Acute Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist

Train Work Live; Merthyr Tydfil; Remote; GBP 41,000 - 49,000; Full time

Job summary

The Acute Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist at Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board is a Band 6 fixed-term post covering a secondment until 27 July 2027. Based at Prince Charles Hospital, Merthyr Tydfil, this full-time role supports the Acute Oncology Service, delivering specialist cancer care and rapid assessment for patients with acute cancer-related problems.

You’ll work within the Acute Oncology Team, providing expert advice, lead on MSCC and neutropenic sepsis care, participate in MDT

Qualifications

• Evidence of continued professional development
• Sound clinical knowledge and experience of oncological emergencies
• First level degree in related subject or undertaking a Degree Pathway
• Post-basic qualification in cancer/palliative care or relevant subject
• Advanced Communications Skills Training

Responsibilities

• Assess patients admitted as an emergency and ensure investigations and care per pathways
• Exercise professional autonomy and make critical judgements for holistic patient care
• Involve patients and relatives in decision making and ensure informed consent
• Deliver evidence-based individualized care through holistic assessment, planning and evaluation
• Advise clinical teams on investigations, diagnostic tests and imaging according to presentation and pathways
• Respond to oncological emergencies with appropriate management
• Develop care pathways for the Acute Oncology Service
• Contribute to service improvement, audit and achieving Cancer Standards

Skills

Sound clinical knowledge and onco-emEr

Autonomous working

Team collaboration

Welsh language skills

Education

First level degree in related subject

Post-basic qualification in cancer/palliative care

Advanced Communications Skills Training

Evidence of continued professional development

Job description

Acute Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist

Band 6

Main area Cancer services Grade Band 6 Contract 10 months (Fixed term/secondment until 27th July 2027 to cover a secondment) Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday to Friday 08:30 to 16:30 with 30 mins unpaid lunch break) Job ref 110-NMR248-0926-A

Employer Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board Employer type NHS Site Prince Charles Hospital Town Merthyr Tydfil Salary £40,559 - £48,841 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 16/11/2026 23:59

Thank you for your interest in joining Cwm Taf Morgannwg (CTM) University Health Board.

Located in the heart of South Wales, we’re central to Cardiff, Newport, and Swansea. Deeply rooted in our community, as an NHS organisation we are dedicated to providing compassionate patient care and building healthier communities together.

At CTM, you’ll be part of a supportive, inclusive team from diverse nations, cultures, and backgrounds. Every role counts, every person matters, and together, we’re creating a space where everyone can thrive.

Discover more about working with us here:

Are you an enthusiastic and motivated registered nurse with a passion for delivering high-quality cancer care? This is a rare and exciting opportunity to join the Acute Oncology Service (AOS) and play a key role in improving the experience and outcomes of patients presenting with acute complications relating to cancer and its treatment.

The Acute Oncology Service provides urgent assessment, rapid initial management and specialist advice for patients who develop problems associated with cancer or systemic anti-cancer therapies. Working across organisational and specialty boundaries, the service ensures patients receive timely access to expert oncology input, helping to accelerate diagnosis, coordinate care and direct patients onto the most appropriate assessment and treatment pathways, regardless of where they present within the hospital.

As the Acute Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist, you will work as an integral member of the Acute Oncology Team, delivering compassionate, patient‑centred care to individuals affected by cancer. You will offer specialist advice, support and information to patients from diagnosis, throughout their cancer journey and during any acute episodes requiring urgent assessment or intervention.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to develop advanced clinical assessment skills and work collaboratively with a wide range of healthcare professionals.

Main duties of the job

The aim of the service is to provide rapid identification and appropriate prompt management of patients that present with:

• previously undiagnosed cancer.
• complications as a direct consequence of their cancer e.g. metastatic spinal cord compression, hypercalcaemia.
• acute complications following cancer therapy e.g. neutropenic sepsis.

The CNS will provide clinical support and expertise in acute oncology assessment in the emergency admission areas, provide early input of Specialist Oncologist assessment and clinical management advice for unscheduled oncology emergency admissions with regard to the following:

• Complications related to chemotherapy.
• Complications of cancer.
• Suspected unknown primary cancer.
• To take the lead with regard to MSCC, Neutropenic Sepsis and Cancer of Unknown Primary.

This post is fixed term/secondment until 27th July 2027 to cover a secondment. Anyone wishing to apply for the post as a secondment must seek approval from their Line Manager before applying.

Working for our organisation

Cwm Taf Morgannwg (CTM) University Health Board, part of NHS Wales, serves a large population across a diverse and beautiful region, steeped in history and heritage. With nearly 13,500 staff, our health board is one of Wales’s largest employers.

