Faster Diagnostic standard nurse Head and neck cancer

Transformationunitgm; London; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player in healthcare is seeking a dedicated and skilled nurse to join their team focused on head and neck cancer care. This role involves managing patient assessments, delivering evidence-based diagnostic protocols, and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to ensure high-quality patient-centered care. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in meeting the Faster Diagnostic standards while maintaining effective communication with patients and healthcare professionals. This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to a vital service within a supportive and inclusive environment, where your expertise will make a significant impact on patient outcomes.

Qualifications

• Experience of caring for people with cancer or suspected cancer.
• Accountable for nursing practice in accordance with Trust and NMC guidelines.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for telephone assessment clinic and planning of cancer pathways.
• Deliver evidence-based clinical diagnostic protocols for investigations.
• Ensure high-quality patient-centered care in a multidisciplinary approach.

Skills

Good written and verbal communications skills

Ability to work autonomously

Ability to work as part of a team

Education

Nursing qualification

UK professional registration

Job description

Main area Head and neck cancer Grade NHS AfC: Band 6 Contract Fixed term: 12 months (end date is 1 year from start date) Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 293-CSEP-0550

Employer Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Department of cancer care Chatsworth House, Homerton Hospital Town London Salary £37,338 - £44,962 p.a. incl. Salary period Yearly Closing 20/05/2025 23:59

Faster Diagnostic standard nurse Head and neck cancer

NHS AfC: Band 6

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Job overview

• Responsible for the telephone assessment clinic, planning, and implementation of the Head and Neck Cancer pathways following GP suspected cancer referral.
• Undertake a comprehensive assessment using appropriate risk calculator tool and including past medical history, medication history and review of symptoms.
• Request appropriate investigations, including endoscopic and radiological.
• Provide explanation and information regarding diagnostic investigations and cancer pathway, addressing peoples’ complex and changing health and well-being needs.
• Monitor pathway of patients and assist to meet the 28 day Faster Diagnostic standard.
• Work with the cancer referrals office to provide a seamless service, ensuring all subsequent investigations/clinical input/actions are undertaken in a timely manner to meet FDS standards.
• To be trained in Nurse-led follow up virtual results clinics, and ensure patients are informed of the outcome of their tests within the set guidelines.

Main duties of the job

Clinical Practice

• To assess & triage patients referred on the Head and Neck Cancer pathway.
• To deliver evidence based clinical diagnostic protocols, including appropriate endoscopic and radiological investigations, and ensure these are completed within the set guideline times.
• To develop a higher level of practice through the provision of specialist Nursing knowledge and expertise in the delivery of diagnostic pathways for Head and Neck suspected cancers.

Education, Training and Research

Professional

Working for our organisation

We are committed to achieving equality and inclusion for all our people at Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust . We are proud to be in one of the most diverse locations in the country, with nearly 90 different languages spoken as a main language, and we champion equality, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of our employment practices and service delivery. Every member of our staff is expected to understand, commit to, and champion equality, diversity and inclusion throughout their work.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To assess & triage patients referred on the Head and Neck Cancer pathway.
• To deliver evidence based clinical diagnostic protocols, including appropriate endoscopic and radiological investigations, and ensure these are completed within the set guideline times.
• To develop a higher level of practice through the provision of specialist Nursing knowledge and expertise in the delivery of diagnostic pathways for Head and Neck suspected cancers.
• To ensure the delivery of high-quality patient-centred care and promote a patient-focused multidisciplinary approach in collaboration with carers, health care professionals and other agencies.
• Rapidly identifies and adjusts methods of communication as required for patients with barriers to understanding. Identifies and escalates any patients not suitable for telephone triage or concerns to the cancer referrals office as appropriate.
• To establish and maintain robust communication channels with professional colleagues across a range of services including primary, secondary and tertiary care, ensuring the provision of a seamless service to the patient and family.
• To be self-directing and work autonomously, and to actively seek and participate in peer review of their own practice.
• Take all measures to ensure patient safety, ensuring own and others’ knowledge of relevant local/national policies and procedures, and that these are adhered to.
• Maintain detailed and accurate clinical records as per national and Trust Policy.
• Contribute to the development of the service and offer advice and support to colleagues within the speciality.
• To monitor the straight to test service provision and contribute to the management of resources within the OMFS, ENT and Thyroid departments.
• To assist with the implementation of audit, quality, and risk management initiatives, used to improve care and services.
• To use outcome data to periodically review and refine the straight to test service.
• To assist with the formulation and update of policies in line with latest research for best practice.
• To participate in variance tracking and analysis with MDT, presenting results at appropriate forums, and using the results to lead appropriate clinical practice changes.

