Job Description
Job overviewWe have an exciting opportunity to join University Hospitals of Northamptonshire as a Band 7 Head & Neck Macmillan Cancer Nurse Specialist Team Lead on a permanent, full-time basis.We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated nurse with a passion for head and neck cancer care, who can provide strong clinical leadership within a specialist cancer service.Working as an autonomous practitioner, you will lead the Head & Neck Macmillan Cancer Nurse Specialist Team, managing a complex caseload of patients with head and neck cancer. You will ensure patients have timely access to expert symptom management, psychological support, information and advice, while working collaboratively with the wider multidisciplinary team.The post involves cross-site working between Kettering General Hospital and Northampton General Hospital, and close working across ENT, Maxillofacial and Oncology services at both sites to ensure coordinated, high-quality care throughout the patient pathway. You will have clinical support from the Band 8a Head & Neck Advanced Clinical Practitioner.Main duties of the jobProvide clinical leadership for the Head & Neck Macmillan Cancer Nurse Specialist Team, supporting high standards of care and professional development.Work as an autonomous practitioner, independently assessing, planning and managing care for patients with head and neck cancer across the pathway.Manage a complex specialist caseload, delivering expert symptom management, psychosocial support, information and advice to patients and their families.Coordinate and deliver care across ENT, Maxillofacial and Oncology services, ensuring seamless multidisciplinary working at both hospital sites.Lead and contribute to multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings, advocating for patients and ensuring holistic needs are addressed.Provide expert clinical advice and support to colleagues across inpatient and outpatient settings.Support service development and quality improvement, contributing to audit, guideline development and pathway redesign.Act as a resource for education and training, supporting learning for nursing staff, AHPs and the wider MDT.Ensure effective cross-site working between Kettering General Hospital and Northampton General Hospital to maintain continuity of care.Maintain accurate documentation and contribute to clinical governance, risk management and compliance with national and local standards.Working for our organisationNorthampton General Hospital is one of the largest employers in the area and we are on an exciting journey.
All of our divisions are committed to doing things better, with more efficiency as we update, modernise, and advance. We have also entered into a Group Model with neighbouring Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and become University Hospitals of Northamptonshire.Our Excellence ValuesCompassionAccountabilityRespectIntegrityCourageWe want to recruit the best people to deliver our services across the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire and help to unleash everyone’s full potential. As an organisation, we value how we communicate and promote our vacancies to all communities.The Hospital Group encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups, especially those from BAME, Disabled and LGBTQ+ backgrounds as these are underrepresented in our hospitals.We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative.We have active Networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds.
This ensures everyone feels supported and has a sense of belonging working for Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals.Detailed job description and main responsibilitiesClinical 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.Leadership and Management- 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.Multidisciplinary and Cross-Site Working- 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.Service Development, Quality and Performance- 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.Education and Professional Development- 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.Governance and Professional Practice- 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.Person specificationEducation and trainingEssential criteria- Educated to degree level or equivalent level of education, training or experience- First level registration with NMC- Evidence of recent relevant CPD- Relevant teaching and assessing qualification- Post registration course on palliative care or relevant fieldDesirable criteria- Independent Non-medical prescribing qualification- Previous band 7 experience or equivalentKnowledge and experienceEssential criteria- In depth Specialist Palliative and End of life care experience (or can demonstrate experience of working with patients with palliative care needs in the acute setting)- Extensive post registration experience- Credible professional with sound professional knowledge and judgement- Ability to manage a caseload and work as part of a multi-disciplinary team- Clear, thorough and up to date knowledge of palliative and end of life care nursing issues including statutory frameworks and national policy- To have provided teaching and education to all levels of staffDesirable criteria- To have initiated and actively participated in research or auditSkillsEssential criteria- Excellent communication and inter personal skills- Ability to make autonomous decisions- Ability to collaborate with the multi-disciplinary team and successfully negotiate with and influence others- Ability to work on own initiative and prioritise work demonstrating excellent time management skills- Ability to demonstrate flexible working patterns and be able to proactively respond to the changing needs of the serviceAt Northampton General Hospital we provide general acute services and hyper-acute stroke, vascular and renal services to people living in Northamptonshire. As well as this we are an accredited cancer centre and provide cancer services to a wider population of Northamptonshire and parts of Buckinghamshire.We are proud to be the first hospital in the UK to have obtained Pathway to Excellence® designated accreditation from the American nurses credentialing centre (ANCC).We celebrate staff achievements and value the importance of working as one big team. That’s why we talk about Team NGH.
It’s all about working together to provide the best possible care for our patients and supporting each other to grow and develop our skills. We are driven to helping you to be the best you can be.We want to recruit the best people to deliver our services across the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire and help to unleash everyone’s full potential. As an organisation, we value how we communicate and promote our vacancies to all communities.
The Hospital Group encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups, especially those from BAME, Disabled and LGBTQ+ backgrounds as these are underrepresented in our hospitals. We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative. We have active Networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds.
This ensures everyone feels supported and has a sense of belonging working for Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals.Apply today and join the largest family in Northamptonshire.Our Excellence Values:- Compassion- Respect- Integrity- Courageous- Accountable----------------------------------------To apply for this post, scroll down to the bottom of this page and select “apply online now”.In submitting an application form, you authorise Northampton General Hospital to confirm any previous NHS service details via the Electronic Staff Record Inter Authority Transfer process should you be appointed to the post.Due to the high number of applications received we are unable to respond to each application individually. If you have not been contacted within 4 weeks of the closing date you have been unsuccessful in this application.For further information on nursing, apprenticeships, A&E or any other departments please visit our specific website or pages that are indicated on the right hand side of this advert.Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust recognises that staff of differing backgrounds and life experiences enrich our workforce and bring different skills and knowledge. We therefore encourage and welcome applications for our vacancies from all candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.PLEASE NOTE THAT WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CLOSE VACANCIES PRIOR TO THE ADVERTISED CLOSING DATE WHEN WE ARE IN RECEIPT OF SUFFICIENT APPLICATIONS