Specialist Adult Community Learning Disability Nurse

If you are Kind, Fair, Ingenious and Determined then we want you to come and join our #PennineCarePeople

https://www.penninecare.nhs.uk/values

Job overview

As a Learning Disability Nurse within the Community Learning Disability Team, the postholder will provide highly specialist, trauma‑informed nursing care to adults with learning disabilities and complex needs across a range of clinical pathways. The postholder will work with a high level of professional autonomy, holding a complex caseload and acting as a senior clinical decision‑maker within the service.
To hold clinical responsibility for the quality, safety, and development of a designated specialist area of clinical delivery. The postholder will lead the adaptation and improvement of clinical pathways in line with best practice guidance, emerging research, and NHS national planning guidance, including relevant performance drivers.
To supervise junior colleagues, contribute to service improvement, and support operational delivery, including delegated HR and financial responsibilities. The postholder will work across a range of environments including clinics, service users’ homes, supported living, residential services, and community settings. The postholder will also participate in the Learning Disability Care Hub’s clinical on‑call rota, providing
senior clinical advice, risk oversight, and urgent decision‑making.

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Deliver specialist nursing assessment, formulation, and intervention for adults with learning disabilities, autism, and co‑occurring needs across multiple clinical pathways. • Carry a complex and varied caseload, using advanced clinical reasoning to manage risk, promote recovery, and support independence. • Lead on the development, implementation, and governance of clinical pathways, ensuring they reflect best practice, national guidance, and NHS planning requirements. • Provide operational and clinical supervision to junior nurses and support staff. • Act as a source of expert advice within the multidisciplinary team and wider system. • Deputise for the senior leadership team as required, contributing to service coordination and strategic decision‑making. • Support recruitment, induction, and performance management processes in line with Trust policies. • Complete investigations/ reviews to support learning and service improvement. • Work collaboratively with colleagues across the local team / care hub to support integrated care planning and continuity. • Engage with regional professional groups and networks to share learning and influence service development. • Participate in the Learning Disability Care Hub’s **clinical on‑call rota**, providing senior clinical advice, risk oversight, and urgent decision‑making. • Undertake delegated financial responsibilities including authorising timesheets, mileage claims, and small‑scale equipment or stock ordering.

Working for our organisation

We are proud to provide high quality mental health and learning disability services, both inpatient and in the community across five boroughs of Greater Manchester - Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport and Tameside and Glossop.

Our vision is for a happier and more hopeful life for everyone in our communities and our staff work hard to deliver the very best care for the people who use our services. We’re really proud of our #PennineCarePeople and do everything we can to make sure we’re a great place to work.

All individuals regardless of race, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership are encouraged to apply for this post. We would also encourage applications from individuals with a lived experience of mental illness, either individually or as a carer.

If you come and work for us we will offer a range of benefits and opportunities, including:

• Generous annual leave entitlement for Agenda for Change and Medical and Dental staff.
• Flexible working opportunities to support your work/life balance
• Access to Continued Professional Development
• Involvement in improvement and research activities
• Health and Wellbeing activities and access to an excellent staff wellbeing service
• Access to staff discounts across retail, leisure and travel

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Key Responsibilities
• Work with a high level of autonomy, guided by broad professional policies and clinical frameworks rather than direct supervision.
• Act as a senior clinical decision‑maker, managing complex and unpredictable situations.
• Provide authoritative advice to MDT colleagues and external partners.
• Escalate only the most complex or exceptional issues to senior leadership.
• Deliver care across a range of community settings including clinics, service users’ homes, supported living, residential services, and other community locations.
• Work in environments that may present unpredictable risks, distressed
individuals, or challenging behaviours.
• Frequent requirement for sustained concentration during complex
assessments, report writing, and clinical decision‑making.
• Regular interruptions due to urgent clinical queries, safeguarding concerns, and unplanned changes in caseload priorities.
• Managing competing demands across multiple pathways and environments.
• Regular travel between community locations.
• Occasional requirement to move clinical equipment (e.g., monitoring devices, (training materials).
• Occasional involvement in supporting safe physical interventions in line with training and policy.
• The postholder will have delegated responsibility for supporting the delivery and application of Trust HR policies, including (but not limited to) disciplinary, conduct, attendance at work, and capability procedures.

