A Vacancy at St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
The role of the Lymphoedema service is to provide an evidence‑based service for non‑cancer and cancer patients. It includes assessment and appropriate management strategies that incorporate the four cornerstones of Lymphoedema care: Manual Lymphatic Drainage, Compression Bandaging, Education and Support. The service works closely with other team members to proactively improve patient knowledge of lymphoedema management and prevention. The role is primarily based in the out‑patients setting but may also involve review and treatment of patients in other settings.
1. Assessment and Diagnosis
* Conduct comprehensive physical assessments of affected areas.
2. Developing Treatment Plans
* Create individualised care plans based on the patient's condition, lifestyle and medical history.
* Set short‑ and long‑term goals to manage symptoms and improve quality of life.
3. Compression Therapy
* Measure and fit patients with compression garments or, if necessary, apply multi‑layer bandaging.
4. Skin Care and Infection Prevention
* Teach patients how to maintain skin integrity and reduce the risk of cellulitis and other infections.
5. Exercise and Movement Education
* Recommend appropriate exercises to enhance lymphatic flow.
6. Patient Education and Support
* Empower patients with knowledge about their condition and self‑management strategies.
* Offer emotional support and refer to mental health or support groups when needed.
7. Multidisciplinary Collaboration
* Work with oncologists, physiotherapists, nurses and GPs for holistic care.
* Participate in case reviews and refer patients to appropriate specialists if necessary.
8. Monitoring and Evaluation
* Track the progress of treatment through measurements, photos or patient reports.
* Adjust therapy based on response and changes in the patient’s condition.
9. Documentation and Reporting
* Maintain accurate records of assessments, treatments and outcomes.
* Contribute to audits, research or quality improvement initiatives.
St George’s, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group care for a population of four million people in South‑West London and North‑East Surrey. Our sites include St George’s Hospital, one of 11 major trauma centres in the UK and the largest healthcare provider and major teaching hospital in the area; St Helier Hospital, home to the South‑West Thames Renal and Transplantation Unit and Queen Mary’s Hospital for Children; and Epsom Hospital, home to the South‑West London Elective Orthopaedic Centre (SWLEOC). After years of collaboration, our two Trusts became a hospital group in 2021, while remaining as two separate Trusts. This structure enables closer collaboration on research and the development, education and training of our 17,000‑strong workforce.
1. Clinical Practice
* Assist in the delivery of an advanced specialist service for people with lymphoedema.
* Form an integral part of the multidisciplinary lymphoedema team.
* Lead by example.
* Provide specialist nursing advice and support to patients, their families and other healthcare professionals following diagnosis and through all stages of treatment.
* Effectively manage own caseload, coordinating the care and treatment of patients receiving lymphoedema treatment.
* Provide nursing advice and support to patients and their families with regards to lymphoedema support within the Trust and as out‑patients.
* Ensure continuity of a high standard of evidence‑based nursing care, assessing health, health‑related and nursing needs of patients, families and carers by initiating appropriate steps for effective care.
o Managing a patient caseload.
o Making referrals.
o Admitting and discharging out‑patients for specified conditions and within agreed protocols.
o Running clinics.
* Work autonomously by accepting responsibility for own patient caseload and ensuring all patients have an accurate plan of care, reflected in the assessment undertaken and incorporating the issues and recommendations made with clear documentation in the patient’s records (handheld and electronic).
* Be actively involved in in‑patient care, liaising with ward staff to ensure high quality nursing care.
* Attend out‑patients, ensuring nurse consultation with all newly diagnosed patients.
* Follow‑up patients as appropriate and ensure all relevant information is available to enable patients to make an informed choice about their treatment.
* Attend MDT meetings if appropriate to the role ensuring all patients are represented.
* Deliver a seamless service through the development of enhanced multidisciplinary team (MDT) processes and communication.
* Participate in the identification and development of clinical protocols and strategies to enhance both the continuity and standard of specialist care while ensuring equity of access to the service.
* Participate in the process of operational policies review annually in accordance with national standards.
* Ensure all care is given in accordance with agreed protocols.
* Introduce measures to actively manage and reduce risk to patients, ensuring formal reporting and recording of adverse incidents in line with Trust policy.
