We have an exciting opportunity to recruit a Lead Skin Clinical Nurse Specialist - to work within the Surgical Division to co-ordinate the delivery of a comprehensive Surgical Skin service in collaboration with the oncology Division

Applicants should be able to demonstrate experience as a Registered Part 1 or 12 Nurse and a background of Cancer Nursing or Surgical Nursing and with Clinical Nurse Specialist experience. This role has a strong highly autonomous clinical component where the CNS will be key in assessing patient requirements and ensuring they receive a holistic treatment plan and where appropriate end of treatment summary (EOTS) ensuring personalised care for all skin patients.

You will act as key worker when appropriate and utilise expert knowledge to provide comprehensive specialist advice, assessment, information and psychological support.

Main duties of the job

The key function of the Lead Surgical Skin Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is to provide leadership alongside the Clinical Director (CD) and Speciality Manager (SM) for the surgical skin speciality business unit. They will report into Associate Director of Nursing and Surgical Triumvirate to co-ordinate the delivery of a comprehensive Skin service in collaboration with the Oncology division.

About us

Royal Surrey is a compassionate and collaborative acute and community Trust. Recognising that our 5000 colleagues are our greatest strength, we offer a comprehensive health and wellbeing program along with a commitment to developing and advancing your career. Our diverse and welcoming Royal Surrey family will ensure you that you feel valued from your initial interview through your entire tenure.

We are clinically led and provide joined up care by bridging the gap between hospital and community services alongside regional specialist cancer care. Our main acute hospital site is in Guildford with community hospital sites at Milford, Haslemere and Cranleigh. We provide adult community health services in homes across Guildford and Waverley.

We have received an overall Good rating from the CQC with Medical care (including older peoples care), End of Life Care and Maternity services being deemed Outstanding by the CQC.

Royal Surrey has a strong reputation and history to build on. We are proud of our achievements and we are investing in our colleagues through our commitment to supporting professional development as well as investing more than �45 million in our physical environment and new equipment in the next few years. There has never been a better time to join us.

Although it isn't the Trusts normal practice, adverts may close early, so you are encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible.

A video about the Royal Surrey - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HsiGn9joTQ

Job description

Job responsibilities

• Manage a case load of patients who are being treated for Skin cancer, maintaining records and communication with appropriate clinicians
• Develop a model of care for skin cancer patients requiring treatment, liaising with other specialist team members to ensure effective transfer of information across different NHS organisations including Primary and Secondary care
• Facilitate and lead on the personalised agenda for all skin cancer surgical patients.
• Working closely with Medical and Nursing staff to ensure existing management protocols are adhered to and help to identify areas for potential service improvement
• Develop, implement and audit care pathways with specific focus on standardising an appropriate care pathway for benign and cancer skin patients requiring surgical intervention.

• Develop, implement and audit care pathways with specific focus on standardising an appropriate care pathway for skin cancer patients on a surgical pathway.
• Collaborate with the wider Skin team to develop remote monitoring of skin cancer patients and lead on the piloting of new pathways and assessment tools.
• Participate and lead on the clinical and organisational audit of patients promoting the importance of undertaking new initiatives through multi-disciplinary collaboration.
• Facilitate communication between primary, secondary and tertiary care providers across local Cancer services in the Surrey, Sussex Cancer Alliance. To be responsible for the development of evidence based protocols, policies and clinical guidelines for and evaluate impact these policies and protocols have on service delivery.
• To establish and run educational programmes for health care professionals in order to promote the needs of this patient group thereby enhancing the patient experience and the service being provided.
• Act as a specialist resource, participating in and facilitating research-based practice. To deliver and empower others to deliver high standards of nursing care to this client group.
• Provide professional leadership and support staff across the trust in caring for surgical skin cancer patients
• Be aware of the national skin cancer targets, optimum skin cancer pathways and support the Trust to deliver these

Clinical Responsibilities

• Undertakes the role of key worker for surgical skin patients and ensure effective coordination when needed for those transferring into oncological services.
• Attend MDT meetings on a regular basis complying with the standards as outlined in the Cancer Measures .

