Weldmar Hospicecare

Weldmar Hospicecare nursing careers in Dorset

We employ staff nurses at our Inpatient Unit in Dorchester, and Community Nurse Specialists located around the north, south, and west of Dorset. Health care assistants also provide hands on care at our IPU and as part of our hospice at home service. Our team also includes doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, counsellors, social workers, complementary therapists, and others, as we aim to meet the needs of local adults needing end of life care.

Nursing opportunities at our Inpatient Unit

Staff nurses based at our beautiful Inpatient Unit in Dorchester provide care for those patients needing bespoke and tailored care around the clock, including symptom management and pain control. They ensure patients are comfortable and treated with the respect they deserve.

Patient-to-nurse ratio

The nature of our service means that there is an attractive patient-to-nurse ratio at our Inpatient Unit.

“As well as the patients, we care for their loved ones too. They can be at the hospice for long periods of time, but we reassure them that we can sit with their loved one whilst they have a cup of tea or take a walk around the gardens. Our nurse to patient ratio means we can do things like that, and time with patients was what I really wanted as a nurse.”

Kelly - Weldmar Staff Nurse

Shift patterns at Weldmar Hospicecare

Shifts at our Inpatient Unit consist of Earlies (7.30-15.30), Lates (13.30-21.30), Nights (21.00-07.45). Long days can be discussed (07.30-21.30).

All posts include internal rotation to nights.

Community nursing jobs and careers at Weldmar Hospicecare in Dorset

We have Weldmar Community Nurses and Community Nurse Specialists working across Dorset, with close links to GPs, district nurses, and community hospitals. All of our nurses are experienced in the complex symptoms and problems that life limiting illness and its treatment can bring.

They support patients and families, offering advice on how to best manage symptoms, do what they can to make patients feel comfortable, and discuss anxieties.

Our team will visit people at home, in nursing homes, residential homes and the community hospitals.

The community nurse team is constantly liaising with the consultants and other specialist areas in Weldmar, so for example they can arrange a visit from a specialty doctor or a physiotherapist.

“I’m very dedicated to providing individualised care, which I believe is essential. No two people are the same and I feel privileged that patients and families allow me into their homes. Ensuring patients and their families have all the support they need is the most important thing and hopefully I provide reassurance for them all.”

Emma - Weldmar Community Nurse Specialist

Find Weldmar’s jobs here on Nurses.co.uk

Why you should choose a career with Weldmar Hospicecare

Be the nurse you wanted to be by being able to spend more time providing outstanding care for individual patients and their loved ones, when it matters the most.

Weldmar Hospicecare has strong values of Caring, Integrity, Welcoming, and Adaptable, and provides opportunities for ongoing professional and personal development.

A number of support resources are also available, including clinical supervision and Mental Health First Aiders.

“I thought a hospice was about dying. Weldmar has helped me to make the most of the life I have left. So instead of focusing on the end, they focus on the here and now, and they do that in lots and lots of ways. I am so glad that Weldmar is part of my life.”

Tess, a patient

“When the time came, Siobhan was absolutely phenomenal. I was at my wit’s end, but she just came in and took over. We’d been told we couldn’t have a hospital bed at home, which is where Karen wanted to stay, but Siobhan organised one that day, as well as nurses to come in three times a day. Siobhan continued to come and see us every day, and I also realised that the support was there for me, as well as Karen.”

John Ford, husband to his much loved wife, Karen

Specialised training for palliative care

We deliver in house training on specialist palliative care to develop the expertise of our own staff. Also, staff have access to programs of education to assist with professional development. These include courses on programs on technical skills and soft skills such as communication training, to help navigate difficult conversations with patients.

Our interdisciplinary team structure

Our clinical team is made up of nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, doctors, nursing associates, counsellors, child and family support workers and carer support workers.

Weldmar Hospicecare career development

Induction

At Weldmar Hospicecare, we are dedicated to fostering a collaborative and supportive work environment where staff and their line managers work together to ensure optimal performance. This journey begins with a thorough induction process, which includes comprehensive training plans, a mix of online and in-person training sessions, and hands-on job learning. New employees will also have the opportunity to meet key colleagues and gain insights by shadowing experienced team members.

Education program

Our Education and Development Team delivers a robust annual training programme designed to nurture a culture of continuous learning among staff and volunteers. Emphasizing specialized knowledge, these programmes equip our team with the skills and expertise necessary to excel in their roles.

Performance Partnership

Weldmar Hospicecare is committed to creating an environment where employees and their line managers work in partnership to ensure support and enable everyone to perform at their best. This includes regular one-on-one meetings, personal and professional development opportunities, and an Annual Performance Review to monitor progress and set future goals.

Study Leave

We recognize the importance of study, training, and professional development. Weldmar Hospicecare ensures that opportunities for growth and learning are available equitably across all sites and services, enabling all staff members to enhance their skills and knowledge.

