Nurses invited to recruitment event for on-the-day interviews

Demelza is hosting the event at its hospice in Wensley Close, Eltham, on Thursday 27 February with the aim of filling five fulltime equivalent Band 6 positions.

The recruitment day will be a chance for nurses to learn about the specifics of being a children’s palliative care nurse and how the individualised care and support the charity provides to children with serious or life-limiting conditions gives families choice.

On the day, attendees will be able to meet the team, hear from some of Demelza’s nurses about their roles, have a tour of the site and learn more about the workplace culture and benefits, including being able to keep an NHS pension.

There will also be stations set up around the hospice to showcase some of the complex care the nurses provide on a day-to-day basis as well as the opportunity to learn more about some of the therapies and memory making activities offered to children and families supported by Demelza.

The session will finish with a Q&A and interviews will then take place at the site immediately afterwards for those who would like to put themselves forward.

The event is targeted at Band 5 nurses who feel ready to apply for a Band 6 position and existing Band 6 nurses who would like to move into children’s palliative care. Band 5 nurses looking for career progression are also encouraged to attend as Demelza will support any successful candidates in working towards their Band 6.

Demelza’s Deputy Director of Nursing, Dave Winch, said: “We want to change the perception of what the role of a children’s palliative care nurse is.

“Demelza is an extraordinary place for nurses to work and using your expert skills to give personalised care to extraordinary children can be a life-changing role.

“Nursing at a children’s hospice is about so much more than respite care – it’s an incredibly rewarding role which offers continued professional development, work-life balance, flexible working and some fantastic benefits.

“There is a nursing gap in the NHS which is even higher in the children’s palliative care sector and recruitment at Demelza’s Eltham site has historically been difficult due to its close proximity to London hospitals.

“But Demelza is the only children’s hospice in South East London and there is a huge need for our specialist services in the area.

“We would really encourage anyone who’s interested in finding out more to come along to our recruitment day.”

Senior Registered Nurse Rhiannon Higgs has been at Demelza five years, having returned to the role after taking a few months out to work in an NHS hospital setting.

She said: “I realised how much I missed working at Demelza. I missed the clinical side of the work and also the holistic, induvial approach we can offer.

“At Demelza we have the skill set but also the time to give the best one to one clinical care and the emotional support children and families deserve.”

The Nursing Recruitment Day will start at 11am on Thursday 27^th February.