Epilepsy Clinical Nurse Specialist

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated and experienced nurse to join the team as an Epilepsy Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS). This is a pivotal, specialist role providing expert clinical care and support to a diverse cohort of patients with epilepsy, many of whom have complex physical and psychological needs.

As a single-handed specialist service, the post holder will lead on the delivery of high-quality, patient-centred care, acting as an expert resource for patients, carers, and multidisciplinary teams. The role involves the assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of care for individuals with epilepsy, including seizure management, medication optimisation, risk assessment, and ongoing long-term condition management.

The CNS will run nurse-led clinics, provide education and advice, support self-management, and contribute to reducing avoidable hospital admissions. A key aspect of the role is ensuring continuity of care, building strong therapeutic relationships, and supporting patients across the care pathway.

This post requires a high level of clinical expertise, non-medical prescribing and autonomous decision-making, along with excellent communication skills. The successful candidate will also play a crucial role in service development, quality improvement, and future succession planning to ensure sustainability of the specialist epilepsy service.

Main duties of the job

The Epilepsy Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) will be responsible for delivering expert, patient-centred care to individuals with epilepsy, including those with complex physical and psychological needs. The post holder will autonomously assess, plan, implement, and evaluate care, providing specialist advice on seizure management, medication optimisation, and risk assessment. They will lead and deliver nurse-led clinics, support patients and carers with education and self-management, and act as a key point of contact across the care pathway to ensure continuity of care. The role also involves working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams reviewing patients in an outpatient and in-patient setting , contributing to reducing avoidable hospital admissions, and supporting safeguarding where required. In addition, the CNS will play a key role in service development, quality improvement, and maintaining high standards of clinical practice within this specialist service.

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.

• To co-ordinate the specialty care within the Trust/CCG, including outreach clinics within the region.
• To become an essential member, and point of contact and resource for the multi-disciplinary team and patients and carers.
• Carries out diagnostic/therapeutic interventions as an independent practitioner, interprets, writes reports and commences further possible treatment on the basis of the findings.
• Carries out complex therapeutic/investigational procedures under indirect supervision of the Consultant.  Ensuring that they are carried out using safe practice and under agreed guidelines/protocols to ensure that the highest possible standard is obtained based on competent clinical practice.
• To demonstrate the ability to develop new skills, to provide an expert high quality, nurse-led service/midwifery-led service.
• To provide ongoing follow-up care and support (telephone support / nurse led clinics / outpatient clinics and in-patients )
• To develop the service in a structured interdisciplinary way, initiating on-going change and progression in the expanding role of a Clinical Nurse Specialist
• To develop interdisciplinary clinical management protocols and work within them.
• Autonomously or in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team, manage the care of patients carrying out relevant interventions, within agreed clinical protocols and in line with current practice/trends.
• To offer a supportive service to patients and their carers, disseminating specialist knowledge enabling individuals to try and adapt to any changes to their body image and life experiences.  Liaising with other healthcare professionals when necessary.
• To provide, promote and maintain a support and advice service to patients and their carers, to include provision of information giving from diagnosis through to all stages of the disease process, in liaison with relevant healthcare professionals.
• To maintain accurate and legible records of all clinical and legal documentation with regard to Statutory and Trust policies.
• To assess, develop, implement and evaluate programmes of care within the acute and community setting
• To control patient admission via direct referral and with consultant guidance and supervision.
• Be aware of, understand, and act upon the Divisional Business Plan, with particular reference to nursing/midwifery care, in order to participate in the re-formulation of nursing/midwifery aspects of the plan.
• When required, investigate the nursing/midwifery aspects of incidents/complaints and initiate corrective action.

Workforce

• Take part in the selection, orientation and development of relevant staff and students within the service.
• Promote staff confidence and competence and therefore assist job satisfaction and staff recruitment and retention.
• Identify the requirements to carry out the specialist role, implement and manage the service, developing the role in line with patient and service needs.

• To line manage, a cohort of staff ensuring HR processes are followed.
• To provide advanced specialist knowledge and education, acting as a clinical resource to the Trust, CCG and Trust affiliated Universities.
• In conjunction with Ward Managers and Heads of Departments and the CCG assess learning needs and organise training and teaching programmes to fulfil the areas and individuals’ learning requirements within the specialty.

Financial

• Responsible for service budget.
• Take responsibility for the effective and efficient use of resources, being aware of resource requirements and limitations.
• Ensure all equipment and supplies in the clinical area are maintained to enable delivery of efficient and safe care.
• Evaluate equipment and make recommendations relevant to purchasing policies in conjunction with Procurement.
• Authorise the issue of appropriate appliances to patients within the Trust and community setting.

Partnerships

• Communications and Relationships
• Possess excellent communication skills to facilitate the collaboration between all professionals in the complete care and management of all patients within their speciality.
• Work in partnership with Ward Managers and Consultants and extended members of the multidisciplinary team, within the Trust and community in order to provide a coherent patient-centred service.
• To ensure effective communication networks are established and maintained with all disciplines, patients and relatives/carers, to include Community Health Care Teams.
• To communicate highly sensitive information, opens barriers to information.  Demonstrates sensitivity, empathy and reassurance.
• To provide advice, support and education to both inpatients and outpatients who may use the service, to include the development and regular reviews of relevant written patient and carer information.
• To access effective clinical supervision to allow personal reflection on own practice and self-development both personally and professionally.
• To be an active member of the Lead Nurse Group and other relevant external specialist groups.
• Develop links within the Trust and outside agencies to organise and implement practical instruction for HCAs, Pre-Registration and Post-Registration nursing/midwifery staff and Medical staff both in a theoretical and a clinical setting.
• Support and assist other specialties within the Trust with relevant clinical issues and those of service development.
• Act as a resource for specialist knowledge and skills related to care and for the development of research-based practice.
• Represent their speciality clinically, both internally within the Trust, and externally.
• Act as a representative of the Trust at local/national educational meetings
• Promote and undertake, where appropriate, nursing/midwifery research and to publish the outcome in order to update own knowledge and promote excellence in clinical practice.
• Be aware of and participate as necessary in clinical research trials for patients, liaising with relevant Healthcare professionals.
• Utilise research findings, where applicable, in the delivery of specialist patient care, disseminating relevant information to colleagues.

General

• Develop guidelines, set standards, policies and protocols to ensure the provision of a safe and effective, research/evidence based nurse led/midwifery led service.
• To initiate and participate in nursing and clinical audit, taking action to improve any areas of weakness
• Continually monitor and evaluate the service through the facilitation of quality assurance tools in the clinical area.
• Monitor and evaluate the role of the Clinical Nurse Specialist within the Trust.
• Be self-aware, taking own continuing education and professional development needs into account, accessing advice, guidance and support.
• Keep up to date with current trends and developments in nursing/midwifery practice related to your speciality.
• Ensure all Trust/Divisional nursing policies/protocols and procedures are adhered to, including EC Directives, Health and Safety and Work, COSHH and Moving and Handling Codes of Practice.

Structure Chart

Senior Matron

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Post Holder