This unique Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) role in Epilepsy is designed to work within the recently established Learning Disability Epilepsy Service (LDES) in Bexley. The role works closely with the Epilepsy Consultant, liaises with neighbouring neurology teams, and primary care. The post holder carries a caseload and supervises a specialist support worker.
Key components of the role
* Provision of specialist assessment and intervention in the management of epilepsy and learning disability, in partnership with service users, their families, carers and other generic community health and social care providers.
* Provision of advice and support to the wider learning disability nursing teams in Bexley, for epilepsy & health promotion.
* Ensure that people with learning disabilities have access to appropriate health care services.
* To accept referrals according to locally agreed guidelines. To manage a highly complex clinical caseload ensuring high standards of care that is flexible to the needs of the service user.
* When appropriate, provide direct nursing support and / or facilitate access to generic health services in accordance with individual needs.
* Contribute to the development and implementation of Policies, Procedures and Clinical Guidelines in the community setting particularly in areas associated with epilepsy.
* To be responsible for delivering specialist epilepsy assessment, (including risk screening assessment and management planning).
* Participate and when appropriate, run nurse led clinics for people with learning disabilities and epilepsy.
* Develop formal links and working relationships with local Adult Neurology, Paediatric and Acute Service in Bexley.
* Take the lead for developing links and working relationships with local and national voluntary epilepsy groups / organisations, to ensure access to relevant information and support for service users and their carers.
* Work jointly with other professionals within the Learning Disability Partnership and ensure prompt and appropriate delivery of services.
Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children’s centres, schools and people’s homes.
We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.
Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:
* We’re Kind
* We’re Fair
* We Listen
* We Care
Managerial, leadership and clinical responsibilities
* Take managerial responsibility for epilepsy nursing interventions provided by the specialist epilepsy service and ensure that any referrals received by the service receive the required specialist input.
* Develop a working relationship with the relevant Primary Health Care Teams, Secondary Care, and other social care / independent providers to raise awareness of the epilepsy and health care needs of people with learning disabilities and define their area of responsibility.
* To be responsible for the regular supervision and PDR’s with learning disability nursing staff in line with the Trust’s Clinical Supervision Policy. This will include managing staff performance and capability as appropriate.
* Collect data required for management information.
* Promote a positive image of Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust by participating in service promotion and information events. Contribute to meetings / conferences, newsletters and journals when required.
* Organise, participate in and when required, lead group work for service users, their carers and other professionals.
* Register as a Datix handler, and when required review Datix incident reports and develop action plans. Reporting to patient safety group as required.
* Actively contribute, along with the LD Consultant Psychiatrist, in reviewing and developing the LD Epilepsy service strategy.
* Keep up to date with developments in the area of epilepsy, both locally and nationally ensuring that this is reflected in practice.
* Identify and evaluate relevant practice knowledge through membership of peer networks, conference and relevant courses.
* Take responsibility for own professional and organisational knowledge in accordance with NMC and Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust revalidation policies.
Please see attached JD and PS for full detail.
This advert closes on Tuesday 31 Mar 2026.
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