# Band 6 Head & Neck FDS (Faster Diagnostic Standard) Nurse > NHS job listing from Job Clerk for Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust. ## Canonical URLs - **HTML:** https://www.jobclerk.com/job/band-6-head-and-neck-fds-faster-diagnostic-standard-nurse/31717d93-8e13-41bc-a904-c408ed9edc51 - **Markdown:** https://www.jobclerk.com/job/band-6-head-and-neck-fds-faster-diagnostic-standard-nurse/31717d93-8e13-41bc-a904-c408ed9edc51.md ## Summary - **Status:** Live - **Employer:** Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust - **Location:** Queen's Hospital - **Workplace type:** onsite - **Profession:** Nurse (adult and children) - **Grade:** Band 6 - **Salary:** £45,953 - £54,254 per annum inclusive - **Contract type:** 12 months (Fixed term/Secondment) - **Employment type:** Full time - 37.5 hours per week - **Closing date:** 2026-11-01T23:59:00.000Z - **Posted:** 2026-10-20T14:30:41.907Z - **Source information URL:** https://www.healthjobsuk.com/job/-v8381650 - **Application URL:** https://apps.trac.jobs/job-advert/8381650?ShowJobAdvert=&feedid=9002 - **Employer website:** https://www.bhrhospitals.nhs.uk ## Job Content ### Job overview An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Head & 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 & 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 & Neck Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS) Clinical Nurse Specialist is a specialist cancer nursing role that forms a critical component of the Head & 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 & 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 & 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. ### Detailed job description and main responsibilities For further information on this role, please see the attached detailed Job Description and Person Specification. The person specification listed below is not the full specification requirements for the role. Please ensure you review the full specification on the job description prior to submitting your application. Applicants are advised to read all the information on the advert and the supporting information before completing and submitting an application. As you complete your application please ensure you clearly demonstrate how you meet the criteria in the person specification for this post by adequately completing the supporting information section of the application form. All new staff appointed at the Trust are subject to a probationary period. Applications should be made online, however, queries regarding the application process, assistance with completion of the application form or if you require any adjustments (for applicants with a disability) please contact Louise Lucy Glavin, Recruitment Advisor, on 01708 435000 Ext. 5936. Further details regarding the post may be obtained by contacting the manager as per the contact details above. ### Applicant requirements You must have appropriate UK professional registration. This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service. ## Person Specification ### Experience/ Knowledge **Essential** - Experience caring for patients undergoing cancer investigations or cancer pathways. - Experience of multidisciplinary team working. - Experience coordinating complex patient pathways. **Desirable** - Head & Neck Cancer experience. - ENT or Surgical Oncology experience. - Experience of direct-to-test pathways. - Experience of Somerset Cancer Registry or equivalent cancer tracking systems. ### Education/ Qualifications **Essential** - Registered Adult Nurse with current NMC registration ## Documents - [jd (pdf, 670.3kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?vdoc=10710526) - [candidate journey (pdf, 186.7kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?ddoc=1960) - [organisational goals (pdf, 2.1mb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?edoc=2610) - [policy statement - ex offenders (pdf, 104.6kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?edoc=431) ## Agent Notes - This Markdown page is generated from the same Job Clerk job record as the HTML job detail page. - Use the canonical HTML URL for user-facing references. - Use the application URL when the user wants to apply on the source NHS site.