Macmillan Head and Neck Clinical Nurse Specialist

Clinical Practice - Practice autonomously at an advanced level, independently assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating care for patients with head and neck cancer. Manage a complex specialist caseload across inpatient, outpatient and community interfaces, providing expert symptom management, psychosocial support, information and advice. Act as a key worker for patients, ensuring coordinated, person-centred care throughout the cancer pathway. Provide specialist clinical advice to patients, families and professionals across ENT, Maxillofacial and Oncology services.

Provide clinical leadership and day-to-day coordination of the Head & Neck Macmillan CNS Team. Support and supervise CNS colleagues, promoting professional development, reflective practice and high-quality care. Escalate clinical, operational and workforce issues appropriately to the Band 8a Head & Neck Advanced Clinical Practitioner. Contribute to workforce planning, service sustainability and cross-site consistency of practice.

Work collaboratively within the multidisciplinary team, including attendance and contribution to Head & Neck MDT meetings. Ensure effective cross-site working between Kettering General Hospital and Northampton General Hospital, maintaining equity of service delivery. Develop and maintain strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support seamless care pathways.

Actively contribute to Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) reviews and action plans relevant to head and neck cancer services. Support delivery and monitoring of national cancer waiting time standards and performance targets, including data collection and service improvement initiatives. Participate in clinical audit, quality improvement projects and pathway redesign to improve patient outcomes and experience. Contribute to the development, review and implementation of local policies, guidelines and evidence-based practice.

Act as an educational resource for nursing staff, AHPs and the wider MDT, sharing specialist knowledge and best practice. Maintain own professional development and competence in line with NMC requirements and Trust expectations.

Ensure practice complies with Trust policies, national guidelines, Macmillan standards and professional codes of conduct. Maintain accurate, timely and comprehensive clinical documentation. Contribute to risk management, incident reporting and learning processes.