Working for us

The Northern Centre for Cancer Care is one of the Newcastle Hospitals’ flagship centres of excellence and home to our pioneering cancer and clinical haematology services.

Our staff take great pride in contributing to its reputation for providing exceptional standards of care and treatment for all forms of oncological and haematological cancers.

As we strive to find new, more effective therapies, and improve the experience for our patients, our cancer services are constantly evolving. Most recently we were delighted to open the Northern Centre for Cancer in Care, North Cumbria in Carlisle, offering patients an alternative to travelling great distances for their regular treatment.

Newcastle’s Cancer Centre has three inpatient wards, a day unit (Ward 36), an ambulatory care unit and an outpatients department which also houses our leading edge radiotherapy suites.

A centre of such calibre wouldn’t be possible without the extraordinary multi-disciplinary teams of people who provide compassionate and holistic care on our wards, clinics, radiotherapy treatment suites and in the community every single day. Our teams are currently looking for a number of Band 5 nurses who wish to pursue a career in the progressive field of cancer nursing, and we currently have vacancies on all of our wards and day units.

Staff Training

We provide a comprehensive induction package that offers staff 4 weeks of supernumerary practice. A comprehensive 6 month preceptorship pack which will focus on the theory, practice and competency assessment of:

Venepuncture
Cannulation
CVC/PICC
IV drugs
2-day Trust chemotherapy course

Following the first six months and dependent on experience and development needs:

Chemotherapy training/supervised practice
Training pack for nurses administering chemotherapy
Obtain academically accredited qualification
Competency assessment
Entry onto chemotherapy register

Our vision and values

Our ethos revolves around our patients who remain at the heart of everything we do, in line with the trust’s Vision and Values. As such we seek self-motivated, confident nurses with a natural aptitude for empathy and attentiveness, who can demonstrate a sensitive yet self-assured approach with patients who are often very scared and uncertain for their future.

Acting as an advocate for your patients, you will need authentic communication and listening skills, and the ability to build trust, considering all factors in their response to prognosis and treatment plans. This can require considerable resilience and insight and you will liaise with colleagues from many external partnership services such as Macmillan and the Maggie’s Centre, also based on the Freeman Hospital site, requiring strong coordination and organisation skills.

For a centre to provide outstanding standards of care, takes a successful multi-disciplinary approach and you will work alongside a large team of talented individuals including medical teams, complimentary therapy staff, allied health professionals and pharmacists.

Our nursing teams also include many specialists for sub-specialties such as the different tumour groups, bone marrow transplants, haemophilia and thrombosis, and there is unparalleled scope for progression to more specialist and other senior nursing roles.

Helping you be the best you can be

There is a multitude of other opportunities for career development within out trust – Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is also extremely important to ensure our staff can liberate their potential. You will be supported to develop your skills and competencies and become a Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy (SACT) practitioner delivering cytotoxic chemotherapies, immunotherapies and targeted therapies.

Other clinical skills that you will develop include:

Cannulation
Venepuncture
CVC management
UKONS triage skills
Tracheostomy and laryngectomy care
Administration of blood products
Palliative care skills

If this sounds like a role you would relish and would like more information or arrange an informal visit then please contact Senior Sister Claire Wilson:

Telephone: 0191 2139334

Email: [email protected]

The closing date for applications is 20 November 2022 – you can apply here:

NHS Jobs – Nursing Vacancies at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care

Freeman Hospital

Ward 34

This inpatient ward has 26 beds and is home to the Teenage and Young Adult (TYA) service for patients aged between 18 and 24 with a cancer diagnosis.

TYA patients attend the ward for review appointments, elective SACT and emergency assessment. There is a dedicated TYA team who work closely with the ward.

The ward also cares for patients above this age with a range of conditions, from curative treatment to end of live care.

Ward 35

This inpatient ward has 26 beds caring for patients receiving specialist brachytherapy treatment and radioiodine treatment. Our teams liaise closely with departments such as Theatres and the Nuclear Medicine department.

Ward 36

A fast paced day unit for patients receiving chemotherapy, immunotherapy and supportive therapy treatments such as blood and platelet transfusions.

In addition to the elective day unit it also manages an acute emergency admissions area for patients on cancer treatment who are unwell and need reviewed and potentially admitted.

Ward 36’s operational hours are 08:00-19:00 7 days a week inclusive of Bank Holidays (excluding Christmas Day).

We also have a satellite unit at Cramlington Manor Walks Shopping Centre running clinics every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

Staff rotate between Ward 36 and Ward 36 emergencies at NCCC and the Cramlington Centre.

Full time staff will work x2 08:00-19:00 and x2 08:00-17:00 shifts.