Head and Neck Clinical Nurse Specialist: Sponsorship Available

Bolton NHS Foundation Trust

Job summary

Full time 37.5 hours per week. Permanent post.

The Head and Neck Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is a highly skilled specialist nurse who provides expert care, support and care coordination for patients undergoing investigation, treatment and follow-up for Head and Neck cancer. Acting as a key worker throughout the patient pathway, the post holder delivers holistic assessment, symptom management, psychological support and patient education, ensuring that patients and their families receive timely, personalised and compassionate care. The CNS works collaboratively within the multidisciplinary team, coordinating investigations, treatment plans and MDT outcomes across local and regional cancer services, whilst supporting service development, governance and quality improvement activities. The role is integral to maintaining national cancer standards, improving patient experience and delivering excellent outcomes for patients across the Head and Neck cancer pathway.

Main duties of the job

The Head and Neck Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) provides expert nursing care and acts as the key worker for patients undergoing investigation, treatment and follow-up for Head and Neck cancer across both the ENT and Maxillofacial cancer pathways. The post holder will coordinate care throughout the patient journey, ensuring patients and their families receive high-quality, personalised and compassionate care from diagnosis through treatment, rehabilitation, survivorship and, where appropriate, end-of-life care.

The CNS will undertake Holistic Needs Assessments (HNAs), develop personalised care and support plans, provide specialist assessment, advice and symptom management, and coordinate complex cancer pathways to ensure timely access to investigations, treatment and follow-up in line with national standards. The post holder will attend and contribute to Head and Neck and Maxillofacial MDT meetings, coordinate MDT outcomes, provide nurse-led clinics and telephone consultations, support patients with tracheostomies, laryngectomies and other complex Head and Neck care needs, and act as an advocate for patients and families throughout their cancer journey. In addition, the role includes leading and contributing to education, service development, audit, research, governance and quality improvement activities to continually enhance patient experience, clinical outcomes and the delivery of high-quality Head and Neck cancer services

Person Specification

Professional Registration & Qualifications

Essential

  • Registered Nurse with current NMC registration
  • Degree in Nursing or equivalent
  • Post-registration qualification relevant to Oncology, Cancer Nursing or Head and Neck Practice
  • Recognised Teaching, Mentorship or Practice Assessor qualification

Desirable

  • Master’s Degree or working towards
  • Independent Nurse Prescriber qualification
  • Level 2 Psychological Support Training
  • Advanced Clinical Practice qualification

Skills & Experience

Essential

  • Experience within Oncology and/or Head and Neck services
  • Advanced clinical assessment skills
  • Experience coordinating complex cancer pathways
  • Evidence of service improvement and improving patient experience
  • Experience working within multidisciplinary teams
  • Experience delivering patient-centred care

Desirable

  • Experience running nurse-led clinics
  • Experience participating in research projects or clinical trials

Presentation

Essential

  • From clinical Excellence to service transformation: How I would lead and develop a high performing Head and Neck Cancer CNS Service

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 (opens in a new window).

Closing Date: 23 September 2026

To apply for this job please visit apps.trac.jobs.