* Work with key staff members to maintain nurse‑led pre‑assessment/assessment and out‑patient follow‑up services, providing detailed baseline patient assessment and education and support to patients and their families.
* Assist in developing assessment tools that ensure an appropriate level of nursing intervention so that patients with the most complex needs are referred to the appropriate specialist, including patients and families who require more in‑depth support and counselling.
* Maintain a suitable mechanism for MDT referrals to the Clinical Nurse Specialists.
* Liaise with local community, social services, paramedics and voluntary organisations to develop existing services for clients, carers and health professionals.
* Actively involve service users in providing feedback of their experience of the current service and suggestions for improvements.
* Participate in the development of appropriate patient group directives to facilitate/enhance the discharge process.
* Participate in relevant Care Group, Trust or PCG/PCT/CCG level to allow contribution to ongoing service development.
* Work in line with and contribute to local delivery of national care standards.
* Ensure all patients are fully informed of the risks and benefits of proposed procedures/treatments, contributing to the process of securing informed consent.
2. Education and Research
* Produce and provide all patients with relevant and accessible written information regarding their treatment in accordance with Trust standards.
* Participate in the delivery of programmes of education and training according to the identified needs of clients, carers and others involved in their care.
* Work with other clinical staff to identify knowledge gaps in relation to specialist patients and ensure staff are appropriately educated.
* Contribute to the development of nursing practice within the team.
* Actively participate in educational events provided by the Trust and primary care sector.
* Attend meetings and conferences as appropriate, ensuring full familiarity with current issues locally and nationally.
* Promote and facilitate evidence‑based practice and clinical audit within the Trust, raising the profile and enhancing the contribution of nursing to patient care and informing business and service development plans.
* Participate in and assist with any appropriate/relevant Trust‑approved research projects conducted within the department.
* Utilise up‑to‑date research/evidence to deliver patient care as directed by the senior and lead therapist.
* Be aware of current research trials being conducted within own specialist area and inform patients about these.
* Adhere to the NMC Code of Conduct.
* Ensure compliance with the NMC revalidation process every three years.
* Keep up to date with the Trust’s mandatory training programme.
* Complete an annual appraisal with line manager setting appropriate and achievable objectives.
3. Quality
* Promote and support a high‑quality specialist nursing service through monitoring audit of customer care and other quality initiatives as agreed by the Trust.
* Maintain accurate records of referrals and continuous audit of results.
* Regularly monitor and contribute to the standards of care, assisting in the development of an Integrated Care Pathway for lymphoedema standards.
* Assist with the complaints process should any informal or formal complaints be received by the service.
4. Organisational/Management
* Maintain contemporaneous and accurate treatment records using the Trust’s IClip system, submitting relevant statistics, reports and activity data as requested. Ensure confidentiality of information and meet NMC standards for record‑keeping.
* Liaise effectively with all other disciplines within the Trust and at local level.
* Actively contribute to any relevant initiatives within the care group and provide support to colleagues and Heads of Nursing.
* Comply with measures to manage and reduce patient risk, ensuring formal reporting and recording of adverse incidents in line with Trust policy.
* Network with the team of clinical nurse specialists within the Trust, area‑wide and nationally to evaluate, develop and promote the specialist‑nursing role.
* Utilise and maintain information systems to aid audit and provide regular activity analysis reports.
* Participate in the evaluation of the service in terms of clinical effectiveness, clinical excellence and value for money.
* Be responsible for the health, safety and welfare of self and others and comply at all times with the Health and Safety Regulations.
* Ensure confidentiality at all times, releasing confidential information only to those acting in an official capacity in accordance with the Data Protection Act and its amendments.
* Work in accordance with the Trust’s Equal Opportunities policy to eliminate unlawful discrimination in relation to employment and service delivery.
* Ensure skills are up‑to‑date and relevant to the role, follow relevant Trust policies and professional codes and maintain registration where required.
* Comply with St George’s Healthcare No Smoking Policies.
* Undertake such duties as may be required from time to time that are consistent with the responsibilities of the grade and needs of the service.
This advert closes on Friday 26 Dec 2025.
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