An exciting and rare opportunity has arisen for an experienced Diabetes Nurse to join and lead our diabetes and endocrinology service at Bedford Hospital. The post holder will be an expert, autonomous practitioner, with extensive experience in supporting people with Diabetes, their families and carers. This role will require a candidate that is passionate and excited about the future of diabetes, and who is able to lead a team, demonstrating a working culture that is united. They will need to maintain good professional relationships with a team that thrives on development and improvement. Over the last few years the landscape of diabetes care has changed dramatically, and continues to do so, the successful candidate will be instrumental in the ongoing transformation of the service to stay at the forefront of diabetes care. They will be a leading figure in facilitating these changes based on evidence based practice, which will result in benefit to our patients. The Lead Diabetes specialist Nurse will provide professional leadership and specialist clinical knowledge to all healthcare professionals involved with the management of people with diabetes. The post holder will provide effective and efficient leadership of the Diabetes and Endocrine department at Bedford Hospital Site, ensuring high quality patient care and an optimal diabetes and endocrine services for in-patients and out-patients. The post holder will contribute to the development of a high quality local service for people with diabetes. The Lead Diabetes Specialist Nurse will work alongside the Nurse Consultant in Diabetes to provide professional leadership and specialist clinical advice, education and support to all level of health care providers including colleagues working in nursing, midwifery, medical and professions allied to medicine. The post holder will be an expert, autonomous practitioner, working under the supervision of the Clinical lead and Nurse Consultant, with a broad experience of all aspects of diabetes, including technology. They will manage their own caseload and supervise the caseload of the diabetes nursing team. They will lead on the development of appropriate evidenced based programmes of education and care for people with diabetes. The post holder will lead on the diabetes nursing aspects of the pregnancy and preconception service for people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, working closely with the antenatal multidisciplinary team and Diabetes Consultant. This will include two scheduled sessions per week with additional patient contact as required. Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. We have state-of-the art facilities placing us at the heart of cutting edge health care. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available. Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. Please ensure that you make your application as soon as possible. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering their first six months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to this advert to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job. • To deliver evidence based individualised patient care according to patient’s changing health care needs. Providing leadership and specialist advice to ensure effective continuity of care delivery • Be recognised as a clinical expert in the management of diabetes, to set standards and engage in autonomous high-level decision making. • To manage a significant caseload of patients with complex diabetes, managing complete programmes of care. Working with patients and carers to empower them to make informed decisions about their health, in particular those at high risk of developing complications that require intensive therapies, technology, or education and support • To promote and contribute to the clinical governance agenda. • To lead on the development of standards and protocols that concerns the nursing care of people with diabetes. • To promote a culture of clinical excellence in diabetes care throughout the Trust • To act as a resource for health care professionals and other agencies and voluntary organisations i.e. GP’s, Consultants, junior doctors, qualified nurses, allied health professionals and nursing and residential homes. • To diagnose and prescribe treatment/medications as an independent nurse prescriber in line with the BHT Guidelines and other policies/protocols • To prescribe and initiate insulin and oral therapy for patients where indicated by the Trust’s diabetes guidelines supported by an appropriate individualised education programme • Works autonomously (with clinical supervision, when required, by the Nurse Consultant and Clinical Lead), plans and prioritises own workload. There are broad guidelines but the post holder decides how best these will be acted upon in each individual circumstance and with each patient. • To refer to other health care professionals independently. • Involve patients and carers/relatives in the planning and delivery of care and in the development of services to enhance the patient/carer experience • To lead the diabetes nursing antenatal service including preconception counselling for patients with type 1 diabetes attending our service. • To take part in delivering structured education courses for patient with type 1 diabetes – if not DAFNE educator, training will be provided. This advert closes on Tuesday 30 Apr 2024