A leading hospital trust in Kent, which has the fourth largest cancer service in the county, is recruiting Band 5 oncology nurses, and running a recruitment evening on Wednesday 17th August for registered nurses to learn about the roles available and see the first class facilities at the Trust.
The Kent Oncology Centre is part of Maidstone and Tunbridge NHS Trust (MTW) and provides oncology services to Kent, Medway and East Sussex. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak visited the centre this year which offers some of the fastest access to treatment in England[i].
MTW is one of the few trusts in the country to have delivered on the two-week cancer standards for almost three years. Recent developments include multi-million-pound investments in improving diagnostic equipment and facilities, recruiting more clinical staff and upskilling nurses who can deliver chemotherapy treatment.
Innovative technology is improving cancer care for patients. This includes a new £2 million Halcyon machine that targets larger tumours more effectively. Only a small number of cancer treatment centres in England are using this new radiotherapy technology which halves treatment times and provides a much more comfortable experience for patients[ii].
MTW is also the only organisation across Kent and Medway taking part in a pilot where patients swallow a tiny camera (colon capsule endoscopy), to check for signs of cancer, providing a diagnosis within hours.
The Trust opened the Oncology Outpatients Suite in May too. This new building has nine new clinic rooms, and patients are seen in a ‘super clinic’ where multi-disciplinary teams work together to provide smooth and quick care[iii].
Nurses interested in developing their career in oncology are invited to attend the recruitment evening to find out about vacancies in cancer care, and speak to nurses about becoming a chemotherapy nurse. They will also be able to speak to the professional standards team about the training and support available in the role.
To attend, Band 5 registered nurses must apply here by 16th August. Nurses don’t need to have previous cancer care experience but do need to have a passion for working with cancer patients. There will be an opportunity to be interviewed on the day. The Trust is also recruiting a junior sister/charge nurse in cancer services. To apply for this role, click here.
The recruitment evening takes place in the Oncology Reception at Maidstone Hospital, Hermitage Lane, ME16 9QQ 17th August from 5pm until 8pm. For more information, click here.
MTW is a large acute hospital trust in Kent. It provides a full range of general services and some areas of complex care to around 760,000 people in the south part of West Kent and the north part of East Sussex.
MTW recently launched a major recruitment drive focused on clinical roles. This comes at an exciting time as the trust has invested in new facilities, service developments, training centres and digital transformations. To find out more about career opportunities, go to: Home – Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (mtwcareers.com)
About Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
MTW is one of the best performing hospital trusts for cancer performance[iv], and the Trust’s Emergency Department was named the South East Regional Winner in The Excellence in Urgent and Emergency Care Award category of the NHS Parliamentary Awards 2020[v]. It is a large acute hospital trust that provides a full range of general hospital services and some areas of specialist complex care to around 760,000 people living in the south part of west Kent and the north part of East Sussex. It is also the cancer services provider for Kent and Medway for around 1.9 million people.
The Trust has two main clinical sites: Maidstone Hospital and Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury and employs over 6,700 staff.
MTW is committed to employee wellbeing and offers staff a range of benefits including health and wellbeing checks, a range of counselling services, a cycle work scheme, as well as free food and transport shuttles between sites and from stations. It has a progressive flexible working policy, which enables staff to meet changing priorities throughout their careers. MTW rewards staff with employee and team of the month awards, as well as an annual gala awards ceremony that recognises staff who have gone the extra mile.