Together, we are Team CTM; a workforce dedicated to offering excellent patient care and support to the 450,000 people across our three regions, Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil, and Rhondda Cynon Taf. We operate three District General hospitals, several community hospitals, primary and community care facilities.

CTM’s location offers the best of South Wales, just 20 minutes from Cardiff’s vibrant city life, the natural beauty of the Brecon Beacons, and the serene coastline at Ogmore. Whether you enjoy lively urban amenities, peaceful countryside, or seaside escapes, our location makes an ideal setting for both work and personal life.

Our CTM 2030 Strategy—Our Health, Our Future—focuses on uniting our region around shared health and wellbeing goals. Our values guide us daily:

• We listen, learn, and improve
• We treat everyone with respect
• We work together as one team

CTM employees enjoy benefits including; a leading pension, generous leave, flexible work, career growth, and access to ongoing learning and development.

At CTM, you’ll find a welcoming, team-oriented workplace that values diversity and compassion, where you can take pride in your work and the difference it makes.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical Duties

• Assess patients admitted as an emergency and ensure they are receiving appropriate care and investigations as per agreed pathways whilst actively integrating theory into practice.
• Exercise professional autonomy and make critical judgements using knowledge andskills in order to provide the highest standards of holistic patient care.
• Ensure the patient and, if appropriate their relatives, are involved with decision making and aware of proceedings.
• Deliver evidence based individualised and personalised care through holistic needs assessment, planning and evaluation of care; act as an advocate for the patient.
• Advise clinical teams of the appropriate investigations, diagnostic tests and imaging according to patient presentation, care pathways and clinical competence.
• Respond to situations involving oncological emergencies using clinical judgement and decision making to initiate appropriate management.

Service Management

• As part of the Cancer MDT assist in the development of care pathways for the Acute Oncology Service.

Service Improvement

• To develop services in order to meet local/national objectives and standards.
• To assist in continuing development and audit of the role to develop relevant changes in patient or departmental needs, ensuring a quality service is provided and maintained and implementing of service improvements from the results.
• Contribute to Peer Review and ensure that services are compliant with Cancer Standards

This post is advertised as Welsh Desirable. Whilst the candidate doesn't need to have skills in Welsh, we'll consider it an advantage when short‑listing and selecting candidates. This isn’t ‘fluency’, just Speaking & Listening skills at Level 3 (equivalent to CEFR B2) or above. Level 3 means being able to communicate in Welsh during routine clinical situations, such as welcoming patients, discussing straightforward aspects of their care and answering routine questions. If you’re comfortable holding everyday conversations in Welsh, we encourage you to apply. Your Welsh language skills will help us provide person-centred care and enable patients to receive services in their language of choice. Have a look at our ‘Croeso Candidate’ booklet below for more information.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Evidence of continued professional development
• Sound clinical knowledge and experience of oncological emergencies
• First level degree in related subject or undertaking a Degree Pathway
• Post‑basic qualification in cancer/palliative care or relevant subject
• Advanced Communications Skills Training

Experience

• Evidence of good communications skills
• Experience of Audit and Research
• Experience of caring for patients and families of people with a newly diagnosed malignancy
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team
• Welsh Speaking & Listening skills at Level 3/B2 or above

Equality and Diversity: We welcome applications from all protected groups under the Equality Act 2010. This includes, but is not limited to, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/reassignment, race/nationality, religion/belief, disability, pregnancy and maternity, and marriage and civil partnership, as well as those from the Armed Forces community.

Sponsorship: Applicants who are not UK or Republic of Ireland nationals will require sponsorship to obtain either a Health and Care Visa or a Skilled Worker Visa unless they already hold permission to work via another route. Prospective applicants should self‑assess their eligibility for sponsorship by visiting the UK Government’s Work in the UK guidance .

Use of AI: We review applications against role‑specific criteria. Whilst AI tools can be helpful, applications that rely heavily on AI‑generated or generic content may not provide the necessary detail, which may reduce the chances of being shortlisted. To give your application the best chance, please ensure the information you provide is both accurate and authentic, and tailor your examples to the criteria in the Person Specification.

Correspondence: Please check your email regularly, as all recruitment correspondence will be sent to the address on your application. Applications are accepted in Welsh or English with no preference.

Additional information: We reserve the right to close a vacancy early or withdraw an advertisement to accommodate the redeployment of internal staff into suitable roles. All posts are subject to relevant checks, including Disclosure and Barring Service checks and, where required, Professional Registration verification.

We are proud to be a living wage employer.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Name Dawn Casey Job title Macmillan Lead nurse for cancer services Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 07393 797126 Additional information