Lead Nurse - Eye Donation Schemes

Job Summary

This is a varied and multi-faceted role which will combine your clinical and strategic experience and expertise.

Through professional leadership and stakeholder engagement you will be accountable for UK Eye Donation Schemes, ensuring donation opportunities are maximised against the available donor pool at identified NHS Hospitals.

This unique role enables the successful candidate to utilise their identified leadership skills and clinical expertise in deceased donation, to support the continued development of the schemes in order to meet the need for patients currently awaiting a corneal transplant in the UK.

The successful candidate will have opportunity to develop both as part of a team and as an individual autonomous practitioner, building on existing data collection to continually strengthen clinical practice.

This role provides opportunity for direct line management, internal and external stakeholder engagement with one key aim of meeting the need of patients awaiting a corneal transplant.

Main duties of the job

In this role you will be the key member of the Tissue Donation Leadership team within Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation(OTDT). As service lead, you will be accountable for all UK Eye Donation Schemes ensuring corneal donation opportunities at contractual sites are maximised. Your responsibilities will include:

• Providing operational and professional leadership to the National Eye Donation Schemes, establishing and maintaining clear communication pathways between the schemes and NHSBT.
• Working collaboratively with OTDT Commissioning colleagues to ensure contractual service needs are realised and met providing the operational input and professional leadership required.

• To be innovative in the approach to meet the need for corneas providing leadership for hospital sites to consider a variety of service development options.

• Providing Professional Nursing Leadership to the in-hospital based Regional Tissue Donation Nurse Specialist(s).

You will be required to travel and spend time away from base in order to maintain continuous stakeholder engagement. This may involve working irregular hours and overnight stays when required, with prior notice.

About You

Experience and Knowledge

• Demonstrate experience of clinical leadership on a team level.
• Experience of caring for a dying patient. Experience in dealing with bereaved families.
• Awareness of current professional issues and developments within deceased donation, nursing and the NHS.
• Proven ability to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of own clinical practice and that of others within a clinical governance framework.
• Demonstrates experience of planning, implementing and evaluating change.
• Demonstrates an understanding and evidence participation in principles of clinical audit, and data collection.
• Evidence of leadership and management experience.
• Experience of working with information technology using Microsoft Office packages (Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams and PowerPoint)

Qualifications and Training

• Registered Nurse with current Nursing and Midwifery Council registration (which must be maintained) as Adult Nurse level 1 or 2 or Children’s Nurse level 1
• Educated to Masters level or equivalent level of specialist knowledge gained through formal training and work experience in clinical research.
• Possession of a teaching/assessing qualification, e.g. ENB 998 or equivalent.
• Possess a valid driving licence, allowing you to drive in the UK.
• Demonstrates commitment to own continued professional development (CPD).

Please view the attached recruitment profile which is a summary of the detailed Job Description and Person Specification for the full personal attributes we require for the role. You will need to demonstrate these throughout the recruitment process.

About Us

It takes all types of people to deliver the kind of service that saves and improves lives. At NHS Blood and Transplant, you’ll join a team of more than 6,000 people who are making a genuine difference to communities, families, friends, relatives and more across the UK. We play a unique and special role in the NHS by helping people do something extraordinary- donate blood, blood products, organs, tissues, or stem cells to save someone in need.

Our three core values are what set us apart. They guide and inspire everything we do. By being caring, expertly meeting the needs of our patients and our people, and accepting nothing less than the best quality, we can do extraordinary work – and help our people to do something extraordinary in their career, too. Three small words, one big difference - Caring, Expert and Quality. Together we'll save and improve more lives than ever.

You will join us on our journey to create an inclusive workplace and aim to reflect the diverse communities we work with, and we positively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

What we offer:

• Commitment to your continued professional development - key clinical skills in Consent, Donor Selection and communication.
• NHSBT promotes flexible working opportunities where the role will allow.
• 27 days annual leave (pro rata for part-time) plus Bank Holidays, increasing to 29 days after 5 years’ service and to 33 days after 10 years.
• NHS pension scheme. The NHS Pension Scheme is a defined benefit scheme (not dependent on investment returns) Further details and outline of benefits can be found at: www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/pensions ‎
• We’ve fostered a culture of continuous learning where colleagues are well-led, engaged, and encouraged to grow. We support you in reaching your full potential, both in your current role and future career. Our Thrive program embodies our commitment to learning and development, offering a wide range of activities to support your personal and professional growth. It’s open to everyone at NHSBT, ensuring you have the resources to succeed and shine in your role.

This vacancy will close at 23:59 on 27^th April 2025

Interviews are anticipated to be held on 14^th May 2025 – subject to confirmation

For informal enquiries please contact – Name: Jackie Brander, Job Title: Head of Operations – Donation, Contact Details: Jackie.Brander@nhsbt.nhs.uk