A day in the life of the Gynae-Oncology CNS Team

Find out what a typical day in the life of the Gynae-Oncology CNS Team at Doncaster & Basetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust looks like.

What does a typical day look like to you?

Every day is different, but a typical week would include tasks like:

answering phone calls and messages; clinic prep; working in pre and post diagnostic, oncology and nurse led clinics; ward support visits; triaging new referrals;

holistic needs assessments/referrals to support services; MDT prep and attendance and auctioning outcomes; PTL meeting and prep; CHR meeting and prep; meetings such as gynae huddle; FDF; CDC; Governance; liaising with other hospital services such as palliative care, radiology; facilitating biopsies/ascetic drainage, and requesting USS. So, we are very busy!

What led you to work in this role? 

We have always had an interest in oncology patients and wanted to help improve patient experience, as well as statistics and targets. We really like the holistic approach we offer to patients with cancer to ensure we provide patient-centred care. 

In what way do you work alongside other staff or teams within SYB?

We have a multidisciplinary team (MDT) to make sure patient have all aspect of their covered by the right people. We liaise with Sheffield oncologists and surgeons, as well as other CNS teams within the county, The Christie and palliative care teams across the borough, to communicate and plan patient treatment and holistic care needs. 

How has your role changed in the last couple of years?

There are a few ways the role has changed in that time! The Introduction of nurse-led triage for two week wait (2ww) patients is one, alongside the Introduction of nurse-led clinics. There has also been the introduction and implementation of patient-initiated follow-up (PIFU) for patients with low grade cancer, which allows patients to initiate an appointment when they need one, based on their symptoms and individual circumstances.

What excites you most about your role? 

The dynamic team approach to improving services and offering patients a higher standard of care. 

Are there any personal or team achievements or highlights you’re most proud of? 

Introducing and implementing PIFU, nurse-led triage and nurse-led clinics are some of the highlights!

In what way do patients or the public influence the work you do?

We take all feedback, whether it’s written or verbal, positive or negative, into consideration, and we use it to make adjustments to practice in order to deliver the highest standard of care to our patients. 

Looking ahead, what do you hope to achieve in the future within your role?

We want to help achieve national targets and continue to enhance the patient experience we offer. We also think it’s important to continue accessing information to further our knowledge and skills to deliver an expert service.