Associate Clinical Nurse Specialist

NHS; Greater London; On-site; GBP 39,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Greater London seeks an Associate Clinical Nurse Specialist for its Breast Cancer team. This role involves delivering specialized care for breast cancer patients, providing clinical leadership, and working collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team. Advanced communication skills and experience with breast surgery are essential. The position requires a Registered Nurse qualification, and candidates should have a degree and relevant post-registration education. Opportunities for professional development are supported.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Ongoing educational programmes

Qualifications

• Experience of breast surgery.
• Experience of running nurse-led clinics.
• Experience of multidisciplinary team working.

Responsibilities

• Liaise with multidisciplinary team members for patient care.
• Facilitate individualized patient care based on evidence.
• Provide professional clinical leadership to nursing staff.

Skills

Advanced communication skills

IT literate

Ability to demonstrate initiative

Research/audit skills

Education

Registered Nurse Qualification

Degree level education

Teaching qualification

Advanced assessment skills

Job description

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Associate Clinical Nurse Specialist

The closing date is 18 December 2025

Clinical Nurse Specialist Breast, band 6

Site: West Middlesex University Hospital, Isleworth

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Breast Cancer CNS team, delivering highly specialised and supportive care to breast cancer patients.

The post holder must have advanced communication skills and experience in managing complex conversations.

Main duties of the job

The Clinical Nurse Specialist functions within a field of practice that focuses on the needs of the patient and encompasses interaction with others in delivering nursing, health and social care.

The Clinical Nurse Specialist promotes excellence in nursing practice through the integration of expert clinical practice, education, consultancy, acting as a resource and commitment to nursing research.

The post holder will work alongside an experienced team of Breast Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialists in the delivery of nurse‑led care. The post holder will be a valuable member of the team, contributing towards supporting and counselling a caseload of patients and their families through the entire cancer journey and specifically around the time of the cancer diagnosis and surgery and following cancer‑specific treatments. The post holder will also participate in the education of all disciplines of staff working with this patient group and act as an expert resource to other professionals involved in the care of these patients. The post holder will work to ensure that cancer‑specific guidelines are adhered to and Department of Health standards are maintained.

The post holder is expected to develop this role in accordance with the framework for Nurses in Specialist Practice as identified by Hamric, Spross & Hanson and the Trust's Competency Framework for Specialist and Advanced Practice Roles.

Please note: Some roles may require weekend shifts at multiple sites.

About us

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of England's top‑performing and safest trusts. We operate two main acute hospital sites – Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital – along with award‑winning clinics across North West London.

Our nearly 7,500 staff care for a diverse population of 1.5 million, providing full clinical services, including maternity, A&E, and children’s services, plus specialist HIV and sexual health clinics. The Care Quality Commission rates us ‘Good’ in safety, effectiveness, care, and responsiveness, and ‘Outstanding’ in leadership and resource use.

We continually invest in our facilities, including a £30 m expansion of critical care at Chelsea and Westminster and an £80 m Ambulatory Diagnostic Centre at West Middlesex.

We welcome applications for flexible working arrangements, accommodating requests where possible to support our staff and patient needs.

The Trust is committed to equality and welcomes applications from all, regardless of background. Adjustments can be made for disabled candidates. Early application is advised as vacancies may close once sufficient applications are received. If you haven't heard from us within three weeks of the closing date, your application was likely unsuccessful. Employment is subject to a six‑month probationary period.

