Student District Nurse

Job summary

Shape the future of community nursing with NELFT Are you a passionate registered nurse looking to take the next step in your career and become a qualified District Nurse and Specialist Community Practitioner? At North East London NHS Foundation Trust, we are proud to offer an exciting opportunity for 3 motivated and compassionate nurses to join our sponsored Student District Nurse Programme commencing in January 2027, subject to funding approval. This is your opportunity to develop advanced clinical, leadership and community nursing skills whilst studying towards the District Nursing Specialist Practitioner Qualification (DNSPQ) in partnership with London South Bank University. As part of this programme, you will receive: A fixed-term full-time contract Salary paid up to the midpoint of Band 5 Full support from experienced community nursing teams and practice assessors The opportunity to gain a recordable Specialist Community Practitioner qualification with the NMC A rewarding career pathway within community services across NELFT. Why join NELFT? Community nursing is at the heart of delivering care closer to home. As a Student District Nurse, you will develop the skills to lead and coordinate care for patients with complex health needs, supporting people to remain independent within their own homes and communities.

Main duties of the job

About the Role This development opportunity is designed to build upon your existing nursing knowledge, skills and experience, enabling you to progress towards advanced autonomous practice within community nursing. You will work closely with multidisciplinary teams, patients, carers and community partners whilst developing specialist skills in: Clinical assessment and case management Leadership and care coordination Long-term condition management Health promotion and prevention Supporting patients to remain safely at home This is an excellent opportunity for nurses who are enthusiastic about community healthcare and aspire to become future leaders within District Nursing services. Join NELFT and help deliver outstanding care where it matters most in the heart of our communities. Starting with NELFT NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

About us

NELFT NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health and community services for over 4.9 million people living in the London Boroughs of Waltham Forest, Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham, Havering, and across Essex. We work to ensure our patients, their friends and family, feel confident that their health needs are well met. With an excellent reputation for research and development, our skilled health professionals are at the cutting edge of evidence-based innovation, opening up the possibilities for better ways of working and delivery of care.

Details

  • Date posted: 13 August 2026
  • Pay scheme: Agenda for change
  • Band: Band 5
  • Salary: £32,073 to £39,043 a year
  • Contract: Fixed term
  • Duration: 12 months
  • Working pattern: Full-time
  • Reference number: 3NL-001674
  • Job locations: Goodmayes Hospital, 157 Barley Lane, London, Greater London, IG3 8XJ, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

Shape the future of community nursing with NELFT

Are you a passionate registered nurse looking to take the next step in your career and become a qualified District Nurse and Specialist Community Practitioner?

At North East London NHS Foundation Trust, we are proud to offer an exciting opportunity for 3 motivated and compassionate nurses to join our sponsored Student District Nurse Programme commencing in January 2027, subject to funding approval.

This is your opportunity to develop advanced clinical, leadership and community nursing skills whilst studying towards the District Nursing Specialist Practitioner Qualification (DNSPQ) in partnership with London South Bank University.

As part of this programme, you will receive:

  • A fixed-term full-time contract
  • Salary paid up to the midpoint of Band 5
  • Full support from experienced community nursing teams and practice assessors
  • The opportunity to gain a recordable Specialist Community Practitioner qualification with the NMC
  • A rewarding career pathway within community services across NELFT

Community nursing is at the heart of delivering care closer to home. As a Student District Nurse, you will develop the skills to lead and coordinate care for patients with complex health needs, supporting people to remain independent within their own homes and communities.

At NELFT, we are committed to:

  • Supporting professional development and career progression
  • Delivering compassionate, high-quality patient care
  • Promoting innovation and leadership within community services
  • Creating inclusive teams where staff feel valued and supported

You will join a forward-thinking organisation that values kindness, respect, and working together with our communities.

Applicants must:

  • Hold current first-level registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council with no restrictions to practice
  • Hold a first degree at 2:2 or above
  • Demonstrate evidence of recent study within the last 2 years
  • Be passionate about delivering high-quality community nursing care
  • Demonstrate excellent communication, organisation and leadership potential

This development opportunity is designed to build upon your existing nursing knowledge, skills and experience, enabling you to progress towards advanced autonomous practice within community nursing.

You will work closely with multidisciplinary teams, patients, carers and community partners whilst developing specialist skills in:

  • Clinical assessment and case management
  • Leadership and care coordination
  • Long-term condition management
  • Health promotion and prevention
  • Supporting patients to remain safely at home

This is an excellent opportunity for nurses who are enthusiastic about community healthcare and aspire to become future leaders within District Nursing services.

Join NELFT and help deliver outstanding care where it matters most — in the heart of our communities.

Applications will be accepted until: 06.09.2026.

Interviews will be held on: 30.09.2026 and 01.10-2026.

Starting with NELFT NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

Probationary Period This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).

High Cost Area Supplement – Outer London (B&D, Redbridge, Havering and Waltham Forest, CEME) This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £4,870 to a maximum of £6,137 p.a. pro rata for part time).

Working for Us Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London and Essex. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.

The Trust has award-winning equality and diversity initiatives, along with staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest significantly in your development because when you feel valued and supported, we can deliver the highest quality care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been recognised in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for five consecutive years, and hold a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Through our staff networks and training opportunities, we strive to foster a just and compassionate culture at NELFT.

For informal enquiries please contact:

Name: Mary Johnson

Job Title: Practice Experience Facilitator

Telephone number: 07534837416

e-mail address: mary.johnson@nelft.nhs.uk

Person specification:

Other

Essential

  • To be able to travel efficiently throughout the area
  • The ability to drive to a variety of sites within the Trust is essential
  • To be aware and demonstrate the Trust Values

Skills

Essential

  • Basic awareness of IT and IT skills
  • Academic ability to study independently at postgraduate level
  • Good computer literacy skills e.g. Microsoft word, excel
  • Excellent, adaptable communication skills both written and verbal
  • Numeracy and Literacy skills
  • Ability to support people to make informed decisions in relation to their health and well-being
  • Demonstrate ability to adapt to working within a changing environment
  • Demonstrate knowledge of research-based practice
  • Evidence of supporting equality and valuing diversity in own practice
  • Evidence of current clinical competencies relevant to community nursing

Knowledge

Essential

  • An awareness of NHS priorities
  • Awareness of the role of the contemporary District Nurse
  • Knowledge of local and national policies which influence the provision of primary care services
  • Knowledge of long-term conditions management
  • Current knowledge of safeguarding issues
  • Knowledge of quality issues, the audit process and clinical governance
  • Knowledge of assessment of health needs of the local population.
  • Background knowledge of current policy relating to public health and primary care.

Experience

Essential

  • Recent experience of working as a registered nurse in a community nursing role
  • Evidence of working within multi-disciplinary teams
  • Evidence of involvement in the management of difficult situations and conflict resolution
  • Evidence of working without direct supervision and managing own workload

Desirable

  • Experience of managing staff within a team

Qualifications

Essential

  • Current NMC Registration for nursing (Adult Branch)
  • Applicants need to be registered on part 1 of the NMC register.
  • Applicants must have at least one-year relevant community experience post qualifying.
  • Applicants must have a degree and be able to study at level 7, a 2:2 degree or above or evidence of passing a module at L7 acceptable’.

Desirable

  • Evidence of post registration study/learning over the past two years
  • Evidence of continual professional development at level 7

Demonstration of Trust Values

Essential

  • We are kind
  • We are respectful
  • We work together with our communities
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