Band 6 Head & Neck FDS (Faster Diagnostic Standard) Nurse

Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Head and Neck Cancer Team as a Band 6 Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS) Nurse on a fixed-term maternity cover basis.

This specialist role is central to supporting patients referred with suspected Head and Neck cancer, ensuring timely assessment, investigation and progression through their diagnostic pathway. Working closely with Consultants, Clinical Nurse Specialists and the wider multidisciplinary team, you will provide clinical triage of urgent suspected cancer referrals, coordinate diagnostic pathways and support delivery of national cancer waiting time standards.

You will play a key role in improving patient experience by acting as a clinical point of contact, undertaking telephone assessments, identifying patients suitable for direct-to-test investigations and helping to ensure patients receive a diagnosis, or cancer is excluded, as quickly as possible.

We are looking for an experienced and motivated registered nurse with excellent assessment, communication and organisational skills. You should be confident working autonomously, prioritising workload and making clinical decisions within a fast-paced environment. Experience within cancer services, surgery, diagnostics or pathway management would be advantageous.

If you are passionate about improving cancer pathways and making a real difference to patients at an important stage of their journey, we would love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job
The Head and Neck Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS) Clinical Nurse Specialist is a specialist cancer nursing role that forms a critical component of the Head and Neck Cancer Service diagnostic pathway.

The post holder will be responsible for the autonomous clinical triage and assessment of patients referred via the Urgent Suspected Cancer (USC) Head and Neck pathway, ensuring patients are progressed promptly through diagnostic investigations in accordance with national cancer standards.

The service manages approximately 350-400 urgent suspected cancer referrals each month. The post holder will undertake specialist review of referrals, conduct clinical telephone assessments, identify patients suitable for direct-to-test investigations, coordinate diagnostic pathways and escalate clinical concerns appropriately to consultants and members of the multidisciplinary team.

The role is a key component of the transformed Head and Neck diagnostic model and directly supports delivery of the national 28-day Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS) and wider Cancer Waiting Time standards. Through proactive clinical triage, pathway management and utilisation of direct-to-test pathways, the post holder will contribute to earlier diagnosis, improved patient experience and reduced delays across the cancer pathway.

About us
We are an organisation that is getting better and better and our improvements are driven by a determination to deliver care we are proud of and our patients are happy with.

We operate from two main sites - KGH in Goodmayes and Queen's Hospital in Romford. We have two busy emergency departments and are proud of our regional Neurosciences Centre, Radiotherapy Centre and Hyper Acute Stroke Unit. We are also part of the North East London Cancer Alliance.

The majority of our 8,400 staff live in the three diverse London boroughs we serve. Many can work flexibly and more than 400 of them are on our Ofsted accredited apprenticeship programmes. We are proud to be a London Living Wage employer.

Details
Date posted: 21 October 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £45,953 to £54,254 a year per annum inclusive
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 12 months
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 162-8038-SURG
Closing date: 01 November 2026

Person Specification
Education/Qualifications

• Essential: Registered Adult Nurse with current NMC registration

Experience/Knowledge

• Essential: Experience caring for patients undergoing cancer investigations or cancer pathways.
• Essential: Experience of multidisciplinary team working.
• Essential: Experience coordinating complex patient pathways.
• Desirable: Head and Neck Cancer experience.
• Desirable: ENT or Surgical Oncology experience.
• Desirable: Experience of direct-to-test pathways.
• Desirable: Experience of Somerset Cancer Registry or equivalent cancer tracking systems.

Employer contact details
Matron: Nordeya Gilbert, nordeya.gilbert1@nhs.net, 01708435000

Application
Apply through our website.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.