Lead Nurse Diabetes and Endocrinology Specialist

We are seeking an experienced and motivated Lead Nurse to join our Diabetes and Endocrinology team at North Middlesex University Hospital. As a key member of our team, you will be responsible for providing clinical leadership and expertise in the management of patients with diabetes and endocrine diseases.

• Work autonomously in managing patients eligible for insulin pumps and liaise with the medical team and members of the multi-professional team.
• Maintain effective communication with patients, carers, and professionals to ensure seamless service delivery.
• Assist with the assessment of new patient referrals, working alongside consultants to ensure appropriate investigations are performed in a timely manner and an agreed management plan is in place.
• Undertake assessment of the patient, including taking a history, physical examination, and when applicable, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests as appropriate.
• Ensure all assessments are documented fully and communicated effectively to the consultant, referring member of the medical team or GP and members of the multi-professional team.
• Review previous test results and identify any abnormalities with blood tests / imaging and instigate appropriate action or escalation to the consultant.
• Be accountable for coordinating patient care with the consultants and administration team, in order to meet agreed standards/pathways. This will include prescriptions and updating patient and patients' referring consultant or GP of the care/treatment plan.
• Provide specialist clinical knowledge, support and practice, to patients and carers within the department and wards. Ensure the patient and family are fully informed and understand the purpose of any investigations, treatment, and outcomes, in accordance with best practice and informed consent.
• Be responsible for setting, implementing, and monitoring acceptable standards of care for patients with Diabetes and endocrine diseases.
• Co-ordinate and run nurse-led clinics in addition to managing and reviewing patients on an urgent basis in order to provide an expert and effective patient-focused service.
• Review patients in the inpatient areas and ED to advise in further treatment and support needed in the community.
• Lead and develop standard operational procedure (SOP) for Nurse Led Discharge for patients with diabetes and endocrine disease.
• Care and control of all medications used and ensuring systems in place for safe administration, ordering and maintenance of stock.
• Working with Consultant Service Lead and other health professionals in order to achieve optimum waiting lists for diabetes and endocrine, reduce waiting time in ED and length of stay for inpatients.
• Lead and delivery of self-management strategies for patients prior to going home or in an outpatient setting for patients with Diabetes and Endocrine.
• Utilise scope of practice to undertake Non-Medical Prescribing role and advise on medicine management issues associated with the patient specialty group.
• Support the team in regards the insulin pumps projects and other projects that benefit patients with Diabetes.
• Co-ordinate a nurse-led service which promotes a safe patient pathway for those eligible patients. Work collaboratively with Clinical Lead and Service teams to optimisedemand and capacity with diabetes and endocrine.
• Collect, collate and evaluate information relating to patients referred and procedural outcomes. All patient pathways are tracked, and data collated on key events such as timing of receipt of referral, date of consultations, treatment options and clinical outcomes.
• Work collaboratively in developing straight to test triaging/assessment models including research through data collection and analysis of key outcome measures.
• Present information to professional groups, analyse data and provide written reports. Data will be analysed frequently to identify risks or delays in patient care which require immediate intervention by Clinical Lead or service teams.
• Identify clinical risks and ensure appropriate escalation and action is taken, in accordance with policy, by providing expert advice.
• Maintain a safe environment for patients and staff within high-risk clinical areas of respiratory outpatients department and take appropriate actions.
• The post holder should manage complaints on a local level where possible and escalate unresolved issues to the ADON/GM.
• To be conversant with Trust and department policies and procedures and ensure that these are adhered to and available to others.
• To monitor clinical standards of nursing care and report to the Clinical Lead/ADON when standards are not being met. This will include the notification of problems and incidents and initiating appropriate action.
• To provide nursing clinical leadership and be responsible for the delivery of high-quality patient care. Facilitate the development of nursing policies, procedures and patient education relating to the care of patients with diabetes and endocrine disease.
• Evaluate service and identify areas of improvement to be assured clinical and financial efficiency, effectiveness and resourcefulness. Participate in quality and audit initiatives.
• Attend multidisciplinary team meetings and present individual care studies or relevant data on service.
• Act as a patient advocate and counsel when informed discussion may lead to choices being made concerning treatment options. Possess a thorough understanding of safeguarding procedures and policies in practice.
• Ensure that all relevant information is accurately documented in patient health records or on electronic patient records in line with professional standards of record-keeping.
• Implement the Trust's Corporate Governance Strategy regarding meeting the necessary standards of accountability, financial control, patient and public involvement and the delivery of clinical outcomes.
• To support, enable, motivate, develop nursing staff and demonstrate nursing leadership/supervision.
• Contribute to protocols, documentation systems, standards, policies and clinical guidelines for others to use in practice. Develop care protocols/pathways in conjunction with Clinical lead both locally and at a network level.
• Identify, develop and maintain ways to support patient involvement and feedback of service.
• To take an active lead in advancing nursing/clinical practice within Diabetes and Endocrinology. Undertake research and implement evidence-based practice for patients undergoing routine and interventional levels.
• In conjunction with multi-professional team, participate in setting objectives for service and engage with service improvement initiatives and strategies to deliver Diabetes and Endocrinology Services. Assist in developing audit to assess compliance with national and local standards.
• Network within and outside of the organisation in relation to service development. Influence strategic developments in pursuit of advancement of quality of patient care, clinical outcomes, and patients' experience within respiratory.
• Lead or facilitate the policy development for the Diabetes and Endocrinology Service to enable active and measurable improvements. Expected to represent self in the service to assure that real improvements have been implemented.
• Develop and strengthen interpersonal relationships with both Medical & Surgical teams and members of the Multi-professional team to ensure good working and collaboration within practice.
• Be responsible for financial control of consumables/resources including medications required for biological treatments.
• To lead on education of patients and their carers to understand the diagnosis, treatment options and their healthcare needs during and following treatment.
• To act as a patient advocate in line with the National guidelines and to actively apply in-depth knowledge of holistic/socio-economic and cultural aspects of care to clients within specialty.
• Participate in teaching and supervision of new and unqualified staff, including medical staff and learner nurses.
• Maintain own professional/clinical requirements to act as a role model and resource to patients, significant others and staff.
• Be conversant with current legislation/NICE guidance for patients requiring diabetes and endocrinology care and implement as appropriate.

Education and Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Registered Nurse on NMC register
• MSc or working towards it
• Post registration course in managing patients with Diabetes and/or Endocrine disease
• Non Medical Prescriber

Desirable criteria

• Leadership course

Skills and Abilities

Essential criteria

• Worked at CNS level 7 or 8a in Diabetes and/or Endocrine
• Management experience
• Leading QI projects to improve patients outcomes
• Knowledge and experience in insulin pumps
• Able to produce policies, SOPS
• Part of national and local audits