What band are NHS clinical nurse specialist jobs?

Clinical nurse specialist roles commonly appear at Band 6 or Band 7, with advanced, lead, consultant, or service-management posts at Band 8 depending on responsibility, autonomy, and local job evaluation.

Do clinical nurse specialist roles require prescribing?

Some CNS adverts require or prefer independent prescribing, especially where the role manages symptoms, medicines, follow-up clinics, or advanced practice responsibilities. Others list prescribing as desirable or offer development support.

Which specialties hire clinical nurse specialists?

Common CNS specialties include oncology, palliative care, respiratory, cardiac, diabetes, neurology, gastroenterology, infection prevention, safeguarding, pain, tissue viability, and long-term condition pathways.

What should I prepare before applying for a CNS role?

Prepare examples of specialist clinical judgement, pathway coordination, patient education, MDT working, audit or QI, governance awareness, and how your experience matches the advertised specialty.

Clinical Nurse Specialist Jobs in the NHS

Clinical nurse specialist jobs in the NHS combine expert clinical practice, patient education, pathway coordination, service improvement, and multidisciplinary advice within a defined specialty. CNS posts commonly appear in cancer, palliative care, diabetes, respiratory, cardiac, neurology, safeguarding, and long-term condition services.

272 live vacancies across 146 NHS employers · updated hourly

272

Open Positions

£24k - £77k

Salary Range

146

NHS Trusts

120

New This Week

Latest live Clinical Nurse Specialist jobs

Recent clinical nurse specialist vacancies from this role hub, with employer, location, and closing-date context.

Planning a Clinical Nurse Specialist job search in the NHS

Job Clerk tracks live clinical nurse specialist vacancies across NHS employers so you can compare role level, employer mix, location, salary, contract type, and closing date before deciding where to spend time on an application.

There are currently 272 live clinical nurse specialist roles across 146 NHS employers in this index. Use the band and city links below to move from the broad profession market into pages with tighter salary, seniority, and local employer context.

Recent salary data for clinical nurse specialist roles ranges from about £23,975 to £77,368 per year, depending on band, employer, rota pattern, and high-cost area supplements.

Evidence to prepare

Providing specialist assessment, advice, and follow-up for a defined patient group
Coordinating pathways across clinics, wards, community teams, and MDT meetings
Educating patients, families, junior staff, and wider clinical teams
Supporting medicines, symptom control, escalation, and safety planning within scope

Common requirements

NMC registration as a nurse with relevant specialty experience
Evidence of post-registration study or specialist training in the clinical area
Advanced communication, assessment, and care coordination skills
Independent prescribing or advanced assessment qualifications where required

Employer mix

Recent listings include employers such as Spire Healthcare Ltd, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. Check each source advert for person-spec wording and early-close warnings.

Where Clinical Nurse Specialist Jobs Are Hiring Right Now

London22 jobs

Liverpool7 jobs

Leeds6 jobs

Derby5 jobs

Edinburgh5 jobs

Bristol5 jobs

Glasgow4 jobs

Leicester4 jobs

Norwich4 jobs

Southampton4 jobs

Cardiff4 jobs

Dorchester3 jobs

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