Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Oncology Support Nurse
The closing date is 28 October 2025
Are you passionate about delivering compassionate, evidence-based care to patients with cancer? We are seeking a dedicated Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist to join our team, providing holistic, patient-focused support throughout the cancer journey—from diagnosis through treatment and ongoing care.
In this vital role, you will act as a key worker and patient advocate within the multidisciplinary team, coordinating individual care plans and promoting continuity across treatment modalities. You will be a primary point of contact for patients and their families, offering expert information, advice, and emotional support.
Working closely with the Band 7 Clinical Nurse Specialist and the wider team, you will help shape and monitor service provision in line with national guidance and best practice.
This is an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients and contribute to the ongoing development of a high-quality cancer care service.
If you are a compassionate nurse with a strong clinical background and a commitment to excellence, we would love to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
An exciting opportunity exists to join the Cancer CNS Team as Band 6 - Support Nurse. We are seeking an enthusiastic, forward-thinking and motivated nurse to join this busy service. The nurse will have the opportunity to gain experience and knowledge of cancer management in secondary care and develop key CNS skills in an environment supported by an experienced nursing team.
You will work across the Trust and be supported by the CNS team to deliver an exceptional standard of nursing care throughout the cancer patient pathway. You will develop skills enabling you to practice at an advanced clinical level, both in your own clinical practice and as a role model to others as a cancer Key Worker.
Working with the cancer CNS team, you will support service development and improve patient experience based on emerging and best practice models of care which are responsive to patient feedback and audit findings.
About us
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Our values
We recruit based on qualifications and experience and on behaviours that underpin our core values. We use values-based recruitment and are committed to equality, diversity and creating a culture that values differences.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when a sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering the first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you are familiar with all requirements of the job.
Job responsibilities
* Maintain a high personal profile with staff and patients and contribute to the delivery of direct patient care.
* Assist in the holistic assessment of patients and their families and provide appropriate level of intervention (direct or indirect) in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team.
* Assess information needs and provide relevant information to meet those needs.
* Work effectively as part of the multidisciplinary cancer services team to ensure seamless services for patients and families.
* Attend and be a core member of MDT meetings in accordance with national guidance.
* Assist with patient and carer communication issues and coordinate the patient pathway for cancer patients referred to the team.
* Manage own workload in collaboration with the Clinical Nurse Specialist across a range of activities, including planning throughout the patient pathway and liaising with other healthcare professionals and agencies.
* Provide psychological and emotional support, advice, counselling, information and education to cancer patients, their partners and families during diagnosis, treatment and surveillance periods.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* Degree in related speciality or working towards it.
* Advanced communications skills.
* IRMER Qualified with experience in research in practice (where applicable).
Experience
* Substantial clinical experience within an acute hospital setting.
* Experience of working collaboratively across professions, organisations and services.
* Experience of teaching staff, patients or relatives within the working environment.
* Experience within the oncology domain.
* Participation in service development and implementation; managing a patient caseload.
Knowledge
* Participation in service development and implementation.
* Experience of managing a patient caseload.
* Demonstrated ability to apply research in practice and advanced communication 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 to submit for Disclosure to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
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