Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Diabetes Specialist Nurse to join the Lewisham and Greenwich District Nursing Team for a 1-year fixed-term position. We are seeking an experienced Diabetes Specialist Nurse who is committed to making a difference, highly motivated and has excellent communication skills.
You will be working closely with DN Team Leads, Diabetes Consultants, and Quality Improvement colleagues to deliver measurable reductions in DN insulin-related workload, improve service efficiency, and enhance patient experience. The post holder is responsible for monitoring outcomes, maintaining project data, and contributing to evaluation and sustainability planning.
The post includes providing clinical excellence and specialist nursing advice within the community. The holder will work across multiple sites within the community neighbourhood bases.
Main duties of the job
The Community Diabetes Specialist Nurse is responsible for delivering a structured insulin optimisation programme to reduce the number of patients requiring District Nurse (DN)-administered insulin and improve overall glycaemic outcomes across the DN insulin caseload.
The role provides advanced diabetes expertise and collaborative working between the Community Diabetes Specialist Nurse (CDSN), District Nursing teams, and wider multidisciplinary team.
The post-holder leads the systematic review of patients receiving DN-administered insulin, identifies those suitable for optimisation, and implements evidence-based interventions to prevent over-medication of patients, improve glycaemic control, and promote safe patient self-management. This includes the use of technologies such as Freestyle Libre, medication optimisation, carer training, and structured patient education.
The role oversees case identification, ongoing glucose data review, and multidisciplinary case discussions. It ensures safe clinical decision-making, supports DN staff in developing enhanced diabetes skills, and strengthens triage and discharge processes to prevent unnecessary long-term DN involvement.
This role is central to transforming community diabetes care through collaborative working with other external agencies, improving patient independence, reducing hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia risk, and aligning DN practice with NHS community transformation priorities.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
All the following are to be carried out while working in close collaboration with members of the multi-disciplinary team led by a Consultant. To demonstrate clinical expertise within the speciality and work autonomously, managing own allocated clinics independently and seeking guidance/support when necessary.
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- Patient Identification & Clinical Triage: Systematic identification, triage, and prioritisation of DN insulin-dependent patients suitable for insulin optimisation. Including the completion of baseline data for all selected patients and timeliness and accuracy of patient categorisation.
- Insulin Regimen Optimisation & Clinical Intervention: Delivery of safe, evidence-based insulin simplification and medication optimisation. Reduce the frequency of insulin administration and support conversion to simplified once-daily regimens or change to oral anti-diabetes agents.
- Use of Diabetes Technology such as flash glucose monitoring or continuous glucose monitoring: Implementation and monitoring of CGM for data-driven optimisation. The post holder will successfully set up patients to use a remote monitoring device and connect it to the community project cloud. Remotely review Time in Range (TIR) data to reduce DN visits linked to monitoring blood glucose levels.
- Multidisciplinary Collaboration & Clinical Governance: Effective coordination of multidisciplinary review processes and adherence to safe clinical governance.
- Patient & Carer Education / Self Management Enablement: Improving patient independence and carer capability to reduce reliance on the DN Service for insulin administration.
- Workforce Development & DN Team Upskilling: Strengthening DN team capability in diabetes care and triage. Improve DN triage accuracy for new insulin referrals and reduce inappropriate DN insulin referrals from hospital discharge.
- Service Efficiency & Caseload Reduction: Reduce DN insulin-related workload to improve service capacity.
- Data Management, Monitoring & Reporting: Accurate data collection, monitoring, and reporting of project outcomes. Delivery of final evaluation report at the end of the project.
- Quality Improvement & Sustainability: Embedding long-term improvements in DN insulin pathways and community diabetes care. Implementation of sustainable triage and optimisation processes and reduction in new inappropriate DN insulin referrals.
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.
Person specification
Knowledge
Essential
- Well developed interpersonal skills
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
- Effective decision making skills
- Knowledge and understanding of the relevant NICE guidance
- Evidence of continued professional development of self and other health care professionals
- Time management skills
- Organisational skills
Desirable
- IT skills
- Knowledge of research and audit
- Ability to use Diabetes Clinical Information System, iCare, Connect Care or willingness to undertake training
- Advanced training skills in therapeutic/ diagnostic procedures relevant to diabetes
Experience
Essential
- Minimum three years post-registration experience
- Experience of working within the multidiciplinary team
- Clinical experience in diabetes
- Experience of liaising with other agencies
- Ability to work autonomously
- Good time management and prioritisation skills
Desirable
- Previous experience in the specialty
- Initiated or been involved in relevant research
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Registered Nurse Level 1 register with NMC
- 1st Level Degree or equivalent
- Teaching and assessing qualification
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable
- Proficiency in use of Continous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Device
- Independent nurse prescriber
- Accredited qualification in insulin therapy
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Community Diabetes Nurse Specialist with Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust in University Hospital Lewisham. It is listed as a Band 7 Clinical nurse specialist role. The advertised salary is £49,387 - £56,515 Per annum plus HCA pro rata. The contract type is Fixed term: 12 months (1-year fixed tern). The application deadline is 04 Sep 2026.
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