Virtual nurse

Virtual Ward Senior Practitioner – Milton Keynes

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL) is recruiting an experienced Virtual Ward Senior Practitioner to join its innovative Virtual Ward service in Milton Keynes.

The position is open to suitably qualified Registered Nurses, Advanced Nurse Practitioners, Advanced Clinical Practitioners and Paramedics with relevant advanced clinical experience.

Certificate of Sponsorship: Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome and will be considered alongside other applications, subject to the relevant requirements.

Closing date: 17 September 2026

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Job Overview

The Virtual Ward is an innovative integrated healthcare service designed to enable patients to receive appropriate care at home rather than in hospital.

In Milton Keynes, the service initially focused on frailty but has expanded to include Respiratory and Cardiology Virtual Wards, with additional higher-level pathways in development.

The service operates with a Hospital at Home model, with much of the clinical assessment carried out face-to-face. Clinicians use technologies and interventions such as:

• Point-of-Care testing
• ECGs
• Remote patient monitoring
• Other clinical interventions that support safe assessment and treatment at home

The successful candidate will provide high-level patient care using advanced assessment skills while working closely with the acute hospital and wider healthcare system.

Position Details

Location

CNWL MK HQ
Open University Charles Pinfold Building
Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA
United Kingdom

Who Can Apply?

The Trust is seeking experienced healthcare professionals from the following backgrounds:

• Registered Nurses
• Advanced Nurse Practitioners
• Advanced Clinical Practitioners
• Paramedics

Applicants should have appropriate professional registration, advanced assessment experience and relevant post-registration clinical experience.

Applicants must have a full UK driving licence and access to a car.

About the Virtual Ward

The Virtual Ward enables patients who would otherwise potentially require hospital admission to receive appropriate care in their own homes.

The Senior Practitioner will work across virtual ward pathways and help determine the most appropriate patient pathway based on clinical assessment.

The role will involve caring for acutely ill patients in the community, supporting admission avoidance and facilitating early discharge from acute hospital services.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

The Virtual Ward Senior Practitioner will:

• Undertake advanced clinical assessment of patients admitted to the Virtual Ward.
• Develop, implement and evaluate individual care and treatment plans.
• Provide expert clinical care and advanced triage assessment.
• Support patients and healthcare professionals with specialist advice.
• Help determine appropriate patient pathways.
• Support acutely ill patients in community settings and across virtual ward pathways.
• Help avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.
• Support early supported discharge from acute hospital services.
• Provide high-quality, evidence-based and patient-centred care.
• Support the day-to-day operational delivery of the Virtual Ward.
• Work across the wider health system to provide proactive management of patients.
• Lead and participate in multidisciplinary teams.
• Work with healthcare professionals across organisational boundaries.
• Help develop clinical management plans that enable patients to remain safely at home.
• Support the development of clinical pathways with Milton Keynes University Hospital and the Same Day Emergency Care centre.
• Contribute to national Virtual Ward initiatives.
• Coordinate patient pathways within the Virtual Ward.
• Coordinate regular clinical meetings and ensure patient information is accurate.
• Support effective decision-making during clinical meetings.
• Undertake remote monitoring of patients using Doccla.
• Work across clinical pathways including respiratory and frailty.
• Ensure an effective referral and initial triage pathway.
• Oversee caseload management.
• Ensure service delivery meets high standards of clinical practice.
• Promote a patient-centred approach to care.
• Complete physical health and biopsychological assessments.
• Complete frailty assessments for appropriate patients in their own homes.
• Work with the Frailty Team to monitor Clinical Frailty Scores.
• Support Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment for patients identified with frailty.
• Proactively plan and facilitate timely discharge from the Virtual Ward.
• Liaise with other agencies where ongoing care is required.
• Provide reassurance and support to patients and relatives who may be anxious, confused or distressed.
• Communicate with patients by telephone and face-to-face.
• Promote understanding of healthcare services available across organisations.
• Act as a link between the Virtual Ward team and external agencies.
• Maintain positive relationships with referring agencies.
• Participate in service development initiatives.
• Manage staff when required, including supervision, appraisals and mandatory training compliance.

Clinical Skills

The role requires a high level of clinical expertise. Ideally, applicants will have competencies in areas such as:

• IV administration
• Cannulation
• Phlebotomy
• Catheter care
• ECGs
• Advanced clinical assessment
• Advanced triage
• History taking
• Frailty assessment
• Remote patient monitoring

Essential Qualifications

Applicants should have:

• A relevant professional qualification and current professional registration.
• A high level of professional knowledge supported by educational development.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• An Advanced Assessment and History Taking qualification or relevant clinical experience working at an advanced level.

Desirable Qualification

• Non-Medical Prescribing Qualification (V300).