Job responsibilities

Expert Clinical Practice/Leadership

• To liaise with all relevant members of the multidisciplinary team in the care and support of individual patients including GPs.
• To maintain a high profile in the clinical area, acting as a role model for other health care professionals.
• To facilitate individualised patient care based upon the principles of evidence based practice.
• To act as a liaison nurse between inpatient, outpatient and home care, referring on to community support agencies when required.
• To support the nurse‑led clinic including the development of written protocols based on national standards.
• Supporting patients with body image and sexuality concerns in relation to surgery, utilising other agencies and specialists as appropriate.
• To offer advice and support on pain and symptom control liaising with the Specialist palliative care team, and make appropriate referrals to the chronic pain service.
• To assess individual patients psychosocial and spiritual needs and refer for appropriate counselling or to other agencies.
• To work in close collaboration with colleagues in the Surgical Directorate.
• To work in close collaboration with the cancer and palliative care team.
• To counsel the family of patients with breast cancer, referring to the appropriate genetic service as required.
• To provide professional clinical leadership and expertise to other nursing staff.
• To co‑ordinate the weekly multi‑professional meetings for breast cancer patients to achieve high standards of MDT working and assist with the compliance and evidence for cancer peer review.
• To provide expert nursing advice to primary care teams on managing patients with breast malignancies.
• Responsible for implementing the recovery package for breast patients, including completing HNAs, assisting with health and well‑being events and treatment summaries where appropriate.

Education / leadership

• To promote patient/carer independence through the provision of relevant teaching and support.
• To participate in and organise study days/education programmes to raise awareness of the holistic needs of patients.
• To develop resource and teaching packs for use by patients and/or staff in the clinical and educational setting.
• To ensure the provision of appropriate written information is available to patients and staff.
• To participate in the Trust’s ongoing educational programmes.
• To evaluate the need for patient support groups within the Trust.
• Liaise with other charities, organisations and agencies dedicated to breast cancer ensuring patients, their families and carers are informed of the availability of existing support services.

Research / Audit / Quality

• To utilise up‑to‑date research findings in the delivery of patient care and to disseminate this knowledge to all members of the multidisciplinary team.
• To participate as appropriate in relevant research studies and audit findings and disseminate these findings to clinical practice (as appropriate) in order to develop best practice.
• To identify opportunities for nursing research within own specialist area and carry out nursing research appropriate to the speciality.
• To regularly audit service, including eliciting the views of patients, carers and professionals, ensuring patient feedback is incorporated into developments in the service.
• To attend relevant departmental and directorate and network meetings relating to clinical governance and to contribute to the clinical governance agenda.

Management

• To ensure that there is a safe and acceptable environment for clients/patients.
• To act as a patient/staff advocate through the application of ethical, legal and professional knowledge and skills.
• To maintain own expert level of competence.
• To critically reflect on own performance through clinical supervision, coaching or mentoring.
• To work within the NMC Code of Professional Conduct and all Trust policies.
• To continue own personal development through the pursuit of relevant professional and academic study.
• Participate in annual job planning.
• Prepare for NMC revalidation.
• To work in a collaborative manner with all members of the multidisciplinary team, recognising the unique contribution of other disciplines and appropriately referring.
• To recognise own limitations and seek advice and support on referrals.
• To act as a resource within the Trust and to participate in Trust‑wide professional groups as appropriate.
• To represent the Trust locally and nationally, participating in and speaking at conferences.
• To work in a collaborative manner with local primary care teams.
• To provide specialist advice and support related to the purchasing and commissioning of resources/services.
• To act in an advisory/collaborative role with senior management regarding issues related to the speciality.

Communication

• Ensure all communication, which may be complex, contentious or sensitive, is undertaken in a responsive and inclusive manner, focusing on improvement and ways to move forward.
• Ensure all communication is presented appropriately to the different recipients, according to levels of understanding, type of communication being imparted and possible barriers such as language, culture, understanding or physical or mental health conditions.

PLEASE SEE JD/PS FOR FULL JOB

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

• Registered Nurse Qualification
• Degree level education
• Post‑registration education in relevant speciality
• Teaching qualification
• Advanced communication skills course or equivalent
• Advanced assessment skills

Experience

• Experience of breast surgery
• Experience of running nurse‑led clinics
• Experience of multidisciplinary team working
• Autonomous working and experience in developing working relationships and networks
• Experience of Living With and Beyond cancer metrics
• Experience of Breast Personalised Stratified Follow‑Up (PSFU)
• Experience of working with patients with breast cancers
• Work at band 6 level

Skills and Knowledge

• Ability to demonstrate initiative
• IT literate
• Ability to plan and prioritise own and others workload
• Understanding of NHS, Cancer Strategy and Trust performance targets
• Evidence of ability to work collaboratively in a multi‑disciplinary team
• Knowledge of change management theory
• Research/audit 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 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.

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust