Cardiac Nurse Specialist

Job Overview

The Band 7 Cardiac Nurse Specialist is an autonomous role providing specialist heart failure and cardiology services to patients across Hillingdon. Based at Oak Farm Clinic, the post holder will work across community settings, including clinics and home visits, collaborating closely with cardiology teams at Hillingdon and Harefield Hospitals. The role focuses on delivering patient‑centred, evidence‑based care, supporting patients to better understand and manage their conditions, make informed decisions about their healthcare, and access appropriate services. A key responsibility is reduce avoidable hospital admissions, and ensure timely access to specialist treatment when required. The post holder will work collaboratively with GPs, multidisciplinary teams, community and social services, palliative care, and voluntary organisations, while acting as a specialist resource for patients, carers and healthcare professionals. The role also includes clinical leadership and service development, such as developing care pathways, supporting cardiac rehabilitation programmes, undertaking clinical audit and research, contributing to clinical governance, and developing education and training for healthcare professionals. The position requires an experienced cardiac nurse who can provide clinical assessment, education, coordination and leadership, while contributing to the continuous improvement of cardiac services across Hillingdon.

Job Overview

The Band 7 Cardiac Nurse Specialist is an autonomous role providing specialist heart failure and cardiology services to patients across Hillingdon. Based at Oak Farm Clinic, the post holder will work across community settings, including clinics and home visits, collaborating closely with cardiology teams at Hillingdon and Harefield Hospitals. The role focuses on delivering patient‑centred, evidence‑based care, supporting patients to better understand and manage their conditions, make informed decisions about their healthcare, and access appropriate services. A key responsibility is reduce avoidable hospital admissions, and ensure timely access to specialist treatment when required. The post holder will work collaboratively with GPs, multidisciplinary teams, community and social services, palliative care, and voluntary organisations, while acting as a specialist resource for patients, carers and healthcare professionals. The role also includes clinical leadership and service development, such as developing care pathways, supporting cardiac rehabilitation programmes, undertaking clinical audit and research, contributing to clinical governance, and developing education and training for healthcare professionals. The position requires an experienced cardiac nurse who can provide clinical assessment, education, coordination and leadership, while contributing to the continuous improvement of cardiac services across Hillingdon.

Main duties of the job

Assess, plan, implement and evaluate individualised cardiac care, managing a specialist caseload and ensuring continuity of care. Run nurse‑led cardiac clinics, including medication reviews, treatment initiation and titration in line with agreed guidelines. Undertake specialist home visits to optimise patient management and provide education and support to patients, carers and families. Develop and review care plans, referral pathways, clinical guidelines and protocols. Monitor patients, recognise deterioration, initiate investigations and coordinate timely interventions. Provide lifestyle advice, cardiac rehabilitation, symptom management and appropriate palliative and end‑of‑life care. Liaise with patients, GPs, hospitals and multidisciplinary teams to ensure coordinated care and reduce delays. Provide specialist education, clinical supervision and mentoring to nurses, students and healthcare professionals. Participate in clinical audit, research, service development and quality improvement to promote evidence‑based practice. Maintain accurate, confidential records and contribute to cardiac databases and performance monitoring. Support clinical governance, safeguarding, infection prevention, risk management and compliance with NMC, NICE and Trust policies. Contribute to service management, staff development, workload planning and effective resource use. Communicate complex information effectively, advocate for patients and promote informed choice.

Working for our organisation

CNWL is recognised locally, nationally and internationally for providing integrated high quality, innovative healthcare. Our track record in recruiting only the best people is well known and our experts are frequently called upon to contribute to national health strategy and policy, and many models of our care have been adapted for use in other countries. Hillingdon is the second largest London borough by area, located 14 miles west of Central London. We are also leaders in developing our Hillingdon Health & Care Partnership working, united to enable shared services and Neighbourhood working across the whole of Hillingdon Borough.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

As a Cardiac Nurse Specialist, the post holder will provide expert, evidence‑based specialist cardiac care, working collaboratively with patients, families, carers and the multidisciplinary team to promote optimal cardiovascular health and improve patient outcomes.

• Provide expert specialist cardiac nursing assessment, management and care planning for patients with cardiovascular conditions, including heart failure, coronary artery disease, arrhythmias and hypertension.
• Use advanced clinical knowledge, clinical judgement and decision‑making skills to identify deterioration, manage complex cardiac needs and elevate concerns appropriately.
• Support patients and carers with education, self‑management and lifestyle advice, promoting medication adherence, symptom recognition and cardiovascular risk reduction.
• Coordinate seamless care across primary, secondary and community services, ensuring appropriate referrals, follow‑up and access to specialist cardiac services.
• Support the effective management of long‑term cardiovascular conditions, with a focus on preventing complications, deterioration and avoidable hospital admissions.
• Optimise cardiac medicines within scope of practice, including nurse prescribing where appropriately qualified and authorised.
• Promote cardiovascular disease prevention and health promotion, including smoking cessation, healthy lifestyle, blood pressure, cholesterol and weight management.
• Act as a specialist resource and clinical advisor to nurses, GPs and other healthcare professionals, providing education, support and expert guidance in cardiac care.
• Lead and contribute to clinical audit, quality improvement, research and service development, ensuring cardiac care is evidence‑based and aligned with current national guidance and best practice.
• Develop and implement clinical guidelines, pathways and standards to improve the quality, safety and consistency of cardiac services.
• Maintain accurate clinical documentation and ensure care is delivered in accordance with professional standards, informed consent, safeguarding and organisational policies.
• Contribute to multidisciplinary education, teaching and staff development, supporting the wider workforce to recognise and manage cardiovascular disease effectively.
• Promote person‑centred care, shared decision‑making and health equity, ensuring patients and families are supported to achieve the best possible quality of life.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• RGN At least one clinical post registration qualification i.e. Specialist Practitioner Recognised diploma ITU, CCU, A&E
• Attend the Caledonian Cardiac course within six months of commencing post
• Prescribing Course (or must be willing to undertake)
• Assessor/Mentor/ Teaching Qualification
• Certificate in Patient History taking & Physical Assessment or equivalent. ( willing to undertake)

Experience

Essential criteria

• With minimum 4 years post qualifying.
• Minimum 2 years in senior role.
• Minimum 3 years experience caring for patients in speciality
• Experience in planning & providing care to patients with Heart Failure & Cardiac events
• Extensive experience in working with older people.
• Extensive clinical experience
• Case management experience
• Evidence of experience in embracing and implementing change to provide high quality outcomes.
• Experience of working within a multi‑disciplinary team
• Evidence of working in partnership and collaboration with other professionals.
• Audit experience
• Experience of collaborative working across organisations

Skills And Abilities

Essential criteria

• Evidence of evaluating clinical practice
• Up to date evidence based knowledge and skills, particularly in older people’s issues.
• Evidence of using IT in clinical practice
• Influencing skills
• Networking and interagency working
• Able to critically review practice
• Evidence of effective leadership and organisational skills. Evidence of the ability to work in a changing and stressful situation. Evidence of ability to teach/disseminate knowledge and skills

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