Rapid Response Sister/Charge Nurse
We are expanding our Rapid Response Community Nursing Team to meet the new Urgent Community Response (UCR) & Virtual Ward (VW) requirements. This brings an exciting opportunity for experienced and skilled Registered Nurses to join the team.
The Team is established & successful that provides high quality nursing care to the people of Luton to enable them to maximize their health status, minimize the effects of ill health & disability & to lead as independent a life as possible.
We take referrals from GPs, Paramedics, local Hospitals, & Specialist Community Teams for patients experiencing an acute health crisis. We aim to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions by assessing patients, developing care plans & liaising with other services as needed.
We implement existing pathways such as IV therapy, Cellulitis, COPD, chest infection & heart failure to provide evidence-based care. VW is a national initiative that will support patients who would otherwise be in a hospital setting to remain in their own home environment.
It is expected that patients will move between UCR & VW pathways. The Team supports patients under the care of the District Nursing teams by providing unscheduled care out of hours to patients across the Luton area.
Role
- You will be required to work a flexible working pattern and must have a UK driving licence and must be able to drive as the role requires you to visit patients in their own homes.
- Support the provision of community nursing care within the Integrated Community Nursing Team, providing scheduled and unscheduled care, to the population of Luton with a Luton GP.
- As a member of the team, you will contribute to the continuing service development and delivery of our ambition for teams to work more closely together
- Support periods of high demand and develop new ways of working in clinical triage, patient assessment, and care delivery ensuring person centred holistic care is delivered.
- Respond to urgent / unplanned care within the Community Nursing Service by prioritising, visiting or allocating patient visits as required using clinical skills and knowledge, supporting community nursing teams when required.
- Support the single point of access providing Clinical Nurse Triage.
- Work in partnership with other colleagues across primary and secondary care and other related services in order to provide a holistic care package designed to meet the specific needs of the individual, to facilitate hospital discharge and or prevent unnecessary hospital admission.
- Work with the Team Lead in providing clinical leadership within the Community Nursing Service, providing line management and team support when required.
- The team currently work 10 hour shifts over a 7 day 4 week roster period covering 8am to 6.30pm and 10.30am to 9pm.
Overview
Should we receive a high number of applications we reserve the right to close this vacancy at any point after the 16th February 2026.
Rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission, we are proud to provide high quality innovative services across most of the east of England that enable people to receive care closer to home and live healthier lives.
There’s one reason why our services are outstanding – and that’s our amazing staff - who, for the seventh year running, rated us incredibly highly in the national staff survey.
If you share our passion for innovative and high-quality care delivery, then please submit your application and join us on our exciting journey as a leading-edge specialist community provider. All are welcome to apply and our promise to you is a culture which prioritises staff engagement and development.
For further details / informal visits contact:
Name: Petrina Kaye
Job title: Rapid Response Service Manager
Email address: petrina.kaye@nhs.net
Telephone number: 07881516886
Name:Emma Farquhar
Job title: Operational Support Officer
Telephone number: 0782 723 3906
Email address: emmafarquhar@nhs.net
