Job Description

Are you a dynamic and experienced nurse leader with a passion for critical care and patient safety? We are seeking a highly motivated Lead Nurse to head our Critical Care Outreach Team (CCOT) at the Aintree site.



This is a pivotal role within our Trust, offering the opportunity to lead a specialist team that supports patients transitioning from critical care, responds to acute deterioration, and contributes to our Avoidable Mortality Reduction Programme through surveillance of Sepsis and Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) .



As Lead Nurse, you will be responsible for the daily management, strategic direction, and clinical leadership of the CCOT, ensuring alignment with both corporate and divisional objectives . You will also support the Medical Emergency Team (MET) Lead Nurse in delivering rapid response services across the Trust.



You will function as a clinical expert , providing advanced assessment and care for deteriorating patients, supporting rehabilitation, and leading Trust-wide initiatives in tracheostomy and laryngectomy care.



Key Responsibilities



Strategic leadership and operational management of the CCOT



Clinical oversight of patients stepping down from Critical Care



Responding to MET calls and supporting acutely ill patients



Surveillance and review of AKI and Sepsis alerts



Education and training across the Trust, including tracheostomy care



Supporting inter-hospital transfers of critically ill patients



Performance management and development of CCOT staff



Ensuring compliance with national guidelines and Trust policies



About You

You will be a Registered Nurse with:

Significant post-registration experience in critical care or acute settings



Proven leadership and management skills



Advanced clinical assessment and decision-making abilities



ALS provider certification



Experience in education and staff development



A commitment to quality improvement and patient safety



Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust comprises Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital & Royal Liverpool University Hospital.



We are part of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, formed on 1 Nov 2024 from the coming together of LUHFT and Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust. The Group was born from a shared aim to improve the care we provide our patients.



UHLG is one of the largest employers in the region, with over 16,800 colleagues dedicated to caring for our communities - from birth and beyond.



For the 630,000 people across Merseyside, we are their local NHS. We provide general and emergency hospital care, alongside highly specialised regional services for more than two million people in the North West.



Aintree University Hospital is the single receiving site for adult major trauma patients in Cheshire and Merseyside and hosts a number of regional services including an award-winning stroke facility. Broadgreen Hospital is home to elective surgical, diagnostic and treatment services, together with specialist patient rehabilitation. Liverpool Women's Hospital specialises in the health of women and babies, delivering over 7,200 babies in the UK's largest single site maternity hospital each year. The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is the largest hospital in the country to provide inpatients with 100% single bedrooms and focuses on complex planned care and specialist services.



For roles at Liverpool Women's, visit their careers page .

Job Title:

Critical Care Outreach Team Lead Nurse

Directorate / Service:

Theatres, anaesthetics, Critical Care and Pre-op Care Group

AfC Band:

8a

Professionally Accountable to:

Divisional Director of Nursing

Responsible to:

Assistant Director of Nursing



Job Summary



The Critical care outreach team at Aintree site offer a specialist follow up service for patients discharged from critical care to step down areas. They support acute, deteriorating patients and function as part of the Medical Emergency Team (MET) within daytime hours. They are also responsible for the surveillance and review of patients alerting with Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) and Sepsis as part of the Trust Avoidable Mortality Reduction Programme.



The Critical Care outreach lead nurse will be wholly responsible for the daily management and strategic direction of the Critical Care Outreach Team, ensuring alignment with both Corporate and Divisional objectives. The role will require administrative and clinical leadership and will also offer support to the MET team Lead nurse to deliver this service effectively across the trust.



The Lead Nurse for the Critical Care Outreach Team will be accountable for the leadership, performance management, service development, and maintaining high standards and quality of care within the service and the team.



The lead nurse will function as a specialist nurse within the Critical Care Outreach/Medical Emergency Teams. Being responsible for;



Managing patients who have recently stepped down from Critical Care to general wards, providing the highest standard of assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of individualised holistic patient care for acutely ill/deteriorating ward-based patients in conjunction with the wider MDT.

Support psychological after care and rehabilitation of long-term Critical Care patients

Reviewing deteriorating patients on wards who have been referred for Critical Care input and review.

Provide Trust wide screening and surveillance for Sepsis and AKI allowing prompt treatment and decisive medical management

Attend MET calls within the scope of working hours, functioning as an ALS provider, leading early intervention with appropriate assessment, observation and treatment for seriously ill patients on general wards.



Key responsibilities



Act as the Lead Nurse for the Critical Care Outreach Team (CCOT)

Hold strategic responsibility for the development and coordination of the CCOT in relation to the requirements of the Trust, maintaining relevant policy and guidelines.

Accountable for the leadership, management and development of the staff employed within the CCOT.

Provide clinical leadership and support to the staff employed within the CCOT and the Medical Emergency Team.

Provide clinical input and specialist skills to all clinical areas in Aintree University Hospital (AUH), establishing and maintaining effective communications between Critical Care, CCOT, MET and the wards/departments, making operational judgements and managing conflicting views where necessary.

Acts as a role model in achieving excellence in the care of critically ill/highly dependent patients.