“I feel privileged to be working for Weldmar Hospicecare as a Weldmar Community Nurse. From the moment I joined, everyone was so welcoming and friendly. Nothing is ever too much trouble. The training induction was amazing and so well put together. There are lots of opportunities to grow and develop, from bitesize training sessions on different subjects every week, through to me being able to undertake the European Certificate in Essential Palliative Care to enhance and deepen my knowledge.”

Tash Brown, Weldmar Community Nurse

What opportunities are there for career advancement and professional growth at Weldmar Hospicecare?

● Strong Nursing Voice, director of clinical services who is a nurse

● Opportunities for secondments within the various teams for internal staff

● Nurses can choose to work in our inpatient unit but we also have registered nurses involved in delivering the community specialist palliative care service and our hospice at home service

● If you enjoy teaching we deliver a broad external education programme. These are delivered by clinical staff

● Opportunities for advanced nurse practitioners who work alongside our medical team on the inpatient unit. We have examples of this

● We have clinical nurse specialists who work in the community team

Weldmar Hospicecare employee values and culture

Our team embodies the core values of Weldmar.

● We care for the people we support, those who support us, each other, and ourselves

● We act with integrity by building relationships based on honesty, fairness, and open communication

● We are warm and welcoming to everyone

● We are adaptable, always seeking ways to improve and develop as a charity and as individuals

The organisational culture at Weldmar Hospicare

While we operate as a cohesive multidisciplinary team, we place a significant emphasis on the nursing perspective.

Nurses are represented at the director level, ensuring their voice is integral to decision-making.

Feedback consistently highlights the close collaboration within our multidisciplinary team, who collectively assess, plan, and implement patient care and treatment.

There are opportunities to engage in research projects, including those conducted within the inpatient unit.

Our experienced and supportive nursing team provides excellent guidance to new staff, including those without prior palliative care experience.

Weldmar Hospicecare workforce wellbeing and support

Gym membership

Our partnership with local gyms means you can save money on memberships.

Clinical supervision

For those who work with patients and their families in a clinical or professional capacity Weldmar provide AND encourage staff to access Clinical Supervision in the belief that for us to be able to provide compassionate, person centred care in an increasingly complex world, we need to care for ourselves.

Mental health first aiders

Our Mental Health First Aiders are here for you. Talking to them could be your first step to feeling better. They are not healthcare professionals, but trained to listen and guide you to appropriate support, if you need it.

Employee Forum

Employee Forum members represent all employees at Weldmar Hospicecare. It meets quarterly to confidentially share and discuss matters raised, affecting both the efficiency of the charity and the interests of its employees.

Flexible working arrangements

Weldmar Hospicecare recognises that you may have caring or other responsibilities outside work that make full time employment either difficult of unattractive to you and is committed to considering flexible working arrangements that work for both the organisation and the individual.

We believe that the benefits are not confined to you, but also to us as an employer in the creation of a better motivated workforce, increased choice and a less stressful environment.

In addition to statutory legislation, we offer the following:

Leave arrangements

Depending on criteria we offer packages that generously support maternity, paternity and shared parental leave.

We also recognise that there are times when staff may wish to take a period of time away from work. We provide opportunity for employees to apply for up to 12 months unpaid break, or a sabbatical.

Similarly, we recognise that employees may, on occasion, need access to leave arrangements - for instance, genuine domestic emergencies through to bereavement.

Weldmar Hospicecare staff pay scales and benefits

Weldmar pay

We offer a competitive salary so that we can attract and retain high quality employees.

Our pay structure for clinicians is similar to the pay scales offered in the NHS.

We offer enhanced payments for unsociable hours.

Weldmar pension

The Employer’s Pension Scheme is available after three months’ service. Employees who are eligible, will be automatically enrolled into the workplace pension scheme with Standard Life. Contributions are 5% employee and 4% employer. Employees also have the option of contributing a higher amount.

For employees transferring from the NHS who are members of that scheme, or have been members within the last twelve months, then the provisions of that scheme will apply.

Weldmar life assurance scheme

Members of our Standard Life pension scheme automatically get cover worth two times their salary.

The NHS Pension Schemes provide lump sum and pension benefits to eligible dependents in the event of the member’s death. The benefits payable will depend on which section/scheme the member was in and their circumstances at the time of death.

Annual leave entitlement

Basic paid annual leave entitlement is 27 days plus bank holidays. Part time staff will receive a pro-rata entitlement for both annual leave and bank holidays.

On completion of 5 years’ service the entitlement will increase by 2 working days (pro rata) and after 10 years by another 4 working days (pro rata). The annual leave year is from 1 April to 31 March. Continuity of Service from NHS and other Hospices is recognised in respect of annual leave for clinical roles.

Other benefits

● Free car parking at our Inpatient Unit in Dorchester

● Refer a friend recruitment reward

● Staff suggestion scheme reward

● Gym membership

● Cycle to work scheme ( we can help you buy a brand-new bike)

● Eye test and glasses offers

● Staff counsellors (up to 6 sessions a year)

● Clinical supervision (caring for our staff)

● Mental health first aid

● Employee forum

● Flexible working arrangements