Episode 12: Explaining the role of a Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist
In this special episode to mark National CNS Day 2025, Steve Bland is joined by five guests to explore the role of a Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS).
In part one, Steve is joined by Kate Williams, the Macmillan Cancer CNS Development Lead, and Yvonne Beadle, from the North East London Cancer Alliance, and in part two, it's the turn of Kim Grove and Chelo Bou, Clinical Nurse Specialists from Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, and patient Peter Adams.
The CNS is a vital part of a cancer patient’s treatment, yet it's a role that is not so commonly understood. It is important to recognise the work that Clinical Nurse Specialists undertake and to raise the profile of the role to help encourage more people to work in this specialist field.
A Cancer CNS is a senior nursing role which focuses on the needs of cancer patients and their families. They tend to work in a specific cancer site and build extensive knowledge of the clinical and broader needs of patients with that cancer. They typically first meet patients at the point they are diagnosed with cancer and become an essential contact and support as they progress through treatment and beyond.
As well as exploring the day-to-day activities in more detail, this episode also compares the modern-day role to the past and how things have changed over the years. This includes the role of the cancer alliance in supporting the CNS workforce and the current challenges with recruiting nurses for the role.
It is a unique peak through the eyes of very experienced Clinical Nurse Specialists in north east London!
