Driven by our Trust values: Honesty, Empathy, Ambition, Respect; the Trust's vision is to provide high quality care to the diverse communities we serve to make their lives better.
We are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. Our cultural diversity, long term conditions and disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ staff networks are a key part of this commitment, creating positive change and helping build an inclusive culture across the Trust.
Different ideas, experiences and backgrounds make us stronger and more creative and applications from all walks of life are welcomed - our processes ensure that all applicants are treated fairly at every stage of the recruitment process.
Options for flexible working are considered for all roles within CCS, including job share opportunities, compressed hours, annualised hours, tailored working patterns and more. If you are interested in flexible working, please talk to the recruiting manager for this vacancy.
Please note, the selection processes at Cambridgeshire Community Services are in place to ensure we recruit candidates with the right values and skills. Please be advised that the use of AI in applications are monitored, we remain watchful of candidates who misuse these tools to generate an application that doesn't accurately reflect their skills.
Job overview
We are expanding our Rapid Response Community Nursing Team to meet the new Urgent Community Response (UCR) & Virtual Ward (VW) requirements. This brings an exciting opportunity for experienced and skilled Registered Nurses to join the team. The Team is established & successful that provides high quality nursing care to the people of Luton to enable them to maximize their health status, minimize the effects of ill health & disability & to lead as independent a life as possible.
We take referrals from GPs, Paramedics, local Hospitals, & Specialist Community Teams for patients experiencing an acute health crisis. We aim to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions by assessing patients, developing care plans & liaising with other services as needed.
We implement existing pathways such as IV therapy, Cellulitis, COPD, chest infection & heart failure to provide evidence-based care. VW is a national initiative that will support patients who would otherwise be in a hospital setting to remain in their own home environment.
It is expected that patients will move between UCR & VW pathways. The Team supports patients under the care of the District Nursing teams by providing unscheduled care out of hours to patients across the Luton area.
You will be required to work a flexible working pattern and must have a UK driving licence and must be able to drive as the role requires you to visit patients in their own homes.
Advert
Support the provision of community nursing care within the Integrated Community Nursing Team, providing scheduled and unscheduled care, to the population of Luton with a Luton GP.
As a member of the team, you will contribute to the continuing service development and delivery of our ambition for teams to work more closely together, support periods of high demand and develop new ways of working in clinical triage, patient assessment, and care delivery ensuring person centred holistic care is delivered.
Respond to urgent / unplanned care within the Community Nursing Service by prioritising, visiting or allocating patient visits as required using clinical skills and knowledge, supporting community nursing teams when required.
Support the single point of access providing Clinical Nurse Triage.
Work in partnership with other colleagues across primary and secondary care and other related services in order to provide a holistic care package designed to meet the specific needs of the individual, to facilitate hospital discharge and or prevent unnecessary hospital admission.
Work with the Team Lead in providing clinical leadership within the Community Nursing Service, providing line management and team support when required.
The team currently work 10 hour shifts over a 7 day 4 week roster period covering 8am to 6.30pm and 10.30am to 9pm.
Should we receive a high number of applications we reserve the right to close this vacancy at any point after the 16th February 2026.
Working for our organisation
Rated 'Outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission, we are proud to provide high quality innovative services across most of the east of England that enable people to receive care closer to home and live healthier lives.
There's one reason why our services are outstanding – and that's our amazing staff - who, for the seventh year running, rated us incredibly highly in the national staff survey.
If you share our passion for innovative and high-quality care delivery, then please submit your application and join us on our exciting journey as a leading-edge specialist community provider. All are welcome to apply and our promise to you is a culture which prioritises staff engagement and development.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Prevent avoidable hospital admissions by providing a holistic assessment, care planning, implementation, treatment and evaluation of patient care packages to meet the individual needs of the patient in accordance with Trust guidelines.
Support the aversion of hospital admission by assessing, organising and delivering specialised care packages for patients discharged into the care of the team.
Undertake core nursing assessments and procedures as required whilst attending the patient e.g. wound dressing, observations, pressure area care, risk assessments e.g. Purpose T, MUST.
Undertake highly developed physical skills e.g. delivery of intravenous therapy, cannulation, syringe driver, catheterisation.
Undertake diagnostic procedures/tests as required and to, when competent to do so, gain a full insight into patients' condition, e.g. ECGs, phlebotomy, spirometry, blood glucose testing.
