Job Overview
Band 6 Clinical Nurse Specialist – Rheumatology (12 Month Maternity Cover)
Frimley Park Hospital
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and highly motivated nurse to join our Rheumatology Team on a 12-month maternity cover contract.
We are seeking a dynamic nurse with experience in, or a strong interest in, rheumatology to deliver high-quality, patient-centred care within our specialist service. You will support patients with complex rheumatological conditions, providing expert clinical assessment, education, and ongoing disease management.
The successful candidate will contribute to nurse-led activity, treatment monitoring (including DMARDs and biologic therapies), telephone advice, and service development. You will work autonomously within your scope of practice while being fully supported by our Consultant Rheumatologists, Advanced Practitioners, and wider multidisciplinary team.
Strong clinical decision-making skills, excellent communication, and a commitment to professional development are essential.
This is a fantastic opportunity to further develop specialist knowledge and make a real difference to patients living with long-term rheumatological conditions.
Main duties of the job
Provide safe, effective, and evidence-based nursing care to patients with rheumatological conditions
Undertake holistic patient assessments, including disease activity, treatment response, and patient-reported outcomes
Support Consultants, Nurse Specialists, and the Lead Nurse/ACP in outpatient clinics
Following training, independently manage patients within nurse-led clinics, escalating concerns appropriately
Provide education and support to patients regarding diagnosis, treatment options, medications (including DMARDs and biologics), and self-management
Recognise and respond to clinical deterioration in accordance with Trust policies and local protocols
Working for our organisation
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is committed to being an inclusive and disability confident employer and has been awarded the Gold for the Armed Forces Employment Recognition Scheme. We provide first class development opportunities for all staff and have a wide range of professional, management and leadership, and clinical skills training available.
Here at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, we know how important it is to have a healthy work life balance; this benefits not only individuals but the patients we care for too.
We encourage applications from people who wish to work on a flexible basis, recognising that flexibility may mean a range of different working patterns and hours, we do our utmost to work with our staff to meet their needs and the needs of our service and its users.
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Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities
For more information on the main responsibilities of this role please see the attached job description and person specification.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
Registered Nurse (Adult) with current NMC registration
Evidence of ongoing CPD
Mentorship programme or equivalent teaching qualification
Desirable criteria
Degree-level qualification
Special Requirements
Essential criteria
Willingness and ability to travel across multiple sites
Willingness to undertake further training and competency development
Experience
Essential criteria
Demonstrable nursing experience within an acute setting
Experience working within a multidisciplinary team
Desirable criteria
Relevant postgraduate study or willingness to work towards
Skills & Knowledge
Essential criteria
Ability to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate nursing care
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Ability to work independently with appropriate supervision
Ability to be empathetic, and handle difficult or emotional situations
Desirable criteria
Confident in delivering presentations and experience of public speaking
Advanced assessment and clinical decision-making skills
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust (FHFT) is proud of its strong reputation, record of achievement and ambition for the future. We serve a population of over 900,000 people across Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey and South Buckinghamshire, and remain committed to improving the health and wellbeing of our communities.
Our new organisational strategy – FHFT 2030 – sets out our ambition to be the best place to receive care and the best place to work in the NHS. Underpinned by our Trust values – Committed to Excellence, Working Together, Facing the Future, and being a modern, compassionate, Healthcare Organisation – we are creating a culture where our people can thrive and patients always come first.
We continue to invest heavily in our services and facilities. This includes the development of a new hospital at Frimley Park, major expansion of diagnostics and inpatient capacity, and the continued transformation of services across our sites. We have already delivered a brand-new £100m state-of-the-art Heatherwood Hospital, a £49m Emergency Assessment Centre at Wexham Park, and a £10m upgrade to maternity services.
We are also committed to sustainability and the NHS Net Zero ambition. Our new hospital and estate developments are being designed to be environmentally responsible, energy efficient, and future-proofed, featuring on-site renewables energy and intelligent energy systems. Through our green plan, we are embedding sustainable practices across all areas of care and operations, ensuring we reduce our environmental impact while improving population health and wellbeing. Our staff are key to helps us deliver on our ambition and to ensure sustainability is a core component of care delivery and our operations.
Alongside estates' investments, we are embedding a strong focus on digital innovation and quality improvement. Our electronic patient record (Epic), launched in 2024, is already enabling safer, more connected, and more effective care for patients, while giving staff the tools they need to do their best work. Our electronic patient record also supports safe and effective digitised care pathways, savings time and carbon, whilst delivering excellent quality of care.
Everything we do is guided by our values, shaping how we care for patients, support colleagues, and build a sustainable future for healthcare together.
Apply online now