About this role
Job summary
The Pre-Assessment Team at Cambridge University NHS Foundation Trust is expanding, and we are looking for an enthusiastic pre-assessment nurse to join our team.
We have the following vacancies
Full time 12 month secondment
Part time (22.5 hours) perm post to be worked 3 x 7.5 hours shifts
You will be based within our centralised pre-operative assessment clinic, and will review patients from multiple surgical specialities including colorectal, orthopaedic, gynae, ENT, urology, breast, HPB, vascular and upper GI. The purpose of pre-assessment is to prepare patients for surgery, optimise their health and help to reduce cancellations. It requires an accurate assessment of a patient's general health and fitness before surgery which is underpinned with pre-operative testing and investigations. All patients undergoing a general anaesthetic will require a nurse led pre-assessment, and we are looking for an experienced and dynamic nurse to complement our clinical team.
As a nurse led clinic, pre-assessment delivers a unique opportunity for those looking to expand their skills in assessment, decision making and autonomous working. We offer a structured induction, with further access to departmental teaching and specialised pre-assessment modules. It offers an opportunity for a new challenge, while working in a supportive environment.
Main duties of the job
We are looking for nurses with effective communication skills, who are confident to interpret blood results, ECG's and make decisions based on their clinical findings. We require candidates to have excellent verbal, written and IT skills in order to document an accurate medical history, and identify high risk patients requiring further review. A knowledge of surgical specialties/procedures is useful, but not essential. As a pre-assessment nurse you must be able to cope with a caseload independently. This will require the ability to prioritise, multitask and manage your time effectively. As a band 5 you will be supported by a team of band 6 specialist nurses to support, and improve your decision making.
At present our core opening hours are Mon-Fri 08:00-18:00. To improve accessibility we have also introduced late appointments at 17:30 and 18:30, so do have some flexibility to offer long days (07:30-20:00) if suited. We are also open every Saturday. The pre assessment clinic is based at Addenbrookes and run clinics at the Ely Community Diagnostic Centre.
Early Shift 08:00 -18:00
Long day 07:30-20:00
Saturday 08:00 -16:00
If you're looking for a new challenge, and think your skill set meets the criteria for our service, then please get in touch. You can contact us for an informal visit or phone call. We look forward to hearing from you. Contact Sarah Woods/Claire Luck 01223/250888
About us
Come Nurse with us...
Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest teaching Trusts in the country. It comprises Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Rosie Hospital. We provide accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge and regional and national specialist services. It's a great place to nurse, work and live.
You will work on a vibrant hospital campus with a friendly community feel; we have excellent facilities to practise your skills and abilities to support your career pathway and development. Our values of Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent support the delivery of outstanding care. We have a fully electronic patient record system that is improving health-care quality; this is transforming services, improving patient safety and clinical outcomes.
Why choose CUH?
o Our values and reputation for outstanding care
o Opportunities to experience a range of specialities
o Career and development opportunities
o Preceptorship and mentoring programmes delivered by a dedicated clinical education support team
o Research experience and opportunities
o Lovely location and quality of life
o Excellent schools/colleges and transport links
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.
This vacancy is for Registered Nurses with full NMC registration. If you are an internationally trained nurse that has not passed their OSCE (objective structured clinical examination), you will not be considered for this role and will be automatically rejected, so please do not apply.
All appointments with a start date on or after 1 October 2026 will be subject to a 12-week probationary period. This provides a structured and supportive period to help you settle into your role, with regular reviews and feedback.
As there is a 12-week probationary period, successful candidates are expected to have the Right to Work for a period of at least 6 months from the proposed start date. Immigration and Right to Work status will be discussed with successful candidates at conditional offer. CUH will not offer sponsorship to candidates that have applied for a fee waiver.
Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full-time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full-time permanent contract unless you have:
- applied for a Graduate visa- or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment.
This vacancy will close once 19 Nov 26
Interviews will be held on the 30 Nov 2026
Benefits to you
At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.
On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only caf, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.
CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Current and active NMC registration
Desirable
- Pre-assesment Course
- Mentorship
Experience
Essential
- Experience of surgical nursing
- Experience of various surgical specialities
- Experience of interpreting results - Bloods, Observations, ECG's
- Ability to recognise when to escalate
Desirable
- Evidence of supervision/mentoring of learners and junior staff
- Previous Pre-assessment experience
- Automomous working
- Previous experience managing a caseload
- NHS Experience
Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding of why pre-assessment is important
- Understand the importance of health promotion
- Knowledge of long term health conditions and consequences of poor management
- Understanding of multiple medications
- Identify normal from abnormal observations and pathology results - escalate when appropriate
Desirable
- Knowledge of surgical specialities pre-op and post op care
- Management of pre-op medication
Skills
Essential
- Flexible and adaptable to changing situations due to both workload and colleague needs
- Good communication skills both written and verbal
- Teamwork
- Accurate observations - Undertaking ECG's, urinalysis, MRSA, peak flow, blood sugars etc
Desirable
- Willingness to undertake additional roles
- Committed to the development of junior staff
- Willingness to accept alternative shift times
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details
Employer name
Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Addenbrookes Hospital - Division A
Hills Road
Cambridge
CB22QQ
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.cuh.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)