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UCL Institute of Neurology
Queen Square
The Institute of Neurology is a specialist postgraduate institute of UCL. It is closely associated in its work with
the National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery, University College London Hospitals' NHS Foundation
Trust, and in combination they form a national and international centre at Queen Square for teaching, training
and research in neurology and allied clinical and basic neurosciences.
The Institute of Neurology is a key component of the newly formed Faculty of Brain Sciences at UCL, and has
eight academic Departments. These encompass clinical and basic research within each theme: Brain Repair
and Rehabilitation (Professor Xavier Golay); Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy (Professor Matthew Walker),
Clinical Neurosciences, Royal Free campus, (Professor Tony Schapira), Imaging Neuroscience (Professor
Ray Dolan); Molecular Neuroscience (Professor John Hardy), which includes the Reta Lila Weston Institute of
Neurological Studies (Professor Tom Warner); Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders (Professor Linda
Greensmith); Neurodegenerative Disease (Professor John Collinge); Neuroinflammation (Professor Ken
Smith).
In parallel, there are currently six Divisions representing professional affiliations: Clinical Neurology;
Neurosurgery; Neurophysiology; Neuropathology; Neuropsychiatry and Neuropsychology; and Neuroradiology
and Neurophysics. The Institute employs over 500 staff, occupies some 12,000 sq m of laboratory, lecture
room and office space, and has a current annual turnover of £53m.
The Institute receives over £33m per annum in grants for research from the principal medical charities
concerned with neurological diseases, and from government agencies such as the Medical Research Council.
Approximately 18% of the Institute's funding is obtained from the Higher Education Funding Council for
England which has awarded high ratings for the Institute in each of the national Research Assessment
Exercises since 1986. The Institute currently holds over 300 active grants, supporting research into the
causes and treatment of a wide range of neurological diseases, including movement disorders, multiple
sclerosis, epilepsy, brain cancer, stroke and brain injury, muscle and nerve disorders, cognitive dysfunction
and dementia, and the work of the Institute's clinical academic staff is closely integrated with the Hospital's
care of patients. Generous support for research is provided through grant awards from the medical research
charities: in particular, the Brain Research Trust http://www.brt.org.uk
Continuing the record of exceptional achievement in previous Research Assessments (RAE), the Institute
performed very strongly in the 2008 RAE. Almost 100 FTE staff were submitted for evaluation, including a
number of outstanding early career researchers. Overall 70% of our research was deemed to be
internationally competitive or world leading, and submitted papers were very highly cited, with an average
citation rate over the assessment period of 40 times per paper. Three areas of research in particular were
identified as world-leading: Cognitive neuroscience & human brain imaging, Inherited diseases & molecular,
cellular and genetic neuroscience, and Neurodegenerative disease. UCL Neuroscience is currently rated
second in the world by ISI Essential Science Indicators, and four of the top twelve most highly cited authors
working worldwide in neuroscience and behaviour are based at the IoN. In the calendar year 2012, Institute
staff published more than 1180 papers, 24 book chapters and 4 books. Forty-two papers were published in
the top 50 of all scientific journals (ranked by Thomson impact factors), including Science, Nature, Cell and
New England Journal of Medicine. There are seven Fellows of the Royal Society at Queen Square.
A number of important research centres are based at the Institute of Neurology. These include:
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The Leonard Wolfson Experimental Neurology Centre http://www.ucl.ac.uk/lwenc
Dementia Research Centre http://www.dementia.ion.ucl.ac.uk/
Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging http://www.fil.ion.ucl.ac.uk/
MRC Prion Unit http://www.prion.ucl.ac.uk/
MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Disease http://www.cnmd.ac.uk/
Department of Health Dementias and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Network (DENDRON)
http://www.nihr.dendron.org.uk/
The Institute also has active collaborative research programmes with the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience
and the Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit, co-located at Queen Square and which will play an
important role in the new Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour.
The UCL Institute of Neurology has a significant postgraduate teaching and training portfolio, with over 200
graduate students at Queen Square, and taught MSc courses in: Advanced Neuroimaging; Brain and Mind
Sciences (an innovative two year, two centre programme); Clinical Neuroscience; and Clinical Neurology. A
new distance-learning Diploma in Clinical Neurology (E-Brain) was launched in Autumn 2011. Excellent
graduate students of the highest quality are recruited to both ION and UCL-wide PhD programmes, including
the ION hosted MRC DTA funded 4-year PhD in Clinical Neurosciences, and the Wellcome 4-year PhD in
Neuroscience, which are supported through Research Council, charity and industry funded studentships.
