Lead Clinical Nurse Specialist - Oncology

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• The post holder will be professionally accountable for the maintenance of standards and professional practice as set by the Trust Policies/ procedures, the NMC Code of Professional Standards of Practice and Behaviour and relevant professional guidance.
• To care overall responsibility for the organisation and management of the Oncology CNS site specific and professional leadership and management to the Oncology CNS site specific.
• Provide clinical expertise to a cohort of patients referred for specialist intervention, care and support, being a point of contact for assessment, information and advice within the Oncology Service, being a point of contact for assessment, information and advice for the patient, family and carers and all staff involved in the care of the patient.
• To provide a clear focus for clinical leadership within the team and be responsible for ensuring a high standard of holistic, patient centred care supporting the development of staff caring for patients through formal education and training, practice development and role modelling.
• Prioritise timely specialist nursing response to ensure clinical staff are supported to develop individualised care plans for all patients referred to the service.
• Lead on the developing practice within Oncology including the development, and or updating of clinical guidelines, policy and procedure that relates to the practice setting.
• Provide clinical expertise to participate and support the planning, leading on Trust audit and research programmes relating to Oncology, ensure findings are disseminated appropriately and recommendations implemented.
• Where required provide expert knowledge to support timely response to complaints, concerns and enquiries from external stakeholders.
• To ensure safe and effective practice.
• To undertake monthly reviews of data relating to oncology, developing reports for assurance, quality and safety purposes and improvement strategy.

Clinical

• Provide a specialist nursing service and advice in a variety of clinical settings and disciplines for staff, patients, their families and careers, effectively liaising with multidisciplinary colleagues.
• Receive referrals via a variety of sources, including direct patient referral. Manage own caseload and clinical priorities according to agreed protocols and working practices.
• Work autonomously as an expert practitioner within the specialty, managing a caseload of patients delivering individualised direct patient care
• Utilise advanced clinical assessment skills to conduct in depth patient assessment and history taking, plan and provide support in the implementation of clinical management plans.
• Undertake a variety of clinical skills and provide treatment/ advice as per specialty and scope of practice. Using agreed protocols of clinical practice and professional guidelines.
• Within scope of practice and clinical competency undertake and perform clinical investigations and procedures related to plans of care.
• Utilise scope of practice to undertake non-medical prescribing role and advise within oncology, work within the Trust policy for Medicines Management.
• Utilise advanced knowledge and skills relating to the specialty to provide specialist advice to other members of the multidisciplinary team on the basis of patient assessment.
• Provide a seamless, high-quality service from referral through to assessment, diagnosis, treatment and review, referring to other specialists as required. Provide guidance to staff, patients and their families and carers on pathway navigation.
• Use highly developed communication skills to effectively communicate with colleagues, patients and their relatives/carers, making reports and liaising as required with medical staff and other members of the multidisciplinary team both verbally and in writing.
• Report and raise concerns related to Safeguarding, accessing advice and support as required. Be conversant with Trust policies for safeguarding including the assessment of mental Capacity, and consideration of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS) and the application of the principles of Prevent (counter terrorism awareness).
• Ensure effective and accurate verbal or written handover of patients between healthcare professionals.
• Ensure that high standards of all documentation are maintained, with accurate, complete and up-to-date information regarding patient care are kept in accordance with Trust standards.
• Monitor the quality and standard of care provided by all members of the team and all staff in clinical areas. Identifying any skills or training gaps and escalating to the appropriate Senior Nurse or Matron.

Professional Leadership and Management

• Provide highly visible and accessible professional leadership and demonstrate expert knowledge and standards of clinical practice for Oncology.
• Lead the Oncology service, promoting interdisciplinary team and collaborative working practices.
• Act as a point of contact for Oncology within the Trust
• Meet with the Oncology CNS team on an individual basis to support their personal and professional development.
• Ensure effective governance within the Oncology CNS Team and participate in regular meetings with the Corporate Nursing Team and Nurse Line Manager.
• Promote team working; build rapport and collaborative working practices with multidisciplinary team. Liaise with inter-hospital departments and personnel across organisational and professional groups. Ensuring effective communication and interpersonal skills with other disciplines and organisations.
• Act as a clinical role model demonstrating high standards of clinical practice and provide support or advice to other staff when necessary
• Lead and support the development of the role and service according to changing patient’s needs, service requirements and evidence base practice.
• Lead and actively participate in service/ departmental projects, quality initiatives and statutory accreditation processes. This will include the setting and monitoring of clinical standards of care.
• Lead local and future workforce planning by monitoring activity trends. Contribute to job planning, service planning and reporting to ensure adequate service provision.
• Ensure that all resources are managed in an efficient and cost-effective manner to achieve maximum effect for patients and staff.
• Maintain an awareness of professional and ethical issues to ensure care is delivered in a professional timely and courteous manner by all members of the team, respecting the different spiritual and cultural backgrounds of colleagues, patients and relatives.
• Lead on recruitment of staff within the Oncology CNS Team.
• Accountable for own practice, acting at all times within the NMC Code of Professional Conduct
• Maintain a working knowledge of local and national professional policy and strategy.
• Attend and when required chair multidisciplinary meetings as a representative of the Oncology service. Ensure minutes and agreed actions are communicated to stakeholders according to agreed timescale

Education and Training 

• Act as an expert specialist educational resource for clinical staff, patients, and carers by providing formal and informal education. Promote and develop a positive learning.
• Lead and actively participate in the delivery of educational programmes for all grades of nursing, medical and allied health professional staff.
• Provide support and guidance to all levels of ward staff in their clinical role.
• Recognise the limits of own professional practice and competence, undertake further training and academic qualifications as required to maintain own specialist knowledge.
• Take responsibility for ensuring personal and team attendance and completion of and statutory or mandatory training as required for. Informing line manager if there is any deviance from training attendance.
• Adapt clinical knowledge and skills to different clinical settings.
• Lead the annual appraisal process, delegating duties to team members as appropriate to ensure all staff within the team have personal development plans which support revalidation.

Research and Audit

• Where required lead or assist in research projects as required, disseminating and ensuring utilisation of research results to change practice.
• Utilise research findings in the delivery of the providing a high-quality Oncology Service, developing new ways of working.
• Be aware of research /trails being undertaken within the specialist field of Oncology.
• Lead audit projects as required by the Service, involving collating, analysing and reporting on results of the audit process.
• Provide support, encouragement and advice to nursing staff undertaking audit and research.
• Assist in the testing and evaluation of new equipment/ products within the clinical area.
• Collate, analyse and present reports on varying aspects of the Oncology Team to the Corporate and Directorate Teams.

For a full comprehensive list of main responsibilities and duties, please kindly refer to job description and personal specification attached.