Head and Neck CNS

An exciting career development opportunity has arisen within the Head and Neck cancer services, for a Head and Neck clinical nurse specialist to work with the Head and Neck MDT.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, creative & self motivated individual preferably with experience in Head and Neck/palliative care to work as part of the cancer nurse specialist team. The successful candidate will provide support to patients & carers with a Head and Neck Cancer diagnosis & throughout their treatment pathway, working as part of the multi-disciplinary team and under the leadership of the Lead Head and Neck CNS.

Main duties of the job

Assess, plan implement and evaluate expert holistic nursing care and provide support to patients within the head and neck service and their carers. The post holder will have continuing responsibility for the co-ordination and organisation of individual treatment programmes throughout the head and neck pathway/ illness trajectory, and work to develop communication across divisional and organisational boundaries.

Provide specialist nursing advice and psychological support to patients, carers, and health care professionals.

Acts as a resource, and contributes to the education and training of other health care professionals as required.

Contributes to service development, audit and research projects and helps develops educational packages according to need of care.

About us

We are a people business - where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY. If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment team on 01752 432100. We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams. It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.

Details

Date posted

07 October 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£39,959 to £48,117 a year

Per Annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

216-DH-DD8281847

Job locations

Derriford Hospital

Derriford Hospital,

Plymouth

PL6 8NP

United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

• Manages their own caseload of patients whilst working as part of the Multidisciplinary team

• Communicates highly sensitive and emotive condition related information to patients& relatives, discussing diagnosis, disease recurrence, terminal illness, bereavement .

• Assess new patients in the clinical area, identifying their psychological, physiological, emotional spiritual and cultural needs in relation to their disease and proposed treatment, providing a pathway of nursing care for the patient

• Act as patient advocate when relevant and be able to educate on all the treatment options to enable a patient to make an informed choice, negotiating with the surgical/ medical team to agree a pathway of care

• Provide continuity of care throughout the patient journey and liaising across specialised areas

• Contribute to the development of specialised programmes of care and provide specialised advice, written and oral information to patients, relatives.

• Provide clinical advice and support to health care professionals within and across organizational boundaries

• To offer holistic needs assessments & formulate individualised patient treatment care plans in conjunction with the medical/nursing team considering

• Each patient is placed in the correct treatment protocol

• Investigations and treatments are organized as needed

• Act as a role model

• To provide support for distressed patients / carers and bereaved relatives and identifying patients at risk and referring to appropriate agencies

• Initiates changes in management of care & liaises appropriately with primary care& specialist palliative care.

• Participate in case conferences in relation to future management or discharge arrangement

• In collaboration with multidisciplinary team members assess the needs of patients, families and carers and provide specialist advice.

• Assist with the development of a specialised nursing service provision

For further details please see attached JD&PS.

• Please note that applications from temporary workers who have been engaged with the Trust for a minimum of 3 months are welcome.

Available as a fixed term contract or secondment opportunity. (With current line manager's agreement). *

Job responsibilities

• Manages their own caseload of patients whilst working as part of the Multidisciplinary team

• Communicates highly sensitive and emotive condition related information to patients& relatives, discussing diagnosis, disease recurrence, terminal illness, bereavement .

• Assess new patients in the clinical area, identifying their psychological, physiological, emotional spiritual and cultural needs in relation to their disease and proposed treatment, providing a pathway of nursing care for the patient

• Act as patient advocate when relevant and be able to educate on all the treatment options to enable a patient to make an informed choice, negotiating with the surgical/ medical team to agree a pathway of care

• Provide continuity of care throughout the patient journey and liaising across specialised areas

• Contribute to the development of specialised programmes of care and provide specialised advice, written and oral information to patients, relatives.

• Provide clinical advice and support to health care professionals within and across organizational boundaries

• To offer holistic needs assessments & formulate individualised patient treatment care plans in conjunction with the medical/nursing team considering

• Each patient is placed in the correct treatment protocol

• Investigations and treatments are organized as needed

• Act as a role model

• To provide support for distressed patients / carers and bereaved relatives and identifying patients at risk and referring to appropriate agencies

• Initiates changes in management of care & liaises appropriately with primary care& specialist palliative care.

