
·To triage and act upon information from the help lines, in line with guidelines and protocols in place, to be available for early access to clinics, to expedite consultation for treatment and admission in acute relapse.
·Develops the skills to assess and interpret specialist information and conditions and takes appropriate action, acting as patients advocate when necessary.
·To work within the guidelines and protocols in place, to provide expert assessment, management, education, information and support for both in and outpatients with IBD, and their families.
·To assist senior colleagues in the development and management of IBD service, including training of junior nurses to ensure safe assessment; education, information and support for patients with IBD.
·Development of policies and protocols to ensure clinical practice is based on best available evidence.
·Understands and recognises own limitations and refers to a more experienced specialist when required and ensures that feedback mechanisms are in place to facilitate the review of patients when necessary.
·Provides sensitive/ highly sensitive, complex or contentious information to patients/ carers with empathy and reassurance. (Screening for Blood borne viruses and giving patients results as part of biologic therapy assessment Viral Hepatitis and HIV, with empathy and understanding.)
·Provide a counselling/ advice service for patients and relatives and support for patient groups, including Crohn’s and Colitis UK group.
·Communicates with the multidisciplinary team, acting as a specialist resource, demonstrates advanced verbal and non-verbal communication skills with patients, carers and medical and non-medical staff, ensuring communication is at a level appropriate to individual understanding.
·Undertake clinical procedures that require dexterity and accuracy, in line with guidelines and protocols in place. (IBD: Venepuncture & cannulation skills; advanced history taking; clinical assessment and monitoring of IBD patients, including those having acute flare-ups, on immuno-suppressive and biologic therapies and in routine follow-up.)
·Attend and participate in the IBD multidisciplinary team meetings.
·Contribute to the IBD standards group and IBDQIP development.
·To work closely with other IBD CNS’s in the region and nationally to provide a uniformly high standard of care.
Leadership and Management
·Deputises for and supports Senior IBD Nurse Specialist when necessary in issues relating to the IBD Service.
·Contribute to the provision and review of specialist protocols and policies.
·Responsible for organising own workload within the requirements of the specialist team activities and work plan.
·Produces and presents reports as required.
·Provide representation on committees/ working groups as required.
·Contribute towards the development of effective networks and liaison within IBD.
·Be aware of budgetary limitations and provide highest quality nursing service within those confines.
·Make line manager aware of any concerns regarding the quality of service provided in a constructive manner.
Education
·Provides teaching in practice to other healthcare professionals and students through clinical supervision/ facilitation.
·Act as a positive role model and clinical resource for other healthcare professionals and students.
·Teaches patients and their families/carers about managing own condition.
·Contribute to the development of patient/ staff information, specific to IBD.
·Participate in the planning, delivery and evaluation of in-house education and training programmes, for all relevant disciplines of healthcare professionals, including medical students.
·Together with the Senior IBD Nurse Specialist provide relevant updates, education and training within the Trust and externally, to nurses, patient groups and other disciplines, including Exeter Medical School / undergraduate placements.
Research and Development
·Ensure clinical practice developments are based on best available evidence.
·Review and disseminate new information to relevant staff.
·Evaluate clinical practice in relation to its evidence base and clinical effectiveness.
·Use core audit skills to enable the specialist team and other health professionals to improve quality of care.
·Engage users and carers in service development process through patient panel and support group.
·Collect and collate epidemiological data to enable the team to inform independent or collaborative review of clinical practice.
·Maintain accurate records and databases (both local and regional) for patients with IBD.
Professional Development
·Maintain responsibility for own professional and specialist development.
·Participate in annual performance appraisal.
·Use reflection to identify and prioritise education/development needs.
·Pursue an ongoing programme of professional education/development relevant to the specialty.
·Maintain membership of specialist groups and attend regional and national meetings and conferences when possible. To work closely with other IBD CNS’s in the region and nationally to provide a uniformly high standard of care.
·Undertake any training required to maintain competency including mandatory training provided by the trust.
Person specification
Professional/ Statutory Registration
Essential criteria
1. NMC Registered
Desirable criteria
2. other registration (Non-medical Nurse prescriber)
Qualifications/Educational Attainment
Essential criteria
3. Registered Nurse (Adult)
4. Post registration study/qualification relevant to speciality (inflammatory bowel disease)
5. Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable criteria
6. Masters in related subject or studying towards MSc.
7. Non -medical prescriber or willing to undertake
Experience/Skills/Knowledge
Essential criteria
8. Experience of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Deputy/Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) Role
9. Experience with managing flares in IBD and directing to the appropriate pathways
10. Ability to work within a team and independently (autonomous practitioner)
Desirable criteria
11. Experience in MDT organisation and management
Values and Work Ethics
Essential criteria
12. Demonstrable ability to meet Trust values
13. Maintain a friendly, caring, safe environment for staff, patients and visitors
14. Treat patients, their families and visitors as we would like to be treated ourselves
Desirable criteria
15. Demonstrate ability to cope with challenging behaviour of patient and staff
Guy’s and St Thomas’ celebrates, respects and values the diversity of its staff and patients. We review our policies, procedures and practices to ensure that all employees, patients and carers are treated equitable according to their needs. We are actively committed to ensuring that no one who applies for a job, works or study’s at the Trust, or accesses our services is discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, religion or belief, age, gender identity, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity/paternity, or marital/civil partnership.