Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced senior nurse with a background in Haematology to join the Haematology Team at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The Lead Haematology Nurse will provide expert clinical and professional leadership, promoting high standards of care and ensuring patients receive safe, effective and person-centred support throughout their cancer journey.

Working closely with the Haematology consultant team and multidisciplinary colleagues, the post holder will support the delivery of care across inpatient and outpatient settings, ensuring patients receive seamless care and support throughout their treatment pathway. Applicants should have substantial Haematology experience, ideally as a Clinical Nurse Specialist or Advanced Nurse Practitioner, with evidence of advanced clinical expertise and leadership.

The successful candidate will play a key role in service development, driving improvements in clinical practice, patient experience and outcomes. They will lead innovation across the service, support the delivery of national cancer priorities, and ensure patients receive holistic, high-quality care throughout treatment, recovery and follow-up.

Main duties of the job
Please also read the full Job Description attached.

• Provide clinical and professional leadership for the Haematology service.
• Deliver expert, evidence-based care for patients with haematological conditions.
• Manage a specialist caseload, working autonomously to assess, diagnose and treat patients.
• Support patients and carers to make informed decisions throughout their care journey.
• Prescribe and manage treatments in line with Trust policies and best practice.
• Lead service improvement, innovation and the development of clinical standards.
• Work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team to ensure seamless patient care.
• Contribute to education, governance and quality improvement activities across the service.

About us
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job

Details
Date posted: 19 October 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £57,528 to £64,750 a year per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 418-NU46438-JB
Job locations: Cross-site - Luton and Dunstable Hospital and Bedford Hospital, Lewsey Road, Luton, LU4 0DZ, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
The Lead Haematology Nurse will provide clinical and professional leadership to the Haematology Clinical Nurse Specialist team, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, patient-centred care across the Haematology service. Working closely with consultants and the multidisciplinary team, the post holder will provide expert clinical advice and support the management of patients with complex haematological conditions throughout their treatment pathway.

The role will lead service development, promote best practice, support workforce development, and drive quality improvement initiatives. As a senior clinical leader, the post holder will act as a key resource for the CNS team and wider healthcare professionals, using their specialist expertise to improve patient outcomes, experience and the overall quality of care.

Person Specification
Education/ Qualifications
Essential

• NMC registration and a degree in related subject
• Post registration qualification(s) in speciality or relevant subject at level 7 (Cancer and/or Haematology)
• Recognised teaching qualification and Advanced Communication Skills

Desirable

• Leadership and Management course(s)
• MSc in related speciality
• Advanced physical assessment and clinical reasoning qualification
• Quality improvement training

Experience
Essential

• Substantial post registration experience at band 7 or above, including relevant CNS experience.
• Experience of teaching and assessing others
• Experience of audit and service development
• Experience of leadership

Desirable

• Research experience and publication

Skills/Knowledge/Abilities
Essential

• Excellent communication skills
• Proven ability to recognise and analyse complex situations
• Independent and autonomous practitioner
• Proactive, self-motivated with an ability to motivate others

Desirable

• Ability to plan strategically and clinically influence and advise clinicians and senior manager within the Trust and external bodies/organisations
• Demonstrates previous experience with performance, capability and absence management in line with Trust policies

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details
Employer name: Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Cross-site - Luton and Dunstable Hospital and Bedford Hospital, Lewsey Road, Luton, LU4 0DZ, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.bedfordshirehospitals.nhs.uk/working-here/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Head of Nursing, Joao Barros, joao.de-barros@bedsft.nhs.uk

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