• Participate in case conferences in relation to future management or discharge arrangement

• In collaboration with multidisciplinary team members assess the needs of patients, families and carers and provide specialist advice.

• Assist with the development of a specialised nursing service provision

For further details please see attached JD&PS.

• Please note that applications from temporary workers who have been engaged with the Trust for a minimum of 3 months are welcome.

Available as a fixed term contract or secondment opportunity. (With current line manager's agreement). *

Person Specification

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• oProven evidence of Continuous personal and professional development
• Demonstrable relevant post registration experience, at Band 5 or above, in cancer, palliative care or the speciality
• Proven knowledge in relevant surgical speciality

Desirable

• Demonstrable experience of audit and research leadership and management experience

Qualifications

Essential

• NMC Registered General Nurse
• Post-basic qualification in cancer/palliative care or equivalent relevant subject or experience /working towards.

Desirable

• Research qualification

Aptitude and Abilities

Essential

• IT literate
• Effective communication skills

Desirable

• Leadership and motivational skills

Person Specification

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• oProven evidence of Continuous personal and professional development
• Demonstrable relevant post registration experience, at Band 5 or above, in cancer, palliative care or the speciality
• Proven knowledge in relevant surgical speciality

Desirable

• Demonstrable experience of audit and research leadership and management experience

Qualifications

Essential

• NMC Registered General Nurse
• Post-basic qualification in cancer/palliative care or equivalent relevant subject or experience /working towards.

Desirable

• Research qualification

Aptitude and Abilities

Essential

• IT literate
• Effective communication skills

Desirable

• Leadership and motivational skills

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see

NHS Careers website .

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see

NHS Careers website .

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Address

Derriford Hospital

Derriford Hospital,

Plymouth

PL6 8NP

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Address

Derriford Hospital

Derriford Hospital,

Plymouth

PL6 8NP

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Job responsibilities

• Manages their own caseload of patients whilst working as part of the Multidisciplinary team

• Communicates highly sensitive and emotive condition related information to patients& relatives, discussing diagnosis, disease recurrence, terminal illness, bereavement .

• Assess new patients in the clinical area, identifying their psychological, physiological, emotional spiritual and cultural needs in relation to their disease and proposed treatment, providing a pathway of nursing care for the patient

• Act as patient advocate when relevant and be able to educate on all the treatment options to enable a patient to make an informed choice, negotiating with the surgical/ medical team to agree a pathway of care

• Provide continuity of care throughout the patient journey and liaising across specialised areas

• Contribute to the development of specialised programmes of care and provide specialised advice, written and oral information to patients, relatives.

• Provide clinical advice and support to health care professionals within and across organizational boundaries

• To offer holistic needs assessments & formulate individualised patient treatment care plans in conjunction with the medical/nursing team considering

• Each patient is placed in the correct treatment protocol

• Investigations and treatments are organized as needed

• Act as a role model

• To provide support for distressed patients / carers and bereaved relatives and identifying patients at risk and referring to appropriate agencies

• Initiates changes in management of care & liaises appropriately with primary care& specialist palliative care.

• Participate in case conferences in relation to future management or discharge arrangement

• In collaboration with multidisciplinary team members assess the needs of patients, families and carers and provide specialist advice.

• Assist with the development of a specialised nursing service provision

For further details please see attached JD&PS.

• Please note that applications from temporary workers who have been engaged with the Trust for a minimum of 3 months are welcome.

Available as a fixed term contract or secondment opportunity. (With current line manager's agreement). *

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• oProven evidence of Continuous personal and professional development
• Demonstrable relevant post registration experience, at Band 5 or above, in cancer, palliative care or the speciality
• Proven knowledge in relevant surgical speciality

Desirable

• Demonstrable experience of audit and research leadership and management experience

Qualifications

Essential

• NMC Registered General Nurse
• Post-basic qualification in cancer/palliative care or equivalent relevant subject or experience /working towards.

Desirable

• Research qualification

Aptitude and Abilities

Essential

• IT literate
• Effective communication skills

Desirable

• Leadership and motivational skills