Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Act as key worker for patients within the speciality, providing expert knowledge, specialist care and ongoing support throughout the cancer pathway.

• Maintain regular liaison and clear communication with all members of the multidisciplinary team, including other cancer nurse specialists, to ensure seamless coordination of care.

• Deliver individualised, holistic and responsive care using holistic needs assessment and personalised care planning, adapting to the changing needs of patients and their families.

• Provide specialist advice, information and education to patients and carers regarding diagnosis, treatment options, symptom management and ongoing care.

• Offer education, training and clinical support to colleagues across the Trust to ensure patients receive high‑quality, holistic and personalised care within the relevant area of expertise.

• Uphold patient confidentiality at all times and ensure all staff understand and adhere to confidentiality requirements.

• Use advanced clinical assessment and reasoning skills to recommend appropriate investigations and contribute to complex clinical decision‑making.

• Maintain accurate, timely and comprehensive written and electronic records in line with Trust policy and professional standards.

• Deliver specialist care to patients in a range of complex, sensitive and distressing situations, demonstrating resilience, compassion and advanced communication skills.

• Work collaboratively with the wider MDT to ensure evidence‑based, patient‑centred care,

  • including timely referral to palliative and end‑of‑life services when appropriate.

  • Build effective partnerships with patients, carers and relatives within the Gastroenterology/Oncology setting, ensuring they understand all aspects of their care and treatment, and providing advice across service boundaries.

  • Act as a patient advocate, using advanced communication skills to lead and support difficult or sensitive conversations with compassion and clarity.

  • Participate in or initiate complex discussions around advance care planning when required.

  • Support medical colleagues during the delivery of difficult news, helping to communicate highly distressing information regarding diagnosis or prognosis.

  • Encourage patient participation in health and wellbeing activities, working with MDT colleagues to promote recovery, resilience and self‑management.

  • Consistently work at an enhanced level of specialist practice, demonstrating autonomy, leadership and a commitment to continuous improvement.

  • Provide visible clinical leadership within the HPB/Upper GI service, acting as a role model for high standards of specialist nursing practice.

  • Lead or contribute to service development initiatives aimed at improving patient pathways, reducing variation and enhancing the quality of care.

  • Participate in, and where appropriate lead, audit, quality improvement and research activities to ensure the service remains aligned with national guidance, best practice and Trust priorities.

  • Support the development, review and implementation of clinical guidelines, protocols and pathways to ensure safe, effective and evidence‑based care.

  • Contribute to governance processes, including incident review, risk assessment and learning events, promoting a culture of safety and continuous improvement.

  • Provide leadership in education by supporting the development of junior staff, facilitating learning opportunities and contributing to succession planning within the specialist nursing team.

  • Represent the CNS service at relevant meetings, working groups and MDT forums, influencing service planning and contributing to strategic discussions.

  • Use data, audit findings and patient feedback to identify areas for improvement and drive positive change across the service.