Clinical Practice
• Deliver trauma‑informed, person‑centred nursing care that promotes safety, dignity, and recovery.
• Conduct comprehensive assessments of physical, mental health, and social needs, including risk and capacity
• Develop and implement evidence‑based care plans across pathways such as mental health, physical health, forensic, autism, and behaviour support.
• Lead on Positive Behaviour Support planning and contribute to multi‑agency risk management.
• Co‑produce care plans with service users, families, and professionals that reflect individual goals and strengths.
• Provide clinical input into safeguarding, CPA, transition, and housing‑related planning.
• Maintain accurate, timely clinical records and contribute to service‑wide documentation standards.
• Deliver clinical care across multiple environments including clinics, homes, and community settings.

Specialist Clinical Responsibility
• Hold clinical responsibility for the quality, safety, and development of a
designated specialist area (e.g., dysphagia, PBS, physical health).
• Act as the service’s expert clinical lea for this area, providing advanced
assessment, complex case oversight, and senior clinical decision‑making.
• Lead the development and delivery of specialist training, competency
frameworks, and supervision for staff.
• Ensure practice aligns with NICE guidance, CQC expectations, national
LD/autism frameworks, and evidence‑based best practice**. – Lead the adaptation, improvement, and governance of clinical pathways,
ensuring alignment with:

– Best practice guidance

– Emerging research

– NHS national planning guidance and performance drivers

– National LD and autism policy
• Use audit data, outcomes, and lived experience feedback to evaluate pathway effectiveness and drive continuous improvement.

Leadership and Professional Standards
• Model compassionate, values‑based leadership and uphold professional
standards.
• Foster a psychologically safe environment that encourages openness,
reflection, and learning.
• Provide clinical and operational supervision, mentorship, and support to colleagues across the service.
• Support the senior management team in service planning, workforce
development, and operational delivery.
• Promote a just culture through restorative approaches and fair HR processes.
• Work collaboratively across the local team and care hub to support integrated care, continuity, and shared responsibility.
• Engage with regional professional groups and networks to share learning, influence best practice, and represent the service in wider system development.
• Provide senior leadership during on‑call periods modelling calm, proportionate, trauma‑informed responses to urgent situations.

Quality Improvement and Governance
• Lead or contribute to quality improvement initiatives and service evaluations.
• Complete investigations and reviews with a focus on learning and transparency.
• Use data, feedback, and lived experience to inform service development and evaluate impact.
• Take a lead role in the governance of clinical pathways and nursing standards.
• Ensure that specialist clinical areas and pathways remain aligned with national guidance, research evidence, and NHS performance expectations.
• Contribute to reviews, debriefs, and learning processes arising from on‑call activity.

Service Development and Innovation
• Lead special interest groups and co‑produce service improvements with people with lived experience.
• Represent learning disability nursing in internal and external forums to promote innovation and inclusion.
• Contribute to the development of trauma‑informed, equitable, and accessible clinical policies.
• Identify gaps, risks, and opportunities for innovation within clinical pathways.
• Use insights from on‑call activity to identify training needs and pathway
improvements.

Communication and Collaboration
• Build respectful, trusting relationships with service users, carers, and partner agencies.
• Promote culturally competent, anti‑discriminatory practice that recognises the impact of trauma and adversity.
• Contribute to multi‑agency safeguarding and care planning processes with sensitivity and compassion.
• Encourage open dialogue and feedback across teams to support learning and psychological safety.

This job description is not exhaustive but is intended to give an overall picture of the role. Other duties within the general scope of the post may be required from time to time. The duties of the post and job description can be reviewed through the agreed process.

General Duties of all post holders
• To undertake any other reasonable duty, which is appropriate to the band, when requested by Senior Staff.
• To be familiar with and comply with all Trust and departmental policies,
procedures, protocols and guidelines.
• To be aware of and work towards the Trusts strategic goals.
Standards of Business Conduct .
• The post holder will be required to comply with the organisations standing order and standing financial instructions and at all times, deal honestly with the organisation with colleagues and all those who have dealing with the organisation including patients, relative and suppliers.
• The post holder must ensure that their behaviour and interests inside and outside work do not conflict with their Trust position, duties and/or
responsibilities.
• The post holder must comply with and support the development of the
performance standards within the service/department to ensure the service is responsive to and meets the needs of its customers.
• The post holder will be required to develop and maintain good working
relationships with all patients, service users, staff, contractors and where
appropriate, members of the public.
• The Trust aims to maintain the good will and confidence of its own staff,
patients, service users, NHS contractors and the general public. To assist in achieving this objective it is essential that at all times, the post holder carries out their duties in a courteous, sympathetic and professional manner.
• All post holders who are members of a professional body must comply with standards of professional practice / conduct. It is the post holders’
responsibilities to ensure they are both familiar with and adhere to these
requirements and maintain their professional membership to the relevant
body.

