Specialist Stroke Nurse

Main area Specialist Stroke Grade NHS AfC: Band 6 Contract Secondment: 11 months (post will end on the 15/8/27) Hours

• Full time
• Flexible working

37.5 hours per week (up to 37.5 hours) Job ref 372-MED2707 Employer Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site The Calderdale Royal Hospital Town Halifax Salary £39,959 - £48,117 per annum, pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 27/09/:59 Interview date 08/10/2026

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (CHFT) are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics.

We are committed to recruiting to our values. Leading One Culture of Care underpins our values by creating an environment, tone and behaviours across all parts of the Trust that are fundamentally rooted in compassionate care.

We are open to considering a wide range of flexible working arrangements. There are opportunities to flex the days of the week, hours and times of work and place of work including: part-time, job-share, flexible working hours and the possibility to work from home when appropriate. Please talk to us during the interview process to discuss any flexibility that you may require.

We received our Silver Award from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme which is helping actively promote SaBRE - Supporting Britain's Reservists and Employers. This means that we provided its statement of intent to support all Defence personnel and we welcome application to work for us.

Our Future Plans

The Department of Health and Social Care has awarded capital funding to invest in local health services at both Calderdale Royal Hospital and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary. This is a significant investment and an opportunity to enhance services for our populations in Calderdale and Huddersfield and West Yorkshire for generations to come. To find out more, please visit

Job overview An exciting secondment opportunity to cover Maternity leave has arisen for a registered Nurse to join the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust Stroke Team.

We are looking for a highly motivated Registered Nurse to join our Specialist Nurse Service. The team provides a 24/7 Specialist Stroke Nurse service based at the Calderdale Royal Hospital. You will need to be a dynamic professional who is passionate about providing high quality care for patients who have experienced a stroke. Your primary role is to attend the Emergency Department and provide rapid initial assessments for patients who are referred to the Stroke Service. The role will also entail working some clinical shifts on the Stroke Floor in a senior role.

We are looking for a recruit with an interest in Stroke Care and with at least 2 years Band 5 experience

Main duties of the job

• Responding to emergency calls from ED presenting to the department with Stroke symptoms
• Assessing the patient using the NIHSS assessment
• Delivery of Thrombolysis within the ED resus setting and potential emergency transfer for thrombectomy
• Work closely with the Stroke Consultant
• Triage phone calls from GP's for TIA clinics
• Training and support of junior staff in the post thrombolysis care in the HASU

Working for our organisation The Stroke team comprises multiple professionals. We are a welcoming team who prides itself on being inclusive and supportive.

The team actively encourages and professional development of staff, and will support staff in ongoing development.

The successful candidate can expect to join a friendly and supportive team.

We are looking for a candidate who has care and compassion at the core of their practice in line with the Trusts vision and works within the Trusts 4 pillars of care.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To assess, deliver and evaluate nursing care to patients with a suspected Stroke immediately following arrival within the trust.
• To assess deliver and evaluate nursing care to patients referred to the TIA pathway.
• To be a point of initial contact for patients accessing the specialist stroke and TIA service.
• To support other clinical areas to develop systems to ensure people with strokes and TIAs are identified early within the patient pathway and are supported to access appropriate services promptly, including thrombolysis and urgent carotid surgery.
• To identify patients for recruitment into clinical trials supported by the Yorkshire Stroke Research Network
• Contribute to the education and development of other members of the stroke specialist team and other clinical teams as appropriate.
• Raise awareness of the needs of stroke patients with other clinical teams
• Liaise with external agencies in Calderdale and Huddersfield e.g. primary care, YAS and with other clinical colleagues within Calderdale and Huddersfield to develop and promote evidence based quality care.
• To support the development and collection of robust data to inform patient care and service development.
• Respond immediately to calls from YAS / A&E triage when an acute stroke or TIA patient is identified.
• In the case of suspected stroke:-
• Confirm the triage diagnosis / identify stroke mimics (15% - 30% cases)
• Identify presence of inclusion / exclusion criteria for hyper-acute interventions e.g. thrombolysis,
• Arrange immediate pathology investigations
• When appropriate mobilise acute stroke medical team
• Rapidly identify appropriate bed on HASU/ASU
• Provide or coordinate nursing input for interventions e.g. thrombolysis
• Provide 1:1 care / observation as needed
• Have responsibility for transfer from A&E to HASU
• Lead and support the delivery of patient care within the hyper-acute stoke unit.
• Support care delivery within the stoke unit and through to discharge home.
• In the case of suspected TIA
• Assess using a structured ABCD approach.
• To contribute to stroke specialist nursing care throughout the stroke and TIA pathway.
• To achieve engagement of all providers across the health and social care communities in order to promote a fully integrated stroke pathway.
• To identify patients who might be suitable for inclusion in clinical trials supported by the Yorkshire Stroke Research Network.
• To contribute to the patient discharge planning process.
• To maintain professional registration and up to date skills and knowledge in stroke and TIA nursing care.
• To work within the NMC code of conduct and relevant local, regional and national guidance and policy.
• The post-holder must comply with all policies and procedures designed to ensure equality of employment and that services are delivered in ways that meet the individual needs of patients and their families. No person whether they are staff, patient or visitor should receive less favourable treatment because of their gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion etc.
• The Trust has a statutory duty to involve patients and public in evaluating and planning services. All staff have a responsibility to listen to the views of patients and to contribute to service improvements based on patient feedback. This post holder will also be expected to contribute to the development and implementation audits and investigations and their action plans to improve patient care.

Person specification QUALIFICATIONS / TRAINING

• Level 1 Registered Nurse with NMC 2 years experience at Band 5
• Significant clinical experience in the assessment of the acutely Ill patent/stroke patient
• Willingness to complete STARS advanced competencies and NIHSS within first month of employment
• ANTT training
• Professional Qualification in a relevant speciality
• Stroke training and resources ( STARS ) CORE and advanced competencies
• NIHSS National Institute of Health Stroke Scale
• Care of the Acutely Ill Patient

KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE

• Provide highly developed clinical skills
• The ability to recognise and act on a change in a patients condition
• Knowledge of National and local stroke strategy and stroke assurance framework
• Experience of translating evidence into practice and/or research/audit skills
• Critical care experience of Patient Pathways and Case Management
• Experience of supervising and/or managing staff
• Experience of working within a self-managed team
• Experience of managing admission routes to a service.
• Experience of managing change
• Understanding of clinical trials/research trials
• Involvement in the audit cycle
• Involvement in the collection and use of patient feedback
• Proven competence in extended roles such as cannulation, ECG and venepuncture

COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIPS (INCLUDING MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES)

• Experience of team working skills and team group facilitation
• Excellent organisational and planning skills
• Experience of providing supervision/mentoring of staff using leadership skills that promote independent thinking and action
• Ability to work collaboratively with team colleagues

Our vision is to provide One Culture of Care for one another in order that we can provide compassionate care for the people who use our services. We are passionate about creating a workplace where we work together to get results, encouraging colleagues to have their say, in order to co create the change we want to see . click apply for full job details