Lead Nurse

The Royal Marsden; London; On-site; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading cancer care institution in London seeks a dedicated Lead Breast Oncology Nurse to shape the future of breast cancer care. This key leadership role combines advanced clinical expertise with operational oversight. Responsibilities include managing a team of Advanced Nurse Practitioners and ensuring high-quality patient care throughout the treatment pathway. Applicants should have clinical skills, good leadership qualities, and effective communication abilities. The role promotes expert clinical practice and is part of the senior management team.

Qualifications

• Experience in a specialist nursing role.
• Evidence of good leadership qualities, including delegation.
• Knowledge of clinical governance issues and risk management.

Responsibilities

• Lead and ensure effective nursing delivery for complex patients.
• Manage daily operations of Advanced Nurse Practitioners.
• Ensure compliance with Trust policies and procedures.

Skills

Advanced clinical skills

Leadership qualities

Effective communication

Interpersonal skills

Innovative thinking

Education

UK professional nursing registration

Job description

Job overview

An excellent opportunity has arisen within the Breast Unit at The Royal Marsden Hospital. As a centre of excellence in oncology, we are looking for a dedicated Lead Breast Oncology Nurse to join our multidisciplinary team and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of breast cancer care.

This is a key leadership role, combining advanced clinical expertise with operational oversight and opportunities for service improvement. You will lead and support a team of experienced Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANP’s) and Lead Clinical Nurse Specialists. The ANP’s work autonomously in the diagnostic one stop clinics, open access follow up, M3 meetings, and the Family History service. The Lead Clinical Nurse Specialist’s lead their individual teams ensuring delivery of high-quality, evidence-based care throughout the breast cancer treatment pathway — from diagnosis to survivorship and palliative support across all treatment modalities; surgical, medical oncology and clinical oncology.

The service covers NHS and Private care across our sites in Sutton, Chelsea and Cavendish Square. The Lead Nurse role will be part of the senior management team working closely with the Service manager and be a professional positive role model promoting expert clinical practice.

We encourage informal conversations from interested applicants to learn more about the role.

Main duties of the job

• Lead and be responsible for the delivery of effective nursing for a complex group of patients and their families, ensuring compassionate and efficient care and making certain the patient is always central to the service and how it is delivered.
• Act as part of the senior management team for the Division within the Clinical Business Unit (CBU), working closely with the Service Manager, Clinical Director, Divisional Nurse Director and Divisional Director to deliver the Trust strategy within the Division.
• Overall responsibility for the daily operational management of the ANPs. The post holder will look at developing new and different ways of working in order to improve the patient pathway.
• Contribute to the relationship management of referring trusts, supporting partnership working with other organisations where appropriate.
• Act as a professional positive role model, promoting expert clinical practice and shaping the care delivered within the wards and day care areas within Cancer Services.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Work with the CNS leads (8a) to ensure the following tasks and responsibilities are consistently met to a high standard across.

To provide a clear focus for nursing, giving a highly visible and authoritative presence within the units. To be responsible for ensuring the delivery of high-quality care and ensuring that the needs of the patient are placed at the centre of care delivery whatever the setting.

To provide strategic direction and ensure the nursing service remains responsive to external pressures and changes as well as forward thinking and

To work maintain a clinical case load

Ensure ANPs work at an advanced practice level, providing a specialist service and level of expertise in their specialist area ensure their interventions are timely and well documented.

To take the lead in ensuring compliance to Trust policies and procedures within the nursing teams.

Person specification

Skills / Abilities / Knowledge

Essential criteria

Clinical Skills e.g. Advanced physical assessment

Experience in a specialist nursing role.

Evidence of good leadership qualities, including delegation and co-ordination of teams

The ability to communicate effectively in both written and spoken English to a wide range of people both internally and externally, often involving highly complex or sensitive information

Presentation skills

Ability to innovate and respond to change

Ability to interpret and implement new policies into workplace procedures

Evidence of commitment to patient & carer involvement in care

Knowledge of clinical governance issues and risk management strategies

Ability to make decisions, organise & prioritise

Excellent interpersonal skills with particular ability to liaise effectively with multidisciplinary team members

Experience and ability to manage conflict situations

Desirable criteria

Computer Literacy

Experience of disseminating work through presentation\publication

The Royal Marsden values diversity and is committed to the recruitment and retention of underrepresented minority groups. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates and candidates with disabilities.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are working to create a workplace that enables all staff to reach their full potential. We are committed to this because we know that greater diversity and inclusion will lead to an even greater positive impact for the people we serve.

Due to the high volumes of applications we receive, we reserve the right to close any adverts before the published closing date once we have received a sufficient number of applications. We advise you to submit your application as early as possible to prevent disappointment.

Flu Vaccination – What We Expect of our Staff

At The Royal Marsden we have an immune compromised patient population who we must protect as much as we can against the flu virus. Each year, seasonal flu affects thousands of people in the UK. Occurring mainly in winter, it is an infectious respiratory disease capable of producing symptoms ranging from those similar to a common cold, through to very severe or even fatal disease.

The wellbeing of our staff and patients is of the upmost importance to us, and it is the expectation of The Royal Marsden that all patient-facing staff have an annual flu vaccination, provided free of charge by the Trust.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

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.