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Job overview
The BBV Pathway Navigator will take responsibility for the implementation, delivery, and evaluation of a new trial service for BBV patients who are identified within the referred to the hepatology department at North Bristol Trust, to identify and resolve delays in the pathway.
They will be part of the wider hepatology working closely with hepatology clinicians, clinical nurse specialists, cancer support workers, diagnostic teams, Cancer Services, psychology, and allied health care professionals.
From the point of referral to hepatology this new role will facilitate the smooth running of the patient journey by ensuring that coordinated and streamlined clinical and administrative processes revolve around the patient and their individual needs.
The post holder will develop a nurse led clinic to help manage the delay in early cancer detection
The post holder will be responsible for maintenance of surveillance databases for patients on the Emergency Department Blood Borne Virus Opt-Out testing, ensuring timeliness of investigations and monitoring of progress along the patient journey.
Main duties of the job
Enhanced level practice is delivered by registered professionals with statutory registration who have undertaken additional post-registration education and gained relevant experiential learning. This level applies across professional groups and is defined by advanced expertise in applying specialist knowledge and skills within a designated area of practice. The role includes managing defined patient caseloads and delivering interventions within agreed clinical pathways.
Practitioners working at this level are expected to manage discrete elements of care in complex, unpredictable and changing environments. They must practise confidently and autonomously while recognising the boundaries of their competence and seeking guidance when required.
The post holder will utilise the four pillars of practice – Clinical Practice, Education, Research and Leadership – to support delivery of Trust objectives and demonstrate Trust values in everyday practice. This level is predominantly clinically focused and is not dependent on completion of an MSc in Advanced Practice, although individuals with such qualifications may operate within this role.
The role involves autonomous clinical practice with supervision, both direct and indirect, from the Senior Enhanced Practitioner. The post holder will work within the Hepatology BBV service, contributing to high-quality care delivery alongside the Senior Enhanced Practitioner as required.
Working for our organisation
North Bristol NHS Trust employs over 12,000 staff providing healthcare to the residents of Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset from our award-winning hospital building at Southmead. We are the regional Major Trauma Centre, and an internationally recognised centre of excellence in a range of services and major specialities. Our vision is that by enabling our teams to be the best that they can be, we will provide exceptional healthcare, personally delivered.
North Bristol NHS Trust values all people as individuals. We aim to be an anti-discriminatory organisation and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We welcome applicants from all underrepresented groups.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Clinical Practice
Assess, plan, implement and evaluate treatment interventions within a defined field of practice, using enhanced clinical judgement and working closely with the MDT and clinical lead .
Use advanced decision-making and clinical reasoning to manage complex presentations, synthesising information from multiple sources to make evidence-based judgements and initiate, evaluate and adapt interventions.
Provide specialist clinical advice to colleagues, patients and carers, exercising professional judgement to manage risk in complex and unpredictable situations. Work within professional codes of conduct and agreed scope of practice, recognising limits of competence and seeking support appropriately.
Work in partnership with individuals, families and carers, applying person-centred assessment approaches and supporting shared decision-making. Demonstrate accountability for decisions, actions and omissions, alongside reflective practice, emotional intelligence and openness to change.
Collaborate across multi-agency and inter-professional teams to ensure coordinated care, contributing to policies and service direction that impact patient outcomes. Act as a clinical advocate, ensuring care delivery reflects population health need and local networks.
BBV Pathway Navigator Role
Lead the implementation, delivery and evaluation of a BBV pathway for patients identified through ED opt-out testing across North Bristol NHS Trust and the Bristol and Severn Hep C ODN (including BRI, Weston General and NBT).
Work closely with hepatology consultants, CNS teams, diagnostics, cancer services, psychology and allied health professionals to ensure coordinated and streamlined patient journeys from referral to diagnosis and treatment.
Develop and deliver a nurse-led BBV clinic to support early detection, reduce delays and manage surveillance pathways. Ensure patients are reviewed within six weeks of BBV testing, either in clinic or during admission.
Maintain and develop BBV surveillance databases, ensuring timely investigations, monitoring progress and escalating operational concerns to maximise capacity and reduce pathway delays. Provide feedback to clinical and non-clinical teams to improve system performance.
