Senior Viral Hepatology Specialist Nurse, Band 7

Go back Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 19 January 2026

This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated and experienced Registered Nurse to Lead the Viral Hepatology Clinical Nurse specialist team. This role will be central to the provision of a range of specialist services for patients with viral hepatitis within a unique and cohesive multi-disciplinary environment.

• Lead, develop, and manage a specialist viral hepatitis nursing team caring for patients diagnosed with viral hepatitis and related complications.
• Establish and maintain a patient‑centred access, assessment, treatment, follow‑up, and maintenance programme within the parameters, pathways and protocols set by the Lead Consultant.
• Support and manage the Blood‑Borne Virus Nurse in testing and health promotion to people at risk of contracting Hepatitis B and
  
  C.
• Run nurse‑led clinics and follow‑up telephone clinics.
• Undertake advanced clinical assessment and treatment of a designated caseload of patients with complex presentations through timely and appropriate access to specialist nurses via clinical pathways and independent non‑medical prescribing.
• Proactively develop educational programmes and act as a resource to other health care professionals on viral hepatitis, treatments and issues.
• Lead, coach and manage team performance in line with the Trust people management practices, ensuring excellence is recognised and underperformance addressed.
• Make professionally autonomous decisions for individuals infected with viral hepatitis, including ordering investigations, differential diagnosis, specialised clinical advice, and treatment care.
• Assess patients’ suitability for treatment, prescribe appropriate medication, monitor for side‑effects, and intervene as appropriate.
• Carry ongoing responsibility for a cohort of individuals infected with viral hepatitis: clinical assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation of specialised care programmes, monitoring adherence, and developing strategies to maximise adherence.
• Provide comprehensive care for patients with hepatitis B or C, including education about treatments, side‑effect discussion, and training in self‑administration of medication.
• Conduct weekly to four‑weekly clinical reviews for patients on hepatitis C treatment, obtain blood samples, review results, adjust medication dose, and, if necessary, stop treatment early.
• Provide follow‑up for hepatitis B patients at least every 3–6 months, monitor side‑effects, complications, treatment efficacy and drug resistance.
• Refer patients to other healthcare professionals (consultants in psychiatry, dietitians, psychologists) as required.
• Discuss differential diagnoses with patients, including breaking bad news (e.g., diagnosis of liver tumours or cirrhosis).
• Provide ongoing highly specialised clinical advice, monitoring and support to patients who fail treatment, and arrange onward referral as necessary.
• Offer consultancy to other professionals and external agencies concerning all matters relating to viral hepatitis, accessible via face‑to‑face and telephone consultations.
• Perform venepuncture, including using butterflies or needles and syringes with patients who have poor venous access.
• Provide highly specialised clinical advice to GPs, other healthcare workers, members of the public, occupational health departments, and statutory and non‑statutory services, including issues relating to hepatitis B post‑exposure prophylaxis.
• Provide education to the team and supervision to students on placement with the service.
• Maintain up‑to‑date knowledge of developments and treatments and participate in professional groups, local, regional, and national (e.g., South West Hepatology Group).
• Manage data entry using the hepatitis C database and accurately record interventions in patient records (both written and electronic).
• Engage in audits and research: lead clinical nursing audit in viral hepatitis, participate in local and national research, and undertake clinical nursing audit as part of the role.
• Line‑manage and support new/junior staff on the team.
• Demonstrate compliance with…