Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist
What is a Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)?
A Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is an experienced nurse who supports you throughout your cancer journey. They are often your main point of contact and can help guide you from diagnosis, through treatment, and beyond.
Your CNS is there to answer questions, explain your options, and make sure you receive the right care at the right time. Many patients tell us that having a CNS makes a huge difference to their confidence and wellbeing.
Listen to the clip below from Caroline Summers CHFT's Lead Cancer Nurse as she talks about our CNSs.
How a CNS Can Support You
CNSs combine expert knowledge with compassionate care. They can help you with:
Understanding your diagnosis and treatment
They explain what your diagnosis means, talk you through your treatment choices and possible side effects, and help you prepare for each step.
Coordinating your care
Your CNS works closely with your wider healthcare team including doctors, surgeons, and GPs to make sure everyone is updated and your care is well organised.
Emotional and practical support
They are there to listen, answer questions, and support both you and your loved ones. They can also refer you to other services such as financial advice, support groups, or psychological help.
Being your advocate
Your CNS makes sure your concerns are heard and that your care plan reflects what matters most to you.
Looking after your overall well-being
They support your physical, emotional, and social needs, helping you manage symptoms like pain, nausea, fatigue, or worry.
Why Having a CNS Matters
Patients often tell us that having a CNS helps them feel:
- More confident about their treatment
- Better supported and reassured
- More involved in decisions about their care
- Less overwhelmed and more in control
Your CNS can also help reduce treatment delays and avoid unnecessary hospital visits by spotting problems early and helping you manage symptoms at home.
A Vital Part of Cancer Care
CNSs are an important part of the cancer care team. Their knowledge, kindness, and ability to coordinate care help improve patients’ experience at every stage.
If you would like to know more about CNS support or want to get in touch with your CNS team, please speak to a member of your clinical team.
What is CNS Day?
National Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist day this year is on 16 March 2026.
The idea for a national Cancer CNS Day came from recognising how important Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialists are and how much we need to support and grow this part of the workforce.
Cancer services are seeing more and more patients each year, and we know the number of CNSs is not increasing at the same pace. Many of our CNSs are also approaching retirement, which means we need to make sure there are enough skilled nurses ready to step into these roles in the future.
National Cancer CNS Day helps raise awareness of the amazing work CNSs do and highlights why it’s so important to keep investing in these roles. By shining a light on the challenges and celebrating the impact of CNSs, the campaign aims to encourage action so that every person with cancer can continue to receive the specialist support they need.