Equality and Diversity and Equal Opportunities
• The post holder must carry out all duties and responsibilities of the post in accordance with the Trust’s Equal Opportunities and Equality and Diversity policies, avoiding unlawful discriminatory behaviour and actions when dealing with colleagues, service users, members of the public and all other stakeholders.
• The post holder must promote awareness of and respect for equality and diversity in accordance with Trust policies and procedures.
• The post holder is responsible for treating all staff, patients, service users, NHS contractors and the general public with dignity and respect at all times.

Safeguarding
• Appointments to regulated and controlled activities require an enhanced DBS disclosure.
• Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust (PCFT) employees have a statutory duty to promote the welfare of children and young people and to protect adults, enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect.
• Engagement with safeguarding training, in line with responsibilities, is
mandatory for all PCFT employees. PCFT employees must familiarise
themselves with policies and procedures and adhere to these.
• It is the responsibility of all staff to report safeguarding concerns and
familiarise themselves with who to contact in order to do this or seek further guidance.

Professional and Personal Development ,Confidentiality and Information Governance ,Health and safety at work, infection control and Sustainability / Net Zero Carbon

*Please see job description for more information of main responsibilities.

📝 Application support - We recommend tailoring your application to each role you apply for, particularly your supporting information. This gives you the best chance of success. Your supporting information should clearly explain, with examples, how your skills and experience meet the essential and desirable criteria for the role.

We are aware of the increase in AI being used for job applications. AI can be a useful tool to assist in writing your application, but these tools may not understand the context or requirements of the job you are applying for and using for all your application will not be a true reflection of your skills and experience. Relying on AI for your whole application can negatively impact on your chances of success throughout the recruitment process as you will be asked to provide evidence to support what you have written. Take the time to proofread your application to ensure you can evidence what you have submitted, whether this is by your experience or certificates

We also offer virtual application support sessions each month, where you will learn some hints and tips to support you in completing your application form. To secure your place, and to find out more visit the jobs events page on our website.

🌍 Sponsorship Information - We are an approved sponsoring organisation. Applications will be considered from applicants requiring sponsorship alongside all other applications. Please be aware, not all roles are eligible for sponsorship. You can review the list of eligible role and requirements on the government website.

📬 After You Apply - Once your application is submitted, you’ll receive updates via email. Shortlisting is based on how well you meet the criteria outlined in the person specification. Only shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview, and invitations will be sent by email.

✅ If You're Offered the Role - If successful, the hiring manager will contact you directly with a verbal offer. They will then notify the Recruitment Team and submit the necessary paperwork. You’ll receive a formal conditional offer via email

🔍 Pre-Employment Checks - To confirm your suitability for the role, we will carry out pre-employment checks in line with NHS Employment Check Standards. These include:

• Identity verification
• Right to work check
• Disclosure and barring service (DBS)/Criminal record check (dependent on role)
• Professional registration and/or qualification check
• Occupational health assessment
• Employment history and reference validation

All applicants external to Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust will be required to provide their HMRC employment history to cover the most recent three years employment. This information will used to validate employment history and references.

If you require sponsorship, we will assess your eligibility based on current government guidance. If the role is not eligible and you cannot demonstrate your right to work, your conditional offer may be withdrawn.

🚀 Once Checks Are Complete -

The Recruitment Team will coordinate with you and the hiring manager to confirm a start date. You’ll be booked onto a Trust Welcome Session and receive your Pennine Care NHS Terms and Conditions.

📣 Additional Information -

Pennine Care are committed to the ‘Pledge to Flex’ initiative as flexible working is a day one right for all colleagues. “We can work flexibly, doing whatever work pattern fits our needs, regardless of the type of role we’re in. As a modern and model employer, flexible and less than full-time working isn’t a barrier to progress in the NHS – it is commonplace”. This policy brings this part of the People Promise to life. It will provide you with the information you need, support you to have conversations and take steps towards working in a way that suits you best.

We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), and we strive to ensure our workforce reflects the communities we serve. We actively encourage applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds to help us grow, innovate, and improve.

If you wish to be considered under the Disability Confident Scheme, you will be guaranteed an interview if you meet the essential criteria for the role.

Please note:

• We do not accept unsolicited contact from recruitment agencies. Hiring managers should not be contacted directly.

• We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. If you have a disability or long‑term health condition and need extra time or adjustments to complete your application, please contact us as soon as possible. We will ensure you are not disadvantaged where a reasonable adjustment is appropriate.