Macmillan Skin Clinical Nurse Specialist
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced nurse to undertake a 10-month secondment to work as a Macmillan Skin Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) within the established Skin Team. The post holder will provide expert, high-quality, patient-centred care to individuals undergoing surgical treatment for skin cancer, supporting them and their families from diagnosis through surgery, recovery, follow-up, and onward care.
Working closely with the Skin MDT, the CNS will act as a key worker, coordinating care pathways, facilitating timely investigations and treatment, and ensuring excellent communication between patients and healthcare professionals. The role includes comprehensive holistic needs assessment, patient education, and provision of psychological and emotional support.
Main duties of the job
This post will participate in the delivery of specialist nursing care for those undergoing surgical treatment for skin cancer on both an in-patient and out-patient basis.
To act as a key worker for patient undergoing skin cancer treatment at QVH, their relatives and carers.
To be a member of the multi-disciplinary team working to the achievement on evidence based care.
Assist in the development and delivery of personalised care.
Ensure seamless pathways of care.
To be an educational resource for staff.
About us
Rated GOOD overall with outstanding care by the CQC. A specialist NHS hospital providing life-changing reconstructive surgery, burns care and rehabilitation services across the South of England and beyond.
We specialise in conditions of the eyes (corneoplastics), hands, head and neck cancer and skin cancer, reconstructive breast surgery, maxillofacial surgery and prosthetics, providing regional and national services in these areas of clinical expertise.Our world-leading clinical teams also treat more common conditions of the eyes, hands, skin, and teeth for the people of East Grinstead and the surrounding areas. In addition, QVH provides a minor injuries unit, expert therapies, a sleep service, and a growing portfolio of community-based services.Patients consistently rate QVH amongst the top hospitals in the country for quality of care.
Our success is underpinned by the skills and enthusiasm of our staff and a strong culture of partnership. We are fully committed to training and development of the workforce with support for continuing education and learning.
Job responsibilities
Clinical
Act as Key Worker to provide specialist support to patients and their families / carers empowering them to participate in their treatment and rehabilitation
Provide a seamless pathway of care for patients diagnosed with skin cancer
Promote collaborative working relationships, multidisciplinary team working and effective communication between all members of the multidisciplinary team.
To actively participate in MDT meetings and other inter-professional discussions.
Communicate effectively to sensitively inform patients and their carer/families of cancer diagnoses. To discuss all treatments for skin cancer.
Where appropriate act in the role of advocate in order to enable patients to make informed decisions.
Provide both written and verbal information to assist patients, their families and carers in treatment decision making.
Undertake holistic patient assessments and care planning to meet the individual patient needs.
Participate in the development and creation of treatment summaries.
Provide emotional and psychological support to patients, identify and make appropriate onward referrals for specialist psychological support.
Liaise with other specialist nurses and healthcare professionals to provide optimum patient care and ensuring high quality care coordination, referring where necessary to services both internally and externally to the Trust.
Act as a point of contact for referring centres, ensuring and taking responsibilities for the dissemination of information and feedback where appropriate.
To respect the patients right to confidentiality, acknowledging also the families/carers needs which may at times conflict with those of the patient.
Education and Training
Act as a resource to educate appropriate staff groups on an ongoing basis developing and empowering staff to give consistent and standardised approach of care by providing clinical advice in the specialist area.
Contribute to the mentorship of students and new staff to the Trust
Organise, develop and contribute to educational and training events for both staff and patients/carers in the specialty of skin cancer
Professional
Act in accordance with the NMC Code at all times, maintain clinical expertise and knowledge and professional revalidation.
Contribute to the achievement of corporate nursing objectives, participating in organisational and professional activities as appropriate
Maintain strict confidentiality with regard to patient information
Maintain accurate, written clinical records using Trust systems
Adherence to all Trust policies and procedures
Ensure that Quality Assurance requirements are met
Initiate and participate in audit and collaborative projects, assisting the implementation of proven recommendations to ensure nursing practice is evidence based, drawing upon recent literature to improve quality of care. Disseminating results to clinical colleagues, the MDT and any relevant personnel.
Assist in the development and implementation of policies for skin cancer treatments and patient pathways within the specialist field.
Managerial
In all aspects of work demonstrate an ability to work across organisational and professional boundaries
To identify requirements to enable the post holder to carry out and develop this specialist role
To maintain accurate data / information relating to the clinical service which will profile the service and inform its future strategic developments.
Organise own workload ensuring it reflects all elements of the role
Communicate effectively with clinicians, departments, wards, MDT to facilitate high quality patient care
Personal and Professional Development
Participate in the Trusts annual appraisal system designed to identify objectives and personal development opportunities.
Participate in the Trusts annual pay progression review (if applicable).
Ensure that all mandatory training is up to date.
Person Specification
Qualifications & Registration
* Register Nurse (Adult) with current NMC registration
* Degree in Nursing
* Master Degree
* Non-medical Prescribing Qualification
* Plastics or Dermatology-specific qualification
Experience
* Significant post-registration experience in plastic surgery/ dermatology
* Experience of working with oncology patients and an understanding of the cancer pathways
* Experience of nurse led clinics
* Previous experience of working a CNS
Skills & Knowledge
* Strong knowledge of surgical options for skin cancer patients
* Understanding of SACT options for skin cancer patients
* Advanced Communication Course/ psychological training
* Demonstrates advance clinical assessment skills in the management of patients with suspected or confirmed skin cancer
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.
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