Your clinical nurse specialist (CNS)
While we are caring for you, you will have a main point of contact. This is usually your clinical nurse specialist (CNS). You will normally meet your CNS at the time of your diagnosis or you may be given their contact details. They will take a key role in supporting your care and are an important member of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) caring for you.
The role of the CNS is to:
- ensure you and the people close to you have access to information and advice about your diagnosis and treatment
- help you to make sense of a large amount of unfamiliar information, and support your decision-making about your care, treatment and follow up arrangements
- offer you and those close to you practical and emotional support throughout your illness
- offer you access to clinical advice, and discuss any concerns you may have about treatments, investigations, surgery, recovery and life after treatment
- advocate on your behalf at the MDT meeting, where your investigations are discussed and recommendations on treatments are made
- put you in touch with different services, both within the hospital and the community, to support your care needs
- guide you through complex systems, help you get access to benefits, finances, grants, free prescriptions and support you with family issues
When you first meet with your CNS
You may meet your CNS at your first appointment at King’s or after you have been diagnosed.
They will explain your test and treatment options and support you and your family. We will also give you written information about the type of cancer you have, your treatment options and other sources of information and support, such as King’s Macmillan Information and Support Centre.
Contact details of the clinical nurse specialists at each of our services are in the cancer types section.