Band 8a - Vascular Access Lead Nurse

West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Closing date: 29 July 2026

We are looking for an experienced Vascular Access Practitioner to cover the role as lead for the service for a fixed period. The role involves teaching healthcare professionals and patients and consists of patient review pre‑ and post‑PICC line insertion, supporting patients and staff with all aspects of vascular access.

If you are interested in the role but do not meet the criteria for the Lead Vascular Access position (Band 8a) we would welcome interest for the Band 7 post.

You will be the Lead Nurse for Vascular access based at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals, Watford site. This role is part of the Infection Prevention and Control multidisciplinary team.

The post‑holder will work autonomously as a consulting clinical specialist to provide patient‑centred care, including advanced clinical assessments of patients requiring advanced vascular access care, selection of the most appropriate device, device insertion, and ongoing management.

As the lead of the service, you will advocate for innovative ways of working, develop, implement and maintain policies, guidelines, protocols and educational initiatives.

The post also involves managerial duties of the vascular access service members as per HR protocols.

The main objective of the Vascular Access service is to prevent vascular access‑related hospital‑acquired infections. You will manage a hospital database and a surveillance programme to maintain high standards and implement strategies for complication reduction.

• Act as the lead specialist to healthcare professionals across the Trust for all matters of vascular access.
• Lead the vascular access service and manage its members.
• Provide mentorship for the specialised area of IV therapy and intravascular devices.
• Member of the OPAT (Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy) and Infection Prevention and Control MDT, providing vascular access expertise and promoting IV to oral switch.
• Report to the Infection Prevention and Control MDT and governance structures.
• Identify key personnel for advanced vascular access skill training.
• Develop, with other teams, a hospital‑wide training strategy that enhances professional development.
• Be responsible for the vascular access service budget/finances, including all supplies for PICC/midline insertions.
• Create new pathways to reduce re‑admissions via A&E and support Virtual Hospital.
• Maintain in‑depth knowledge and extensive clinical experience of intra‑vascular access devices.
• Be highly skilled in peripheral cannulation and midline/PICC insertion.
• Know how tunnelled intra‑vascular access devices are inserted and expand into peripherally inserted port‑a‑caths if needed.
• Advise and support healthcare professionals in the utilisation of IV therapy resources and services.
• Support healthcare professionals to holistically manage therapeutic interventions using multiple approaches to decision‑making.
• Identify appropriate patients requiring a central‑venous access device and, following consultation with (or providing consultation to) medical staff.
• Liaise with clinical teams and the Infection Prevention and Control team regarding infected CVAD sites and multi‑resistance prevention and management.
• Initiate and participate in activities that contribute to IV therapy nursing/medical research and/or audit.
• Create and facilitate nurse‑led clinics for outpatients with indwelling CVADs and manage complications.
• The core hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm at the Watford Hospital site.

• Bachelor's degree in nursing (preferably adult)
• Master's degree relevant to healthcare
• Certificate in education, teaching and assessment
• Evidence of advanced vascular access clinical skills
• Nurse Prescribing Course or willingness to work towards it

• Extensive experience within vascular access speciality
• Understanding of anatomy and physiology related to vascular access and devices
• Familiarity and competence in the use of various vascular access devices
• Ability to assess competency in vascular access
• Previous…