Trainee Advanced Practitioner

We are seeking a motivated, compassionate and clinically experienced practitioner to join our Clinical Services team as a Trainee Advanced Practitioner.

This is an exciting developmental opportunity for an experienced registered professional who wishes to progress into advanced clinical practice within specialist palliative and end of life care.

The post holder will undertake a structured, apprenticeship training programme aligned to the four pillars of Advanced Clinical Practice (clinical practice, leadership and management, education, and research), working towards recognised Advanced Practice qualification and credentialing.

You will work closely with senior clinicians, the multidisciplinary team, and external partners to deliver high‑quality, person‑centred care to patients and families across hospice services. You will also have the benefit of supervision and support from our qualified Advanced Practitioner. Whilst the post is based predominantly within our inpatient unit there is an expectation that there will be a community reach to support & assess the most complex of cases.

Role Details:

• Classification: SMH Band 7 (Trainee) progressing to Band 8a on qualification
• Contract: Permanent | Full Time
• Location: St Margaret’s Hospice Care, Taunton

Key responsibilities

Under supervision and as part of a structured development programme, you will:

• Deliver high‑quality, evidence‑based clinical care within your scope of practice
• Undertake advanced assessment, clinical decision‑making and care planning
• Contribute to service development, quality improvement and patient safety initiatives
• Work collaboratively within the multidisciplinary team and across organisational boundaries
• Develop leadership skills, supporting staff development and service delivery
• Participate in audit, evaluation and research activity relevant to palliative care
• Maintain professional accountability in line with your regulatory body and hospice policies
• Contribute to the on call system both in training and on qualification

Training and development

You will be supported to:

• Enrol on and complete an approved Advanced Clinical Practice MSc pathway
• Develop competencies aligned to the Multi‑professional Framework for Advanced Clinical Practice (England)
• Access clinical supervision, mentorship and protected learning time
• Progress to a substantive Advanced Practitioner role on successful completion of training and competencies

About you

This training role is intellectually, emotionally and professionally demanding, combining postgraduate academic study with advanced clinical practice in a specialist palliative care environment.  You will demonstrate emotional intelligence, resilience and a strong commitment to self‑care, recognising both the challenges and rewards of hospice work.

You will need:

• To be a registered nurse
• Have significant post‑registration clinical experience in palliative, end of life, and complex care
• Demonstrate strong clinical judgement, communication and interpersonal skills
• Be committed to compassionate, person‑centred care and hospice values
• Be motivated to develop advanced clinical knowledge, leadership and practice
• Meet the entry requirements for postgraduate Advanced Practice study
• Access to transport in order to travel to locations across Somerset, including rural areas.

Why join us?

• A supportive, values‑driven hospice environment
• Strong commitment to learning, supervision and staff wellbeing
• Opportunity to shape and develop advanced practice within hospice care
• Access to education funding and protected learning time

We also offer the following benefits:

• Life assurance (2x salary)
• Health Cash Plan
• Ability to buy or sell annual leave
• 33 days’ annual leave (incl. bank holidays), rising to 35 days after 1 year (pro‑rata for
• part‑time)
• For the purposes of annual leave, we recognise reckonable service with the NHS for Band 5+ clinical staff
• Pension: NHS pension continuation* or enrolment into St Margaret’s Hospice Pension Plan
• Employee Assistance Programme for you and your family, including:
  • 24/7 online GP access
  • Counselling and confidential support
  • Legal, financial and medical advice
• Blue Light Card discounts
• Enhanced maternity leave*
• Learning and development opportunities
• Free on‑site parking (Yeovil and Taunton)
• Volunteering and fundraising opportunities

*Eligibility criteria apply.

Our values

At St Margaret’s Hospice Care, our work is guided by our core values of compassion, respect, professionalism, collaboration, integrity and excellence. We are committed to inclusive, supportive and reflective practice and welcome applicants who share these values.

How to apply

Applicants are encouraged to reflect on their readiness for a demanding training role within a specialist palliative care setting, and to demonstrate how they maintain resilience and wellbeing in practice

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact:

Consultant in Palliative Medicine Kate Shorthose:

kate.shorthose@st-margarets-hospice.org.uk

Cher Griffiths Advanced Practitioner:

Cher.griffiths@st-margarets-hospice.org.uk

We welcome applications from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences to enrich our team. If you need any reasonable adjustments at any stage, please email recruitment@st-margarets-hospice.org.uk and we’ll be pleased to help.

To apply, please submit your application outlining how you meet the person specification and your motivation for undertaking a Trainee Advanced Practitioner role.

Closing date: 28/05/2026

DBS Information

This role requires a criminal background check via the disclosure procedure.

The Disclosure and Barring Service offers a confidential checking service for transgender applicants. This route gives applicants the choice not to have any gender or name information disclosed on their DBS certificate and is available for all levels of DBS check.