Undertake agreed investigations such as phlebotomy, FibroScan and ultrasound requesting in line with competence. Manage and report BBV data to NHSE and collaborate with partner organisations including UHBW.
Proactively manage diagnostic appointments and checkpoints across radiology and clinical teams to reduce unnecessary follow-up, prevent DNAs and contribute to reducing outpatient backlog through effective surveillance management.
Support development or enhancement of digital systems to improve BBV pathway tracking and data accuracy. Work collaboratively with Band 4 navigators and administrative teams to ensure follow-up attendance and timely communication of results.
Leadership and Management
Role model Trust values and a person-centred approach to service development and delivery.
Share knowledge and expertise to promote team cohesion and achievement of service objectives. Influence clinical practice through enhanced expertise to improve quality, reduce variation and promote best practice.
Participate in service evaluation and quality improvement, demonstrating the impact of enhanced practice on effectiveness and patient outcomes. Engage in peer review, seek feedback from patients and colleagues, and contribute to co-production of service improvements.
Demonstrate resilience in complex or unpredictable situations, constructively challenge practice where necessary and escalate concerns to protect safety and wellbeing.
Negotiate and maintain an agreed scope of practice within legal, ethical and governance frameworks, supported by portfolio evidence and appraisal. Contribute to complaint prevention and management through proactive communication and learning.
Education
Promote a culture of organisational learning and continuous professional development.
Engage in reflective practice and self-directed learning, maintaining a development plan across the four pillars of practice.
Contribute to the development and delivery of education programmes relating to hepatology and BBV, including support for Dried Blood Spot Testing initiatives.
Support team learning through inter-professional collaboration, peer review and application of evidence to practice. Empower patients to engage in decisions about their care and maximise wellbeing.
Research and Quality Improvement
Act as a research-aware practitioner, promoting evidence-based practice within hepatology and BBV services.
Participate in audit and quality improvement projects, applying valid and reliable evaluation methods and acting on findings to enhance safety, productivity and value.
Support engagement with NIHR and national research projects where appropriate, ensuring adherence to good research practice guidance.
Disseminate learning from research and quality improvement through presentations, reports and publication where appropriate, fostering a knowledge-rich culture within the service.
Person specification
Training
Essential criteria
1. Care within Hepatology/ cancer relevant services.
Desirable criteria
2. BSc or Diploma in Nursing
3. Communication skills training at level 3 or masters level
4. Physical assessment and clinical reasoning skills qualification
5. Non-medical prescribing qualification (NMP) or willingness to take
Training
Essential criteria
6. RGN registration
Experience
Essential criteria
7. Experience in Hepatology or related setting
8. Evidence of demonstrating and facilitating evidence-based practice
9. Experience undertaking auditing, planning and implementation of research
Knowledge/skills/abilities
Essential criteria
10. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
11. Knowledge of the care and management of Hepatology patients including those with BBV
12. Project management skills
13. Understanding of the concepts of the clinical governance and shared governance
Clinical Knowledge/skills/abilities
Essential criteria
14. The ability to provide clinical leadership and be a role model for excellence in cancer care and cancer research
15. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills in dealing with patients, relatives and colleagues.
16. Expert diagnostic and assessment skills
Leadership and Management
Essential criteria
17. Computer literate
18. Ability to lead and influence change
19. Leadership skills to ensure effective, efficient and safe team - working
Knowledge/skills/abilities
Essential criteria
20. The ability to work independently and good team-working skills
21. Excellent organisational skills
22. Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills
23. Knowledge and understanding of national and local cancer issues/developments
Leadership and Management
Essential criteria
24. Confidence in making judgements and decisions
Desirable criteria
25. Motivational, negotiating and mediating skills
The successful applicant(s) will normally commence at the minimum of the scale unless they have previous NHS service at the same band. Progression through the scale is by annual increments.
At North Bristol Trust (NBT), we know diverse and inclusive environments lead to happier and healthier teams and improved patient care and outcomes. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are currently underrepresented in NBT’s workforce at Band 8a and above. These include people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people and LGBTQIA+ people.
Please note that stringent pre-employment checks are undertaken on all successful applicants prior to commencement in post.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
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.
Application numbers
Our job adverts may close as soon as sufficient applications have been received. Considering this, if you are interested in this role, please do apply as soon as you can.