Community Nurse

Job summary

Please note: at this stage, the role is open only to colleagues currently employed within Kent and Medway NHS Trusts, the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Medway Community Healthcare or working on the Staff Bank within these organisations. Nursing and AHP vacancies are also open to Student Nurses and Newly Qualified Nurses/AHPs.

Are you an enthusiastic, compassionate Registered Nurse looking to make a real difference in people's lives? We are seeking a motivated Band 5 Community Nurse to join our supportive and progressive team in Herne Bay. Working within a close-knit and welcoming team, you will play a key role in supporting housebound patients across Herne Bay and the surrounding areas.

Community nursing offers a unique opportunity to build meaningful relationships with patients and their families while delivering holistic, personalised care in their own homes. Every day is different, giving you the autonomy to assess, plan and deliver care that truly meets individual needs.

As part of an exciting period of transformation, our Community Adult Nursing Teams are aligning with Primary Care Networks to strengthen partnership working and improve patient outcomes. We are committed to innovative, needs-led care that keeps patients at the centre of everything we do.

Main duties of the job

As a Band 5 Community Nurse, you will be supported to deliver a wide range of nursing interventions, including wound management, catheter care, administration of injectable medication, venepuncture, palliative and end of life care, symptom management and support for patients living with long-term conditions.

Through education, empowerment and proactive care planning, you will help individuals maximise their independence and avoid unnecessary hospital admissions wherever possible. You will work as an integral member of a multidisciplinary team, managing and supporting patients with complex health needs while developing your assessment, clinical decision-making and care coordination skills.

We offer the freedom to plan and organise your workload, supported by experienced colleagues, regular supervision and dedicated clinical leadership to help you thrive. Whether you are newly qualified or looking to build on your existing experience, we are committed to helping you achieve your professional goals.

Our nurturing preceptorship programme, comprehensive learning opportunities and clear career development pathways will support your growth every step of the way. If you are looking for a rewarding career where you can make a genuine impact, develop your expertise and be part of positive change in community healthcare, we would be delighted to welcome you to our Herne Bay Community Nursing Team.

About us

Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust is due to integrate with Medway Community Healthcare on 1 October 2026. Following integration and to align our community services to the new Neighbourhood Model of care delivery, there will be a period of consultation which may result in changes affecting some services, teams or roles.

Depending on the area you are applying to work in, this could include potential changes to your role, work base, reporting arrangements, or terms and conditions of employment. Any changes would be subject to consultation and managed sensitively and in line with relevant employment processes. Please do contact the recruiting manager if you have any concerns about this so they can answer any questions you might have.

Rated 'Outstanding' by CQC, we deliver high-quality care that improves the health of our communities. We are looking for people who share our values: Compassionate, Aspirational, Responsive and Excellent . We are proud to be an inclusive, welcoming organisation and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds.

We use protected characteristic information for monitoring only and it is not seen by recruiting managers, except where applicants choose to be considered under our disability guaranteed interview scheme. We know life outside work matters. As a flexible working-friendly organisation, we welcome conversations about arrangements that help you thrive while supporting excellent care for our patients. Explore KCHFTcareer pathways

Job responsibilities

As a community Trust, many of our roles require individuals to be able to drive to perform their duties. Where driving is a requirement of the role, you will be asked to confirm that you hold a full UK driving licence or a full driving licence issued by an EU country (not exchanged from a non-EU country) to proceed with your application. We are committed to supporting candidates with disabilities into employment.

If you are unable to drive due to a disability, please contact the Recruitment Team via kentchft.recruitment@nhs.net, quoting the vacancy reference number, so we can support you further.The job description and person specification gives you all the information you need about this role. Please look carefully at the criteria in the person specification and tell us what you have done that shows you meet this in your application.

If you need an application form in an alternative format please let our recruitment team know. All information you supply on your application should, to the best of your knowledge, be true and accurate.Still have questions?

The recruiting manager would love to hear from you, their contact details can be found in the job advert.We can get a lot of applications for some roles so to be in with the best chance of being shortlisted please make sure you apply as soon as possible.

A vacancy may close early if there is a lot of interest in the job.At KCHFT we strongly encourage colleagues in clinical and non-clinical roles who have direct or social contact with patients to be fully vaccinated. In this way we will be doing all we can to ensure your safety and that of your colleagues and the patients we serve.Find out more about the community difference here.Good luck!

We cant wait to meet you and welcome you to #teamKCHFT, #cometocommunity.

Person Specification

Qualifications · Essential

You will have a Level 6 Degree or equivalent qualification, or equivalent knowledge acquired through experience plus a diploma in nursing. You'll need to have recent experience of healthcare gained through education, work experience or previous employment. This role is ideal for a newly qualified graduate nurse You will be a registered health care professional with the Nursing and Midwifery Council A full, valid UK driving licence or a full driving licence issued by an EU country Knowledge and skills

Essential

You will need to have a customer focussed approach Provide patients, clients and their families with the best possible experience You will need to be able to be able to use IT systems and databases You will understand where to signpost clients and families to alternative services to support behaviour change and improve health. You will have knowledge of up-to-date clinical practice by using up- to- date skills and adhering to evidence-based procedures and clinical effectiveness frameworks. You will fully understand the role and remit of a health care worker

Desirable

Having an awareness of developments within the NHS would be an advantage

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

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. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab) . From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab) .

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).