Clinical Nurse Specialist

Overview As the Macmillan HPB Clinical Nurse Specialist you will provide expert nursing care, support and advice to patients with suspected or confirmed hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancers and their families. You will be the main point of contact for patients and carers, ensuring they have access to expert information, advice and support from the first suspicion of cancer. Key Responsibilities Act as a core member of the Upper GI Cancer Multidisciplinary Team, overseeing complex patient pathways across primary, secondary and tertiary care. Support patients and carers from diagnosis through treatment and ongoing care, ensuring continuity and a holistic approach. Implement key elements of personalised care, offering Health Needs Assessments (HNA) and care planning at key stages of the pathway in line with national directives. Support the delivery of End of Treatment Summaries after each episode of treatment. Work as part of the Upper GI CNS team to provide cover and maintain continuity across the Macmillan Upper GI CNS service. Lead on complex communication issues, coordinating the patient’s pathway and ensuring a named point of contact within the Upper GI nursing team. Demonstrate advanced practice in planning, implementing and evaluating nursing care, documenting outcomes in hospital notes and on the Somerset database. Attend weekly cancer multidisciplinary team meetings, providing expert nursing opinion and advocating for patients. Develop in-depth knowledge of local and regional HPB cancer pathways, including key referral and advice points. Screen patients for psychological distress and provide Level 2 psychological support, signposting to additional resources as needed. Refer patients with complex psychological needs to the Macmillan Clinical Psychologist. Facilitate patient-focused education, including personalised support and advice to cope with ongoing consequences of diagnosis. Lead the development of specialist Health & Wellbeing events for patients, tailoring them to individual needs. >Identify and address palliative care needs, facilitating referrals to the Specialist Palliative Care Team. Support patients in developing Advance Care Plans, ensuring wishes are communicated to key people. Oversee proactive telephone support for patients in the palliative stage, escalating specialist advice when needed. Review inpatients admitted with complications related to disease or treatment, influencing management options and liaising across care levels for safe discharge. Identify AMBER patients and work with the multidisciplinary team to agree ceiling of intervention, involving patients and carers appropriately. Participate in the NHS England Quality Surveillance Program and self‑assessment of service against National Quality Standards. Contribute to policy and guideline development, ensuring the specialist nursing service aligns with national directives. Initiate and engage in service evaluation and audit, gathering feedback from patient surveys and activity data to drive innovation. Support the appraisal process and objective setting for all team members, ensuring professional development plans are achieved. Maintain personal professional profile in line with NMC Code of Professional Conduct and nursing revalidation requirements. Adhere to all relevant national regulations and the Hospitational Group Model with Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Equal Opportunities & Diversity UHN encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups. We understand the importance of a diverse workforce and strive to create an inclusive, collaborative environment. We recognise the valuable contribution of the Armed Forces community and have signed the Armed Forces Covenant, achieving a Silver Award under the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme. We run active networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds, ensuring everyone feels supported and has a sense of belonging. Other Information Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust is part of the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN) and works in partnership with Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. As part of the upper GI CNS service, you may work across both Northampton and Kettering sites depending on service needs. The hospital is an accredited cancer centre providing services to Northamptonshire and parts of Buckinghamshire. It has achieved Pathway to Excellence accreditation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center and celebrates staff achievements as part of the Team NGH ethos. Professional Development We offer support and training for this role and provide access to additional courses through Macmillan, alongside Macmillan’s learning and development opportunities. #J-18808-Ljbffr