Nurse Specialist – Children’s Palliative Care
Nurse Specialist – Children’s Palliative Care Band 7
Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest and largest NHS foundation trusts in the country, with around 15,000 staff and an annual budget of £1.6 billion.
We have a long history of providing high quality care, clinical excellence, and innovation in medical research regionally, nationally and internationally.
We’re in the top five providers of specialised health services in the country, supporting people with a range of rare and complex medical, surgical and neurological conditions, cancers and genetic orders.
Our staff oversee around 6,500 patient contacts each day, delivering high standards of healthcare.
We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and recognise the benefit in providing an inclusive environment. We value and respect the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects the communities we serve, and is equipped to deliver the best service to our patients. We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.
Newcastle Hospitals are proud to be one of the exemplar organisations across the NHS on sustainability, with a long history of delivering Sustainable Healthcare in Newcastle (Shine) and the first healthcare organisation in the world to declare a climate emergency. Our strategy includes commitments to being Net Zero by 2030, for our direct carbon footprint, and Net Zero by 2040 for our footprint plus. Delivering these ambitions will not be possible without the help, support and action of every single member of our team.
Job overview
The Great North Children’s Hospital has an exciting opportunity to apply for a Children’s Palliative Care Nurse within the CHIPS (Children’s Holistic Integrated Palliative Care Service).
This post is one of a group of Nurse Specialists who, as a team, will provide specialist nursing support and input to deliver palliative care to children and young people (CYP) across the Northern Region. The multi-disciplinary palliative care team are be based at the Great North Children’s Hospital (GNCH), Newcastle upon Tyne. The team provide outreach to all the locations in the Northern Region where palliative care is delivered to CYP, including local hospitals, hospices and community locations. CYP who are referred to the service remain under the care of their base specialist and/or local paediatrician and the role of the post holder will be to support that team and the family through consultation (face-to-face and telephone), specialist advice, education, liaison and sign-posting to useful organisations.
Interview Date Tuesday 15 July 2025
37 Hours 30 Minutes/Week – Full & Part Time Hours Available
You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy.
NO AGENCIES PLEASE
Main duties of the job
Patients who are referred to the service will be CYP under 18 years who have palliative care needs requiring specialist input. They may be receiving treatment with curative or palliative intent, be on an active transplant waiting list or be in the terminal phase and require end-of-life care and bereavement care planning. They may be living in the Northern region or outside of the region and receiving specialist treatment at one of the region’s hospitals. Work-based wellbeing activities and peer support are an important element in the building of resilience in a team within this demanding specialty and the appointees will be expected to participate in this as part of the role. The palliative care team will have access to specialist support from a staff counselling service.
The posts will attract part time or full time nurses. Currently there are planned out of hours working (on call) at weekends for telephone support, however this will require extended out of hours cover in the future as the service evolves. This is required by the service in the future. We are seeking people trained as children’s nurses and those who have a strong background and interest in the development of children’s palliative care.
Working for our organisation
Our staff oversee over 6,500 patient contacts every day, delivering high standards of healthcare from the following sites:
- Freeman Hospital
- Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI)
- Health Innovation Neighbourhood (on the former Newcastle General Hospital and Centre for Ageing and Vitality site)
- Newcastle Dental Hospital
- Newcastle Fertility Centre
- Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbria
- Northern Genetics Service
- Cramlington Manor Walks
These include a range of flagship services which deliver cutting-edge care (supported by state-of-the-art diagnostic services in both radiology and pathology) and are a catalyst for innovation to support pioneering clinical practice in the NHS.
We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.
Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under ‘Documents to download’ or ‘Supporting documents’.
For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit: Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
CHIP’s is a developing service, with the aim of being able to provide CYP and their families with access to 24/7 specialist palliative care in the near future.
Being based at GNCH, the nursing team can expect that the host organisation will provide the infrastructure, administrative support and governance required for individuals and the multi-disciplinary team to thrive within an ambitious and innovative culture.
Candidates should hold a clear UK drivers Licence.
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust define a nurse specialist as a qualified nurse where the primary purpose of role is to provide guidance and support based on advanced level knowledge to patients, carers and health professionals concerning a specific disease/condition.
Within the sphere of specialist practice:
- Demonstrates significant advanced knowledge and skills within speciality and sphere of practice.
- Take a lead role facilitating the planning, delivery and evaluation of care pathways for a designated group of patients.
- Support the development of nursing practice within the specialist field and contribute to the body of nursing knowledge.
- Have corporate identity as an expert within specialist area.
- Lead and provide training and education across the organisation in relevant area of practice.
- As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
Person specification
Qualifications & Education
Essential criteria
- Registered Nurse (appropriate to branch)
- Current NMC registration
- Degree level / Master’s level study, or a combination of equivalent specialist study / experience
- Meets Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) requirements for mentorship if relevant to role
Desirable criteria
- Master’s Degree
- Management experience / qualification
Knowledge & Experience
Essential criteria
- Extensive post registration experience, some of which will be at a senior level within the required specialist area of practice
- Extended clinical practice underpinned by training and assessment
- Audit / research experience
- Evidence of on-going continuous professional development
- Knowledge and understanding of relevant NHS policy or project specific policy context
- Has understanding / experience of adult / child safeguarding
Desirable criteria
- Evidence of leading programme(s) of education and / or training
Skills & Abilities
Essential criteria
- Good IT skills
- Effective report writing skills
- Able to work independently and across disciplines as a member of a multi-disciplinary team
- Effective organisation and time management skills
- Current driving licence if relevant to role
- Moving and handling patients and objects in line with Trust guidelines using appropriate aids
Important note on completion of reference section of Application Form
All references from current and previous employers will be sought and must cover a minimum of 3 years employment. Therefore, when completing the reference section of your application form, please give the address, telephone number and work email address of each of your current/previous line managers that cover 3 years employment. Failure to complete this section may result in your application not being processed.
Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate. The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first month’s pay.
Candidates who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted by e-mail. You should check your SPAM folders as well as your inbox. If you have not been contacted within 4 weeks of the closing date you should assume your application has been unsuccessful.
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.