Perform autonomous comprehensive assessments of deteriorating and critically ill patients. Plan, implement, and evaluate care delivery according to changing health needs and varying levels of complexity.

Active member of ward-based MDT working to rehabilitate critical care step down patients.

Responds as part of Aintree Medical Emergency Team.

Coordinates the inter hospital transfer of acutely ill level 1,2 and 3 patients for investigation or to an area for a higher level of monitoring

Oversee the surveillance and review of patients alerting with Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) and Sepsis as part of the Trust Avoidable Mortality Reduction Programme

Leads in the delivery of education, training and development of staff throughout the general/cohort wards on tracheostomy and laryngectomy care, having responsibility as author of the Trust wide Tracheostomy guideline to ensure training and education and patient care is delivered in line with relevant National Tracheostomy Safety guidelines.

Directly support the Lead Nurse for the Multi- Professional Medical Emergency Team (MET) in ensuring that the Trust complies with national guidelines and recommendations around rapid response and recognition of deterioration. This may involve support with data collection, input and reporting, as well as ordering and maintaining MET equipment.



Clinical Responsibility



Inform and co-ordinate clinical service delivery provided by the CCOT, providing clinical leadership and demonstrating specialist clinical skills based on current best practice and evidence-based guidelines and relevant National competencies for Outreach and rapid response teams.

Perform comprehensive assessments of critically ill patients, implement and evaluate care delivery according to changing health needs, level of dependency and complexity of condition.

Interprets diagnostic information and provides a service within the expanded role of the Nurse Practitioner including analysis of blood results and ECGS, venepuncture, arterial blood gas sampling and interpretation of results, cannulation and provision/use of Intra osseous access.

Provides Trust wide spirometry assessment for patients identified by Critical Care and acute medical teams.

Initiate appropriate expert care, treatment and monitoring in ward areas/departments if admission to Critical Care is not available or appropriate including invasive monitoring and care of relevant intravascular devices.

Function as a resource for ward personnel providing clinical leadership and support.

Communicate complex and sensitive information to staff, patients and relatives including discussions around ceilings of care and DNACPR decision making

Ensures patients views are sought and taken into account in the decision-making process and ensure due regard is given to patients' customs, values and spiritual beliefs.

Establish and maintain effective communications between Medical/Surgical Doctors, CCOT, MET and ward/departments managing conflicting views where necessary.

Respond to requirements with flexibility and empathy, always ensuring patient safety is a priority.

Respond to referrals for acutely ill patients and emergency situations throughout the hospital as part of the Trust MET and co-ordinates best use of MET resources and skills at calls.

Reviews and analyses blood results and clinical data from Trust database for Sepsis and AKI to highlight at risk patients, ensuring prompt assessment and recognition of deterioration.

Liaises with patients' parent Clinical teams to ensure appropriate AKI and sepsis care bundles are implemented, instigating and initiating emergency and follow up treatment when required, recognising the associated complications and how to monitor for and treat these.

Responds to referrals from Critical Care Medical Team to review acutely ill/deteriorating patients in ward areas

Maintain ALS provider status and act as Team Coordinator at cardiac arrest and emergency calls.

Provide expert advice on the management of the acutely ill patient in relation to NEWS.

Ensures appropriate handover of deteriorating patients to Medical and Critical Care Teams- attending relevant Clinical handovers.

Represents CCOT in MDT meetings relating to complex discharges from Critical Care to wards or for discharge planning from ward to home

Reviewing the patients Critical Care journey using their patient diary as a starting point for psychological follow up and support.

Plans care with MDT in relation to rehabilitation after Critical Care and assists with patient reviews and support at Critical Care follow up clinics

Take responsibility for own clinical workload. Prioritise work and case load according to clinical need, assessing and treating patients according to their individual requirements following clinical examination, building in flexibility to deal with emergency calls and unforeseen demands on time and resources

Ensures that the CCOT always comply with the Hospital Infection Control and Prevention Policy.



Strategic/Leadership role



Act and lead on service improvements in line with the Trust's strategic vision.

Lead and develop the CCOT creating a climate that encourages teamwork, maximises individual contribution and supports innovation.

Lead CCOT in provision of avoidable mortality reduction surveillance work around AKI and Sepsis.

Responsible for disseminating information relating to the CCOT to other disciplines at all levels internally and externally of the Trust.

Support the Critical Care Matron/Coordinator and bed management teams to ensure best use of clinical resources and safe and effective patient flow.

Responsible for informing, developing and implementing policies in relation to areas of responsibility that impact across the organisation

Responsible for CCOT audit data collection and reporting, monitoring team activity and workload, new admissions and readmissions to Critical Care via CCOT/MET and levels of activity and patient dependency across the Trust



Assists the Lead Nurse in responsibility for MET audit data reporting



Allocate staff in order to achieve the most effective use of resources, identifying manpower needs and regularly reviewing skill mix.



Monitor and evaluate health, safety and security of self and others and implement best practice in the ward/department areas.



Act on concerns reported by team members or service users.



Ensure that any reports of poor practice are reported and managed in accordance with Trust policy.



Act as a role model for patient safety and support staff to deliver safe and effective care