West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
Breast Care Clinical Nurse Specialist
Closing date: 16 July 2026

Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity to join the Breast Care Nursing Team at West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

As part of the Breast Care nursing team the Breast CNS will develop, implement and evaluate a seamless specialist service ensuring that patients receive the highest standard of clinical care. Contact and care will cover the period from pre-diagnosis, through diagnosis, treatment, follow up and survivorship.

The CNS will also provide care to patients in the NHS breast screening programme. Our service aims to improve patient outcomes by providing specialist information and support for patients and their significant others, ensuring patients have adequate and timely psychosocial and physical assessment and intervention and providing expert clinical care. The CNS will ensure the safety and well-being of patients always promoting dignity through the adoption of patient first principles.

Main duties of the job
The post holder will provide specialist, high quality, expert nursing care and support for patients and their carers throughout their journey within the Breast Care Unit.

You will deliver evidence based individualised patient care according to patient's changing health care needs, including using holistic needs assessment and responsive care planning (HNA).

You will be required to work autonomously and developing collaborative relationships with others across and within professional boundaries. You will work collaboratively to develop patient pathways and be responsible for the continuous review and development of the nursing service.

The post holder will provide expert knowledge and advice in own specialist area, ensuring maintenance of clinical excellence underpinned by evidence-based practice. Working with the Multidisciplinary Team and Cancer Management Team you will ensure that your cancer service complies with the national standards for safety and quality.

About us
#BeKnown at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. By us. By our patients. By our community

We are a busy, friendly, rural NHS Trust providing high-quality care and compassion to more than a quarter of a million people across west Suffolk. We care for, treat and support people in hospital, at home and in various community settings.

The West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds provides acute and secondary care services (emergency department, maternity and neonatal services, day surgery unit, eye treatment centre, Macmillan unit and children's ward). It has 500+ beds and is a partner teaching hospital of the University of Cambridge.

Adult and paediatric community services, provided in collaboration with West Suffolk Alliance partners, include a range of nursing, therapy, specialist, and ongoing temporary care and rehabilitation, some at our Newmarket Community Hospital.

We do our utmost to achieve outstanding clinical outcomes for patients and our values of fairness, inclusivity, respect, safety and team work guide how we work and behave as a team.

With nearly 5,000 staff, from all over the world, we strive to make our organisation a great place to work. Whatever your role or ambition, we want to help you be the best you can be.

We promote a diverse and inclusive community where everyones voice counts and you can #BeKnown for whoever you are.

Join us. What will you #BeKnown for?

Details
Date posted: 02 July 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 a year, Per annum, pro rata
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working
Reference number: 179-8084724-S
Job locations: West Suffolk Hospital, Hardwick Lane, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 2QZ, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
The post holder is responsible for providing and co-ordinating a supportive service for patients, carers and their families within the primary, secondary and tertiary settings. This will be achieved through contact and care from pre-diagnosis, through diagnosis, treatment, follow up and survivorship. The role will also include caring for patients within the NHS Breast Screening Programme. The role includes the working with and supporting the other CNSs and junior staff within the department to deliver expert holistic evidence based clinical care to patients with complex care needs and the provision of education for patients carers and staff.

To be a fully integrated member of the multi-disciplinary team, participating in the weekly Breast MDT and providing information as part of that process.

Person Specification
Education and qualifications
Essential

• NMC Level 1
• Educated to BSc (Hons) Nursing or equivalent or working towards
• Breast Examination course, or willing to complete
• Educated to Masters Level, or equivalent experience

Desirable

• Advanced communication skills qualification/course
• Principles of Breast Cancer Care ENB 998/Teaching qualification

Experience and knowledge
Essential

• Post registration experience at a Band 5 level within either surgical/oncology setting
• Ability to develop nursing excellence and clinical practice through further training
• Evaluation of research -based practice

Desirable

• Awareness of breast care policies and politics
• Awareness of cancer policy and application to Breast Care

Skills and abilities
Essential

• Excellent organisational skills
• Ability to record & deal with accurate facts, figures and information.
• Evidence of professional development & its relevant application
• Excellent written & verbal communication & presentation skills
• Ability to problem solve
• Ability to plan, organise, prioritise & coordinate work under pressure & using own initiative.
• Leadership skills
• Experience of developing, training & education in clinical practice
• Ability to establish effective working partnerships with members of the multi-professional team within and outside of the Trust
• Computer literate

Desirable

• Venepuncture & cannulation skills
• Knowledge of complex wound & seroma management
• Ability to use complex medical/clinical equipment

Personal qualities
Essential

• Ability to work effectively in stressful situations
• Ability to act independently and delegate appropriately
• Adaptable to change in demands or service
• Friendly, approachable and supportive
• Willingness to learn new skills
• Good time management
• Demonstrate commitment to quality service provision
• Professional attitude to work
• Expert role model

Desirable

• Ability to travel within the Anglia Cancer Network

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: West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
Address: West Suffolk Hospital, Hardwick Lane, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 2QZ, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.wsh.nhs.uk

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Breast Care Clinical Service Manager
Debra Baker
debra.baker@wsh.nhs.uk
01284712581