Clinical Nurse Specialist - Paediatric Cleft

Cambridge University Hospitals; Cambridge; Remote; GBP 49,000 - 57,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

On-site facilities

Public transport subsidies

Parking facilities

Job summary

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Band 7 Clinical Nurse Specialist in Paediatric Cleft at Addenbrooke's Hospital. This part-time role (22.5 hours per week) offers flexible working patterns and the chance to join CleftNet.East, the region's cleft lip and palate service, supporting children, young people and families across the East of England.

The post provides opportunities to lead, teach and develop specialist nursing practice, with a strong emphasis on patient

Qualifications

• Qualified nurse with RN Child/related registration and ongoing CPD.
• Post‑graduate qualification and SCPHN encouraged for advanced practice.
• Experience in teaching, mentoring and audit within NHS settings.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist paediatric cleft nursing care across the region.
• Lead and support MDT working and family‑centred care delivery.
• Develop care pathways and contribute to audits and research.
• Prioritise a large caseload and exercise clinical decision making.

Skills

Clinical leadership

Independent working

Communication skills

Education & mentorship

Auditing & research awareness

Education

RSCN/RN Child

First Degree in nursing/health subject

Teaching & Assessing qualification

Ongoing CPD

Post-graduate Diploma/Degree/Masters

Adult/RN Qualification

SCPHN

Counselling qualification

Job description

Clinical Nurse Specialist - Paediatric Cleft

Band 7

Main area Paediatrics Grade Band 7 Contract Permanent Hours 22.5 hours per week (Part Time / Flexible working hours may be considered.) Job ref 180-E-CVA1247

Employer Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Addenbrookes Hospital - Division E Town Cambridge Salary £49,387 - £56,515 pa pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 03/11/2026 23:59 Interview date 10/11/2026

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic, flexible, motivated and dynamic nurse to join CleftNet.East, the Eastern Region Cleft Lip and Palate Service, as a Band 7 Clinical Nurse Specialist.

CleftNet.East provides specialist care across the East of England, supporting children, young people and their families throughout their cleft journey. Our care pathway begins during the antenatal period for some families and continues into adulthood, making this a varied, challenging and rewarding specialist nursing role.

Our ethos of child-centred, holistic and family-focused care, alongside strong multidisciplinary collaboration, drives our service. You will work closely with colleagues across Cleft, Maternity and Children’s Services, as well as professional colleagues within regional hospitals and community services.

This role provides an excellent opportunity to develop and use specialist nursing skills across a range of environments, including family homes, postnatal wards, neonatal units, children’s wards and outpatient clinics across the region. The role also provides opportunities to engage and network with cleft professionals nationally and participate in audit, research and quality improvement at both local and national level. A strong commitment to improving patient experience and patient‑reported outcomes is essential.

Main duties of the job

Previous experience within cleft nursing is desirable but not essential. We recognise that specialist cleft skills can be developed and will provide a comprehensive, individually tailored training programme and ongoing clinical supervision.

We are particularly interested in applicants with experience caring for babies and children with complex health needs. Experience in infant feeding, airway and respiratory assessment, post‑operative nursing management, health visiting or community nursing would be highly beneficial.

The successful candidate will have strong leadership and organisational skills, sound clinical judgement and the ability to prioritise and manage a complex caseload across a large geographical area.

At times, you will work across the region as a lone worker. Therefore, a good understanding of health, safety and risk management, together with the ability to work independently and make appropriate clinical decisions, is essential.

Working for our organisation

Come Nurse with us…

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest teaching Trusts in the country. It comprises Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie Hospital. We provide accessible high‑quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge and regional and national specialist services. It’s a great place to nurse, work and live.

You will work on a vibrant hospital campus with a friendly community feel; we have excellent facilities to practise your skills and abilities to support your career pathway and development. Our values of Together – Safe, Kind, Excellent support the delivery of outstanding care. We have a fully electronic patient record system that is improving health‑care quality; this is transforming services, improving patient safety and clinical outcomes.

Why choose Cambridge University Hospitals?

• Our values and reputation for outstanding care
• Opportunities to experience a range of specialities
• Career and development opportunities
• Preceptorship and mentoring programmes delivered by a dedicated clinical education support team
• Research experience and opportunities
• Lovely location and quality of life
• Excellent schools/colleges and transport links (road, rail and air)

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.

This vacancy will close at midnight on 3rd November 2026.

Interviews are due to be held on 10th November 2026.

All appointments with a start date on or after 1 October 2026 will be subject to a 12‑week probationary period. This provides a structured and supportive period to help you settle into your role, with regular reviews and feedback.

As there is a 12‑week probationary period, successful candidates are expected to have the Right to Work for a period of at least 6 months from the proposed start date. Immigration and Right to Work status will be discussed with successful candidates at conditional offer. CUH will not offer sponsorship to candidates that have applied for a fee waiver.

Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full‑time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full‑time permanent contract unless you have:
- applied for a Graduate visa
- or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment

Benefits to you

At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on‑site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.

On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose‑created colleague‑only café, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.

CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work‑life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part‑time working, job‑share, term‑time working and flexible start and finish times.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

Person specification

Qualifications

• RSCN/RN Child
• First Degree (or equivalent level) in nursing or health‑related subject
• Teaching and Assessing qualification
• Evidence of on‑going CPD
• Post‑graduate Diploma/ Degree/Masters
• Adult/RN Qualification
• SCPHN
• Counselling qualification

Experience

• Working with acute and chronically ill children/ young people
• Evidence of having worked collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team
• Demonstrate a commitment to teaching colleagues/ students and to mentorship
• Community experience
• Safeguarding experience
• Experience in caring for children, & their families affected by Cleft
• Evidence of publications in nursing journals
• Experience as a Clinical Nurse Specialist
• NICU/PICU/ENT/Respiratory experience
• Experience working with adults affected by cleft
• NHS experience

Knowledge

• Demonstrate an understanding of the implications of the Children Act
• Demonstrate an understanding of the implications of the National Service Framework
• Demonstrate an understanding of the implications of the Every Child Matters
• Demonstrate an understanding of the implications of the Working together to Safeguard Children
• Demonstrate an understanding of the implications of the NHS Plan
• Experience in developing care pathways and patient information
• Understanding of MDT working
• Experience of Service improvement

Skills

• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Skills of diplomacy and negotiation
• Well‑developed organisational and planning ability, able to prioritise and delegate
• Maintain a flexible attitude to change
• Demonstrate an ability to work as part of a team and build good relationships
• Ability to manage performance of staff, change management and conflict
• Experience of managing conflict
• Competent in use of databases, spread sheets and PowerPoint

Additional Requirements

• The ability to understand and behave at all time towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust vales of safe, kind and excellent
• Ability to collaborate with a wide range of people at all levels within the organisation and external agencies
• Committed to providing a high standard of clinical care
• Able to motivate others
• To work flexibly as the role demands
• Car driver/ clean full UK driving Licence
• Current NMC registration
• Experience of audit and research

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.