Job overview

This is a Fixed Term/Secondment vacancy until 21/12/2025.

If you are a Hywel Dda University Health Board employee and are applying for this post as a secondment, agreement for the secondment is needed from your current manager prior to application.

Hywel Dda Health University Board are looking to appoint a Heart Failure Specialist Nurse/or experienced cardiology nurse with a special interest in heart failure at Band 7 for 10 months to cover Maternity leave. This post will be based in Ammanford and will work closely with Primary Care and the wider community.  The Hywel Dda Heart Failure Service delivers holistic, evidence- based specialist care to heart failure patients in our community.

This exciting opportunity arises at a time where new innovations and service developments are currently being explored. These include virtual clinic appointments, telehealth and patient led value based health care.

The service looks to improve the management of patients by optimising health via screening and full assessment, ensuring the appropriate investigations take place and treatment and care needs are identified, in keeping with evidence based practice and minimising the risk for the patient.

Main duties of the job

It is fully integrated with other service providers to ensure care is offered at the right level to meet patient needs and meet Hywel Dda University Health Board commitment to a prudent approach to healthcare. 

While community based, the team is entirely integrated delivering specialist heart failure care in the community and in-reach within the local hospital. This requires flexibility within the role and a wide range of skills and experience caring for heart failure patients.

You will be required to take an active role in managing a caseload of complex primary care heart failure patients offering individualised care and a holistic approach.

The role requires independent autonomous practice, undertaking clinical consultations/assessments and implementing management plans.  You will be responsible for ensuring optimisation of medical therapy, extensive education and support to patients and relatives/ carers aiming to reduce symptoms, prevent unnecessary hospital admissions/ re-admissions and maximise patient’s quality of life.

There is also a teaching and resource requirement to sharing your expert knowledge within both primary and secondary care, participating and delivering heart failure meetings and training to MDT colleagues.

Working for our organisation

Hywel Dda University Health Board is the planner and provider of NHS healthcare services for people in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and its bordering counties. Our 12,000 members of staff provide primary, community, in-hospital, mental health and learning disabilities services to almost 400,000 people across a quarter of the landmass of Wales. We do this in partnership with our three local authorities and public, private and third sector colleagues, including our volunteers, through:

Four main hospitals: Bronglais General in Aberystwyth, Glangwili General in Carmarthen, Prince Philip in Llanelli and Withybush General in Haverfordwest.

Five community hospitals: Amman Valley Hospital and Llandovery Hospital in Carmarthenshire, Tregaron Hospital in Ceredigion and Tenby and South Pembrokeshire Hospital Health and Social Care Resource Centre in Pembrokeshire.

Two integrated care centres (Aberaeron and Cardigan, Ceredigion).

 Community facilities, including: 

48 General Practices (GP surgeries), 49 Dental Practices, 98 Community Pharmacies (chemists), 44 General Ophthalmic Practices (including eye health and low vision services), 38 sites providing mental health and learning disability services, care within your own homes.

Highly specialised and tertiary services commissioned by the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee, a joint committee representing seven health boards across Wales.