Non-Specific Symptoms Clinical Nurse Specialist

Stockport Nhs Foundation Trust; Stockport; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

NHS pension

Annual leave 27–33 days

Cycle to work scheme

Salary sacrifice schemes

Staff discounts

Job summary

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust invites applications for a Clinical Nurse Specialist within the Non-Specific Symptoms / Rapid Diagnostic Service. The post focuses on coordinating patient pathways through investigation, providing expert clinical assessment, information and support, and ensuring appropriate onward referral.

You will work with medical colleagues, diagnostic services and primary care to strengthen pathway management.

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse with current NMC registration.
• Evidence of continuing professional development (CPD).
• Educated to degree level or equivalent experience.
• Evidence of study/development relevant to advanced clinical assessment, cancer, acute medicine or related specialty.
• Willingness to undertake further specialist/advanced study appropriate to the role.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate complex diagnostic pathways and maintain oversight of patients through investigation and diagnosis.
• Communicate effectively to support patients experiencing uncertainty and anxiety.
• Work autonomously while contributing to a multidisciplinary team and developing the service.

Skills

NMC registration

Clinical assessment

Coordination

Communication

Autonomous working

Education

Degree level or equivalent

CPD/Continuing professional development

Post-registration study

Job description

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to join our expanding Non-Specific Symptoms (NSS) / Rapid Diagnostic Service as a Clinical Nurse Specialist, working alongside our existing CNS to support the continued development and delivery of this important cancer pathway. The service provides a timely diagnostic pathway for patients presenting with concerning non‑specific symptoms where cancer may be suspected but there is no clear tumour‑specific referral route. As the service continues to grow, the successful candidate will play a key role in coordinating patients through investigation and diagnosis, providing expert clinical assessment, information and support and ensuring appropriate onward referral. Working collaboratively with medical colleagues, diagnostic services, cancer teams and primary care, you will support effective pathway management and provide continuity for patients during what can be a period of significant uncertainty. This is an opportunity to join an established but developing service, with scope to influence how the pathway evolves as activity increases. We are looking for an experienced nurse with strong clinical assessment, communication and coordination skills, a commitment to high‑quality cancer care and an interest in service development and earlier cancer diagnosis.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for an experienced and motivated nurse with strong clinical assessment and decision‑making skills, excellent communication and the ability to work autonomously while contributing effectively to a multidisciplinary team. The successful candidate will need to be highly organised and able to coordinate complex diagnostic pathways, prioritise competing demands and maintain oversight of patients throughout investigation and diagnosis. Advanced communication skills are essential, including the ability to support patients experiencing uncertainty and anxiety and to communicate sensitively when discussing potentially difficult outcomes. You will be confident working across professional and organisational boundaries, developing effective relationships with primary care, diagnostic services, medical teams and tumour‑specific cancer services. We are particularly looking for someone who is proactive, adaptable and committed to improving patient experience and earlier cancer diagnosis. An interest in service development, quality improvement and helping to shape an expanding service will be important. Experience within cancer care is desirable, but we would particularly welcome applicants with strong transferable skills in clinical assessment, complex care coordination and autonomous practice.

About us

We hold a unique position in the Stockport community as the provider of healthcare and we are one of its largest employers. We believe that the best organisations are those that reflect the communities they serve. We are therefore seeking to improve the diversity of our workforce to make it truly representative of our local population. We actively encourage applications irrespective of race, age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage & civil partnership, or pregnancy or maternity. Recognising those communities that are underrepresented within our workforce, we would particularly welcome applications from you. We recognise that flexible working is important. We take requests for flexible working seriously, consider any request we receive and try to work with you, so we can explore if your request may fit with the needs of the service.

Benefits we offer to you

• Between 27-33 days of annual leave plus bank holidays
• NHS pension scheme membership
• Salary sacrifice schemes for lease cars, home electronics and more, to make your salary go further
• NHS Staff discounts
• Cycle to work scheme
• Salary finance - for loans, savings, budget planning and tips on managing debt
• Stockport Credit Union- for local financial advice

Job responsibilities

The job description gives an overview of the main tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specifications focuses on the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. These documents are attached on the page and can be downloaded. The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse with current NMC registration
• Relevant post-registration study and evidence of continuing professional development
• Educated to degree level or equivalent experience
• Evidence of study/development relevant to advanced clinical assessment, cancer, acute medicine or a related specialty
• Willingness to undertake further specialist/advanced study appropriate to the role

Desirable

• Advanced clinical assessment qualification or relevant postgraduate study
• Independent/non-medical prescribing qualification.
• Evidence of postgraduate study at Master's level