• Actively support patients and their families, through communicating difficult and complex information using appropriate and individualised methods to ensure effective understanding, empowering them to make an informed decision about their care options.
• To be responsible for supporting and counselling patients and their families, showing empathy when dealing with bad news and explaining surgical treatment options.

• Proactively supports patients and carers in coming to terms with their illness/condition, providing on-going support.
• To provide information in a way that is suitable for the patients their careers and families, including the manner in which the information is disseminated, complexity and language used and the timing of its giving.

• Provides empathy and reassurance through the quality of life issues that are associated with living with their disease and the effects of cancer treatments.
• With support acts as an expert practitioner within the multi-disciplinary team, providing specialist nursing knowledge, co-ordinating specialised patient care and effectively communicating any changes in condition/treatment.
• Ensures information is conveyed to the patient in a timely and understandable manner, using different communication methods to clarify understanding.

• Supports the surgical Consultants and medical team in providing patients with diagnosis, surgical treatment options and delivering bad news.
• Provides specialist advice and care with support and has the ability to work as an autonomous practitioner.
• The CNS will be responsible for ordering, assessing and interpreting diagnostic investigations within Trust policy and agreed pathways, using their knowledge and skills to interpret results and implement care accordingly. Recognises own limitations and refers on to other specialised agencies when appropriate.

• Explains test results and consequences to patients, carers and staff and ensures their understanding by careful and sensitive questioning.
• By observation and sensitive questioning assesses patient compliance with agreed management plans, identifying any concerns or adjustments required.

• Considers a range of options and appraises each one, when making decisions regarding a change in care or making recommendations for treatment for symptomatic relief with support.

• To ensure that there is provision to provide care and treatment for out-patient

• Effectively communicates between clinical areas and patients regarding appointments, admissions, discharges and subsequent follow-up ensuring administration procedures are up to date.
• To be accessible to patients and carers by telephone during working hours for advice regarding management of their cancer.

• Develop policies applicable to the role or patient group being managed
• Drive the development and implementation of improvements to skin cancer services and ensure that care given and treatments provided are in line with the Trust Clinical Governance agenda and objectives, National Service Frameworks (NSF) and National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) advice where it applies.
• Lead the development of Personalised Care for skin cancer patients which will include the further development of the Supported Self-Management programme.
• Responsible for facilitating the provision of patient centred care, utilising other members of the Health Care Team both locally and within the Network boundary, providing them with relevant information.
• With support, makes clinical judgements and provides the patient with direct written/ verbal referral to supportive and Palliative Care Services including specialist psychological services.

• Liaise with Acute and Community staff as well as St Lukes Cancer Centre consultants and nursing teams, clinical nurse specialists and other professionals.
• Work with the Oncology Skin Cancer CNS Team in order to provide safe patient pathways and continuity of care for patients with a diagnosis of skin cancer,
• Makes appropriate referrals on to other Health Care professionals when required in accordance with the patients wishes.
• Provide professional leadership to junior team members within skin cancer services across the trust.
• To work closely with the Clinical Director, Surgeons, St Lukes Oncology Consultants and Cancer MDTs and medical teams in delivering a high quality, safe and compliant service to this population.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse Part 1 or 12
• Educated to Masters Level or equivalent experience
• First level degree in Nursing
• Evidence of recent professional updating and relevant personal development in the management of surgical skin Cancer patients
• Advanced assessment qualification
• Skin Lesion management and recognition qualification
• Dermoscopy qualification or willing to complete
• Independent / Non- medical prescribing qualification
• Advanced communications skills training
• Psychological support level II training

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Demonstrates professional awareness and knowledge
• Consolidation of Nurse Training
• Can demonstrate up-to-date clinical credibility/competence
• Knowledge of clinical governance issues such as complaints handling, clinical risk management ?I
• Knowledge of current NHS and Professional issues

Skills and Capabilities

Essential

• Excellent customer care skills
• Good communication skills
• Competencies in tasks such as IV additives/ECG recording and venepuncture or willingness to undertake
• Computer skills

Employer details

Employer name

Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust

Address

The Royal Surrey Hospital

Egerton Road

Guildford

GU2 7XX

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

384-AR-EMF15127