Essential Experience

Applicants should demonstrate:

• Relevant post-registration experience.
• A strong professional knowledge base.
• Relevant continuing professional development.
• Experience working within a community or acute setting.
• Experience managing patients with frailty, long-term conditions and/or acute illness.
• Experience developing relationships with external agencies.
• Experience working across organisational boundaries.

Essential Knowledge

Candidates should have knowledge and understanding of:

• Local and national agendas for community services.
• Admission avoidance.
• Early supported discharge services.
• Frailty.
• Long-term conditions.
• Managing complex, emotional and challenging situations.

Essential Skills and Abilities

The successful candidate should demonstrate:

• The ability to work effectively under pressure.
• Flexibility to respond to changing service requirements.
• Confidence with basic IT skills.
• The ability to work autonomously.
• The ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• The ability to build and maintain professional relationships.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Effective negotiation skills.
• Influencing skills.
• Problem-solving abilities.

Personal Qualities

Candidates should be:

• Good communicators.
• Able to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Able to reflect critically on their own performance.
• Flexible regarding working hours.
• Flexible regarding working locations.
• Able to drive and have access to a car.

Training and Professional Development

CNWL offers a range of support and development opportunities, including:

• Comprehensive induction.
• Regular formal and informal 1-to-1 supervision.
• Self-directed learning opportunities.
• Competency completion.
• Training opportunities.
• Collaborative working across Milton Keynes Community Health Services.
• Quality Improvement (QI) project work.

Benefits and Staff Support

The Trust highlights a range of benefits and staff support initiatives, including:

• Flexible working.
• Buying and selling annual leave.
• Attractive pension scheme.
• Tax-free lump sum on retirement, subject to scheme rules.
• Family benefits for dependants.
• Ill-health retirement benefits.
• Life assurance cover of twice annual pay.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Staying Well at Work service.
• Staff Wellbeing Zone.
• Recovery College health and wellbeing courses.
• Range of staff networks.

Equipment and Expenses

The successful candidate will have access to:

• Laptop.
• Mobile phone.
• Uniform.
• Mileage expenses.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled Worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.

This wording means that applicants requiring sponsorship may apply and will be considered, but it does not constitute a guarantee that sponsorship will be granted. Applicants must still meet the relevant UK immigration, professional registration and employer requirements.

Applicants seeking further immigration information can consult the UK Visas and Immigration website.

UK Professional Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.

Further information about working in the UK as an overseas healthcare professional is available through the NHS Careers website.

Criminal Record Check

This position is subject to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975.

A DBS check will therefore be required to establish whether the applicant has any previous criminal convictions that are relevant to the applicable requirements.

Overseas Applicants – Criminal Record Certificates

The advert states that Skilled Worker applicants applying for entry clearance into the UK may be required to provide a criminal record certificate from each country where they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more during the previous 10 years.

Adult dependants over 18 may also be subject to this requirement.

Employer

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL)

CNWL provides healthcare services across London and Milton Keynes and promotes collaborative working, staff development and wellbeing.

Employer website: CNWL Careers

Employer Recognition and Staff Initiatives

The Trust lists a number of accreditations, initiatives and commitments, including:

• Age Positive
• Armed Forces Covenant
• Carer Confident Accomplished
• Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Bronze
• Disability Confident Committed
• Living Wage Employer
• Menopause Friendly
• Smoke Free
• Step into Health
• Stonewall
• Stonewall LGBTQ Employer Gold Award 2023

Important Application Information

Before applying, candidates should carefully review the full job description and person specification on the official NHS Jobs advert.

Particular attention should be paid to:

• Current UK professional registration.
• Advanced assessment experience.
• Relevant post-registration experience.
• Community and/or acute clinical experience.
• Frailty and long-term condition experience.
• Ability to work across organisational boundaries.
• Full UK driving licence.
• Access to a car.
• Ability to work flexibly.
• Eligibility for any required immigration or sponsorship arrangements.

Application Deadline

Closing date: 17 September 2026

Applications should be submitted before the closing date through the official NHS Jobs application system.

How to Apply

Interested and suitably qualified candidates can apply through the official NHS Jobs application page:

Applicants should ensure that their application clearly demonstrates how they meet the essential criteria listed in the person specification.

Job Summary at a Glance

Role: Virtual Ward Senior Practitioner
Band: 7
Salary: £49,387–£56,515 per annum pro rata
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 10 months
Working pattern: Part-time
Location: Milton Keynes
Professional registration: Required
UK driving licence: Required
Car: Required
Skilled Worker sponsorship: Applications requiring current sponsorship are welcome and will be considered
Closing date: 17 September 2026
Employer: Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Reference: 333-D-MK-CM-1234

Final Application Reminder

If you meet the professional, clinical and eligibility requirements, this Band 7 Virtual Ward Senior Practitioner opportunity in Milton Keynes could be worth considering.

Review the complete official vacancy, person specification and application requirements before submitting your application.