Institute staff contribute to undergraduate teaching of clinical neurology for the UCL Medical School.
Full details of the Institute’s research and teaching activity can be found on the Institute of Neurology website
at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ion
UCL Institute of Neurology
Department of Neurodegenerative Disease
Job Description
Post
Clinical Research Nurse, Prion Disease
Grade
UCL Grade 7
Responsible to
Dr Simon Mead, Consultant Neurologist/ National Prion Monitoring Cohort Coordinator
Professor John Collinge, Head of Department of Neurodegenerative Disease
Ms Michele Gorham, National Prion Clinic Service Manager
Clinical Trials Manager
Accountable to
Ms Michele Gorham, Lead Clinical Nurse Specialist Prion Disease/ Service Manager
The MRC Prion Unit
The MRC Prion Unit is integrated into the Department of Neurodegenerative Disease at the UCL Institute of
Neurology. The Unit /Department is directed by Professor John Collinge and comprises approximately 130
staff researching all aspects of prions, prion diseases and other neurodegenerative diseases.
The National Prion Clinic
The National Prion Clinic is based at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, one of the eight
specialist hospitals attached to UCLH. It receives referrals from all over the country of sporadic, iatrogenic,
inherited and new variant forms of prion disease. The clinic is directed by Professor John Collinge, with
support from Consultant Neurologist Dr Simon Mead. In addition there are 3 medical clinical research fellows,
a lead clinical nurse specialist and clinic manager, a family counselling support therapist and a team of
medical and administrative secretarial staff and a part time neuropsychologist.
The National Prion Monitoring Cohort
The National Prion Monitoring Cohort is an observational cohort study collecting longitudinal prospective data
on all patients diagnosed with or at high risk of human prion disease, regardless of whether or not they are
receiving treatment. This study of these rare diseases will monitor clinical disease progression (including
changes in neurological and neuropsychological rating scales) and response to therapeutic and other
interventions. This cohort will help to determine the natural history of different human prion diseases including
the rate of change in neurological rating scales and the most appropriate standardised outcome measures for
assessing disease progression or evaluating clinical interventions. It is intended to assess potential surrogate
markers for disease progression and to provide prognostic data to inform and support patients, their carers
and families.
University College London Hospitals
UCLH is proud to be a three star NHS hospital with a reputation for innovation, delivery of NHS Plan targets
and providing patient focused care. It has ambitions to be an excellent centre for clinical services, teaching
and research. Based in Central London, UCLH has eight specialist hospitals, which provide care and
treatment for local people, commuters and visitors to London as well as highly specialised services for patients
referred from virtually every country in the world.
Overview of the Role Job Summary/ Statement
Patient Care, Research and Clinical Activity
 To contribute to the day-to-day running of the National Prion Clinic, working and communicating with the
interdisciplinary team to facilitate seamless and effective care management. This will include management
of patient caseload, clinical activities and procedures, clinical drug trials and infection control advice for
patients based at the National in conjunction with ward staff and also patients based at other hospitals
nationally and on an out patient basis.
 To influence patient care using a multi-faceted approach that includes clinical expertise teaching and
research, and in so doing equip primary carers with the required skills and knowledge to facilitate a high
standard of care to the maximum number of patients, in line with Good Clinical Practice and Infection
control guidelines.
 To accurately record data collected according to the National Prion Monitoring Cohort, in accordance with
Good Clinical Practice in Good Clinical Trials.
 Home visits or visits to other hospitals would be part of the responsibilities. For assessment and diagnostic
visits the post holder will be accompanied by a research fellow or Consultant Neurologist.
 Liaison with carers, district nurses, general practitioners and other support for the patient can be a major
part of ongoing involvement for staff.
Specific Responsibility
Clinical practice:
 Full assessment of patient’s Nursing needs and facilitation of same in conjunction with medical
assessments and communication of same to the rest of the Multi-disciplinary team both internally and
externally.
 Care of both inpatients at the National Hospital in liaison with ward staff and also of outpatients attending
the National Prion Clinic as part of the MRC’s trial.
 Some home visits or visits to other hospitals would be part of the responsibilities. It is proposed that there
would be two teams, a research fellow and nurse specialist, going jointly on these visits. UK driving licence
desirable.
 Liaison with carers, district nurses, general practitioners and other support for the patient can be a major
part of ongoing involvement for staff.
