Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Lung cancer nurse specialists (LCNS) are highly skilled professionals, working at the heart of multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs). We provide high-quality, safety-critical, patient-centred care for patients with a lung cancer and mesothelioma diagnosis.

Working on the front line of cancer care, LCNS manage and deliver complex and personalised care to patients from the point of diagnosis and throughout their cancer journey. We provide information and support to help patients and their families understand different treatment options, manage the symptoms of disease and any side-effects of treatment, and to live as well as they can for as long as they can.

 Often through our conversations with patients we uncover the fears and concerns – about changes to symptoms, how their disease may progress, what their future could be like – that means we can intervene early and provide the more holistic support and care that every patient deserves.

 In this way, we make critical contributions to improve patient safety, outcomes and experience. But we also use our specialist expertise to redesign and lead lung cancer services, all the time expanding our understanding of lung cancer, its treatment and care through research and audit.

 LCNS is a varied, valuable, and rewarding career. With 130 new lung cancer cases being diagnosed every day, and more patients living for longer with lung cancer, the need for LCNS is increasing. As technologies and treatments change, our role and the skills we need to deliver it will continue to evolve.

The LCNS service provides

·         Support to patients and their loved ones in the diagnostic/surgical/clinical oncology/palliative care clinics on wards and via the phone

·         Support to patients where ever they may be in the hospital including those not yet under a lung cancer consultant. Offering expertise to the HCPs caring for them and the coordination of care onto the National Optimal Lung Cancer Pathway (NOLCP)

·         Nurse led prehabilitation service

·         Clinical triage for patients via the phone and advice to HCPs

·         Nurse led treatment clinics within clinical oncology

·         Nurse led clinics within the diagnostic pathway

·         Teaching to HCPs locally and nationally

·         Attendance and contribution to MDT

·         Attendance and presenting patients at the Regional Mesothelioma MDT

The role of the lead lung cancer clinical nurse specialist:

·         To act as a key worker and point of contact

·         To identify and intervene early to manage treatment side effects or signs of disease progression.

·         Coordinate care for the patient as per Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT), simultaneously averting unplanned admissions and enabling patients to receive care at home for longer.

·         Undertake tender conversations about end of life care and lead on the co ordination of care to to enable the patient to die in their chosen place.

·         Provide expert knowledge on tests and  treatment options and side effects in line with patient care needs, safety and experience

·         Have a leading role in identifying obstacles which could cause delays to the NOLCP sensitively discussing these using advanced communication skills  to positively impact on patient outcomes.

·         Recognise the impact of deprivation on patient outcomes and use advanced communication skills  to ensure patients move along the NOLCP in the same way as the more  affluent patients

·         Provide smoking cessation advice and nicotine replacement whilst empowering patients with personalised  knowledge to their treatment pathway re the implications of smoking with and after lung cancer

·         Empower patients through a prescription for  the four pillars of prehab / habilitation (smoking cessation /  increasing activity / nutrition / psychological care interventions) impacting their chances of accessing and staying on treatment which has a direct influence on their outcome

·         Liaising with the many services and HCPs involved in the care of lung cancer and Mesothelioma patients in hospital and in the community. Documenting and keeping all involved up to date through clear communication, simultaneously keeping the patient and loved ones at the heart of that communication. 

·         You will be responsible for managing the existing lung cancer nursing team, alongside the existing lead nurses. This includes attendance management, performing appraisals and 121s, changes to working patterns/rotas/contracts, maintain high standards of patient care, facilitating education and development.

·         To lead on an area of our lung cancer pathway in relation to developing the service from a nursing perspective and ensuring the team, and our colleagues, are kept up to date with the latest evidence and best practice.

The nurse specialist will have protected time to maintain and further develop their professional competence. The nurse specialist will also provide ongoing supervision and support, participating in the induction and training of the multi-disciplinary team. As a senior member of the team, the nurse specialist will also play a pivotal role in the operational development of their specialty. They will initiate, manage and drive change within the department, innovating changes in practice for the benefit of patient care in line with current trust and local programmes. Approximately 20% of the post holder’s time will be used for these purposes.