Education, Training and Research

• Identify own training and development needs, establish objectives for personal development and undertake appropriate training/education as required.
• Develop and maintain own knowledge and expertise within the speciality related to patient treatment, care pathways and health promotion, and apply this to practice.
• Support junior or new staff in their learning and contribute to the development of others through teaching and facilitation.
• Participate in the development of evidence-based standards, policies, and guidelines at a local level.
• Identify areas of risk / poor quality and raise awareness of these through local governance structures.
• To attend multidisciplinary team meetings and appropriate forums in order to gain and disseminate appropriate information to others in the speciality.
• To conduct audit activities to assess and monitor the quality of nursing practice in the specialist service, and that will improve the quality of care and health outcomes in the specialist area.
• To participate in collaborative research projects within the specialist area relevant to practice development and local and national initiatives.
• To attend all statutory and mandatory training as and when required to do so.
• To participate in clinical supervision.
• To develop and maintain others’ awareness of the role within the speciality, maintaining mechanisms for contact and referral.
• To take part in reflection and appropriate learning from practice, in order to maintain and develop competence and performance.

Professional

• Accountable for his/her own nursing practice and practices in accordance with the Trust and The Code (NMC, 2018) and other appropriate NMC guidelines.
• Takes responsibility for ensuring up to date clinical competence, knowledge acquisition and the development of personal portfolio and personal development plan.
• Ensure that all Trust/Department policies and guidelines are adhered to.
• Maintain patient confidentiality at all times and ensure that care is delivered in a high quality courteous manner.
• Help to Identify service development needs and participate in facilitating agreed changes in service.
• Adhere to standards for record keeping. Maintain accurate records of interventions and activities.
• To collect and submit activity data using information systems available.
• Participate in an annual individual performance review process where objectives will be agreed, performance monitored, and personal development needs discussed.
• Establish and maintain communication with people about routine and daily activities, overcoming any differences in communication between the people involved.
• Develop appropriate channels and styles of communication to meet the needs of patients, relatives, carers, managers, peers and other professions.
• Develop effective prioritisation, problem solving and delegation skills to manage time.
• Develop an understanding of Trust and Board organisational structures, and how to communicate within them.

Person specification

skills/abilities

• Good written and verbal communications skills
• ability to work autonomously and part of a team

Experience

• Experience of caring for people with cancer or suspected cancer

G eneral Guidance for Applicants

Please ensure that you read the "Guidance Notes On Submitting An Application" under "Additional Documentation" before completing your application.

Please note: we reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once a sufficient number of applications have been received.

We are committed to achieving equality and inclusion at Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, and we respect and value the diversity and differences of our patients and our people, ensuring everyone is enabled to thrive, feels a sense of belonging, and is able to be their authentic self. We offer a range of flexible working options that enable you to balance your work and personal life, including part-time, compressed hours, remote working and job-shares.

If you are interested in joining our team, please let us know your preferred working pattern in your application, and we will consider all requests for flexible working and try to accommodate them wherever possible.

Please note that secondment arrangements will be considered for any fixed term positions, with the agreement of the existing line manager.

We are committed to equal opportunities, and have been approved as a Disability Confident 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.