Undertake responsibility for prescribing medication where applicable in line with independent nurse prescribing guidelines following accredited training and competence.
If you have a non-medical prescribing qualification, you will be expected to practice as a prescriber as part of this role.
To be confident in using these skills & nursing knowledge to work autonomously to plan and implement episodes of care, referring appropriately to other services to support the plan of care as required.
Respond to urgent calls from health and social care professionals and utilise sound clinical decision making and triage processes to assess, plan and implement evidence based treatment plans in response to clinical assessment.
Assess and prioritise unscheduled requests for nursing intervention and allocation to the appropriately skilled clinician.
Ensure at all times patients are treated with care and compassion.
To be accountable for the holistic assessment, care planning, implementation and evaluation of patient care packages related to Care Interventions, treatment plans.
Assess and identify any complications surrounding patient care and to act accordingly to enable the patient to remain at home where appropriate. Assess and implement care interventions to meet identified health needs of individuals, families and communities. Maintain associated records.
Refer patients to other services / agencies as appropriate e.g. Social Services, specialist services.
Identify unpredicted crisis situations and manage accordingly i.e. staff, caseload, support network and supervision. Identify to senior managers the situation, risk, action and outcome.
Manage team members and own workload to support the delivery of care in the community and prevent inappropriate hospital admissions.
Organise and coordinate the overall care to meet clients' care needs, which may be complex involving other professionals and agencies. Provide individuals and their families with specialist advice in order for them to make informed choices about their health.
Take responsibility for identifying and developing a range of clinical skills/knowledge appropriate to necessitate safe discharge or prevention of admission.
Take a lead in the setting of standards of care amongst the team members and to teach, deploy, co-ordinate and supervise the team, recognising their knowledge/skills and development potential. Plan and co-ordinate for self and others; off duty, covering annual leave, sickness and study leave in the most cost effective way when required to do so.
To be accountable and responsible for the management of work priorities for self and team members. Develop with patient's personalised care plans, which use evidence-based care and ensure that the most appropriate member of the team delivers the care required.
Provide education to patients on nature of their condition, treatment, side effects and expected outcome. Enable patients and carers to participate in their care, thus encouraging independence and self-reliance.
You will enjoy working autonomously in a community environment, which puts the patient at the centre of their care. You will have experience of undertaking comprehensive nursing assessment and treatment planning preferably with community experience.
You will have passion and drive with a strong team ethic and flexible disposition, responding positively to a fast-changing environment.
You will enjoy the challenges that a changing environment brings.
You will work collaboratively as a member of the integrated team with local health and social care providers as well as GP's, and the voluntary sector to provide high quality health care within an integrated team model.
We offer a comprehensive induction period and are committed to developing our staff. You will have a Personal development plan which supports your development, identifying both formal and informal training.
On April 1st 2026, Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust and Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust will come together to deliver services as a single Trust. Both trusts are high performing specialist community health and care providers working in the East of England. Both have a strong track record, with the highest ratings from the Care Quality Commission, best in class NHS staff survey outcomes, and a decade of experience in innovation and clinical development.
The group model provides health and care services to a population of 3.2 million in their homes and neighbourhoods. We provide care that supports people from the very beginning to the very end of their lives.
The specific role you are applying is with Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust and if you commence your employment before the 1st of April you will transfer to the new organisation via TUPE - the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations.
Certificate of Sponsorship
For roles that are eligible for sponsorship, applications from job seekers who require Skilled Worker Visa to work in the UK are welcome, and will be considered alongside all other applications. You are strongly advised to visit Check if you need a UK Visa website (Opens in a new tab), and familiarise yourself with what is required which should assist you in your understanding of the process
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here. (Opens in a new tab)
UK Registration
For roles that require professional registration, applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new tab)
Our safe recruitment pre-employment checks are undertaken before an appointment is confirmed and may include a DBS check. Where the role requires you to drive, we'll ask you to validate your driving licence online via the DVLA.
In submitting an application, you authorise Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process should you be appointed.
ALL CORRESPONDENCE will be via the e-mail address on your application form. If you have not been invited to interview within 2 weeks of the closing date, you unfortunately haven't been successful on this occasion, but keep an eye on our vacancies as a job that's just right for you may appear