Main area OPAT/IV therapy service Grade Band 7 Contract Permanent Hours
* Full time
* Part time
* Job share
* Flexible working
Hours: 37.5 hours per week (Bank holiday & weekend working). Job ref 434-CR7793103-A
Site: Stoke Mandeville Hospital Town Aylesbury
Salary: £49,387 - £56,515 per annum (pro rata for part time)
Closing 05/05/2026 23:59
Job overview
The Band 7 role within the OPAT (Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy) & IV Therapy Service at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust (BHT) is a senior clinical, operational and leadership position central to the delivery of advanced intravenous therapy, antimicrobial stewardship, and virtual ward–enabled care across the Trust. The service forms a key component of the BOB Integrated Care System’s Virtual Ward and Hospital @ Home model and continues to expand in scope, complexity and workforce demand.
The Band 7 post-holder functions as a specialist autonomous practitioner, leading the operational delivery of OPAT/IV pathways, ensuring clinical governance, supporting workforce development, and collaborating with acute, community and specialist teams. The post is instrumental in enabling timely discharge, preventing unnecessary admission, and supporting patients to safely receive complex IV or antimicrobial therapy in outpatient and community settings.
Main duties of the job
The Band 7 OPAT & IV Therapy Nurse Specialist provides advanced clinical expertise, leadership and coordination for all OPAT and Trust-wide IV therapy pathways. They ensure safe, effective care for patients requiring parenteral/oral antimicrobials, IV therapies and vascular access support outside the inpatient ward environment.
This role also supports the delivery of the Trust’s Virtual Ward/Hospital @ Home model and acts as a senior decision-maker, service representative and clinical leader.
Responsibilities
* Specialist assessment for OPAT suitability
* Coordination of outpatient reviews, home visits and remote monitoring
* Management of complex IV regimens, including monitoring, toxicity screening and step‑down planning
* Senior oversight of remote monitoring data and patient escalations
* Central line assessment, troubleshooting and Trust‑wide in‑reach support (as confirmed in Trac queries)
* Support antimicrobial stewardship decision‑making in partnership with microbiology and pharmacy
Operational leadership duties
* Day‑to‑day running of OPAT/IV services
* Managing caseload allocation, daily huddles, and prioritisation
* Coordination of community capacity, particularly during peaks or staffing gaps
* Leading operational decision‑making in absence of the Band 8a lead
* Supporting service continuity planning in line with the revised policies
* Liaison with Hospital @ Home teams and acute wards to streamline ESD and admission avoidance
What does Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust offer you?
* Learning and development opportunities to support career progression
* Flexible and agile working opportunities alongside NHS benefits such as generous annual leave entitlement, pension, and access to NHS discount schemes
* A range of health and wellbeing services to promote a healthy, happy workforce
Person specification
Education, Qualifications & training
* Post registration qualification & relevant experience in OPAT / IV therapy
* Degree / equivalent qualifications or working towards
* Full and current driving licence
* Access to a functioning car to perform home visits / cross‑site working
* Teaching qualification
* Working towards masters or equivalent study
* Non‑medical prescriber
Experience
* RGN – at least 5 years post registration experience
* OPAT/IV therapy and central venous access device (CVAD) experience at a senior level
* Leadership skills & knowledge
* Ability to cannulate & perform venepuncture (± using ultrasound)
* Experience in database creation, filtering data, other IT system management
* Writing concise reports for presentation or dissemination to others via teams or face to face
* Ability to insert mid‑/PICC lines independently
Skills, Abilities & knowledge
* Excellent interpersonal skills & engage within MDTs. Able to present in a group
* Experience in conducting / investigating RCA/ incidents
* Knowledge & understanding of NMC/ professional standards
* Knowledge & understanding of current national standards in OPAT / IV therapy
* IT literate on digital platforms used in healthcare settings
Special circumstances
* Across‑site working (including community visits)
* Access to a car and able to drive independently
* Able to work flexible hours if service needs require
BHT values
* Communicates openly, honestly & professionally. Actively promotes team working & building strong relationships
* Patients are always first. Drives service improvements. Strong self‑awareness with a desire to grow
* Treats all with compassion and kindness. Ensures everyone feels valued
* Consults others and listens to their views / opinions. Enables others to take the initiative
COVID‑19 and Flu vaccinations
We encourage our staff to be vaccinated when recommended.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
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