Educational, Research
 To identify and agree objectives for own professional development which reflect the needs of the Prion
Clinic, including CNO 10 key roles
 To maintain and develop own knowledge skills within the specialty through a planned approach to
continuing professional development
 To support colleagues in the development of knowledge and skills through acting as an assessor, teacher
and facilitation
 To identify and plan resources required for own learning and development
 To reflect on own practice through clinical supervision / mentorship and to develop skills as a clinical
supervisor / mentor to others
 To maintain own and others’ awareness of relevant research evidence relating to speciality and participate
in applying this to practice
 To contribute to the development of local evidence based standards, policies and guidelines related to the
speciality
 To collaborate with other members of the healthcare team in relevant research and audit activities related to
the speciality
 To identify areas of risk and poor quality, and addresses these through appropriate governance structures
and forums
Consultation, Collaboration
 To develop and maintain others’ awareness of own role within the specialty and wider organisation,
maintaining mechanisms for contact and referral
 To participate in implementing national standards and frameworks at a local level within the speciality
 To provide specialist advice and support to colleagues within the organisation
 To maintain involvement and active input to multi disciplinary meetings and appropriate local bodies /
forums to contribute to practice and service development
 To disseminate appropriate information to others in the speciality and wider organisation.
 To maintain mechanisms to support patient involvement and feedback related to the speciality.
Leadership
 To participate in developing clinical services and research studies and collaborate with the multi-disciplinary
team to achieve this
 To maintain appropriate channels and styles of communication to meet the needs of patients, relatives and
carers, managers, peers and other professions / agencies.
 To use effective prioritisation, problem solving and delegation skills to manage time effectively
 To develop and maintain a peer network of support, information and learning with other nurse specialists at
a local and national level
General
The postholder will:
 attend staff meetings and training as required;
 carry out any other duties as are within the scope, spirit and purpose of the job as requested by the
Principal Investigators;
 actively follow and promote UCL policies including Equal Opportunities and Race Equality policies;
 maintain an awareness and observation of Fire and Health & Safety Regulations.
This job description reflects the present requirements of the post, and as duties and responsibilities
change/develop, the job description will be reviewed and be subject to amendment in consultation with the
post holder.
Other
To be aware of and adhere to UCLH Trust policies and procedures:
Health and Safety at Work Act;
Data Protection Act 1998;
Other relevant legislation and agreed practice and policy
Person Specification
Essential
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Registered Nurse – Part 1,2 or relevant section of the register
Experience of teaching / assessment programme or willingness and previous experience of formal &
informal teaching of patients & staff
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Able to demonstrate significant experience at Band 5
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Demonstrates awareness of the importance of working as part of a multidisciplinary team
Communicates effectively verbally, in writing and in electronic formats
Communicates with patients and carers in an empathetic manner
Demonstrates understanding of good practice in Customer Care
Demonstrates reflective practice
Demonstrates understanding of principles of Clinical Governance, e.g. Risk Management, audit and
quality
Experience of applying evidence based practice to clinical practice.
Experience in acting as a clinical supervisor and mentor to others
Demonstrates awareness of research and evidence-based practice
Ability to help initiate, sustain and evaluate change
Ability to prioritise own work load
Acts on own initiative and problem-solves utilising resources available
Ability to work across organisational and professional boundaries
Committed to providing safe, effective and timely-patient-centred care in accordance with NMC code of
Conduct and Trust core standards
Demonstrates evidence of professional development in line with the NHS Knowledge and Skills
Framework and maintains an updated portfolio
Monitors and maintains health, safety and security of self and others
Promotes, monitors and maintains best practice in health, safety and security
Respects the privacy and dignity of the individual
Understands the implications of equal opportunities in practice
Desirable
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Relevant specialist post graduate programme
Previous experience in neurology, and palliative care
Completed / completing Degree in nursing
Appointment
The post is available immediately and is funded by the Biomedical Research Centre of UCL/UCLH to March
2015 in the first instance. Starting salary on UCL Grade 7 scale in the range £32,699 - £39,523 per annum
superannuable. It will be subject to a probationary period of nine months, satisfactory references, and
satisfactory health clearance by the Occupational Health Department.
Annual Leave:
33 days per annum (27 days’ annual leave + 6 UCL ‘closure’ days)
Hours of work:
36.5 hours per week
Applications
You should apply for this post through UCL's online recruitment where you can download a job description and
person specification.
If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact Miss E Bertram, Personnel
Manager, Institute of Neurology (email: [email protected]).
Informal visits are recommended, Please contact Miss Michele Gorham [email protected]
Closing Date: 31 January 2014