What to expect from your neuro-oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)

How can the CNS team help?

Clinical nurse specialists within the Brain Tumour Service are qualified nurses with specialist experience and training in treating people with brain tumours. Your CNS will offer support and advice to you and your family throughout your diagnosis, treatment and follow-up.

This means that you can contact them with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your specialist care. They will also be a consistent point of contact for you, your family and any other healthcare professionals involved in your care.  

The CNS team will work closely with the multidisciplinary team (MDT). The MDT is the team of expert healthcare professionals who will be caring for and supporting you, including doctors, nurses and therapists. Your CNS will also ensure that any concerns you may have are communicated to the relevant members of the MDT.

Your CNS can also:

• Go through the written information you receive and answer any questions you may have to help you to understand everything.
• Explain current research relating to your condition.
• Offer you an assessment to identify any financial, practical, and emotional concerns you may have; this is known as a Holistic Needs Assessment (HNA).
• Offer you information, advice, and support to manage your health at home during and after treatment, where possible.
• Offer psychological support and refer you to relevant support services, such as counselling or welfare and benefits advice.
• When appropriate, direct you to your GP or local Emergency Department (A&E) if you feel generally unwell and if your health concern is not obviously linked to your brain tumour or treatment.
• Contact your GP, local hospital or the medical team at UCLH on your behalf if you need continuing care, hospital admission or an appointment to be reviewed.
• Whenever possible, visit you in clinics or when you are undergoing treatment on the ward or in the Day Care Unit to discuss your ongoing care. 
• Review your care and treatment during your clinic appointments in addition to, or instead of, you seeing a doctor.

Contacting your CNS

Your CNS is usually available between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. All CNSs can be contacted via the Brain Tumour Unit’s administration team on 020 3448 8830. A voice message will need to be left with some details from you and the reason for your call.

A member of the Brain Tumour Unit will then email the CNS team who will call you back either on the same day or the next working day. If you leave a voicemail message out of hours, a member of the team will return your call within 24 hours.  

If you are having chemotherapy and have queries relating to your treatment, you can call Chemotherapy Day Care on 020 3447 3893 (24-hour contact).  

Please note that the Brain Tumour Service is not an emergency service. If you need urgent help or advice in evenings, during weekends or bank holidays, please call your GP or go to your nearest Emergency Department (A&E). If necessary, call 999 for an ambulance.

Contact details

For general enquiries, enquiries regarding your appointments or scans, contact your consultant’s secretary.

To make contact with the CNS, call the Brain Tumour Unit. Direct line: 020 3448 8830.

Brain Tumour Unit, Box 78, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3B. 

Email: uclh.braintumourunit@nhs.net (not to be used for clinical queries unless at CNS' request)  

Switchboard: 020 3456 7890

Website: www.uclh.nhs.uk/nhnn

PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service)

PALS is an easy-to-access, confidential service designed to assist patients, relatives, and carers. If you have a problem that you have been unable to resolve, PALS can help you.   The University College Hospital PALS office is located on the ground floor of the main hospital building and is open from 9am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.

Telephone: 020 3447 3042

Email: uclh.PALS@nhs.net

Read more on the PALS page of this website.

Additional cancer support at UCLH

The Macmillan Support and Information Service at the University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre welcome all people with cancer and/or haematological conditions, and their families and friends.

Telephone: 020 3447 8663

Email: uclh.supportandinformation@nhs.net

Website: www.uclh.nhs.uk/msis