Head and Neck Specialist Nurses are Registered Nurses, with specialist training in care for cancers affecting the mouth, larynx (voicebox), pharynx (throat), nose, sinuses, salivary glands and thyroid. They can offer:

  • Information, emotional support and advice to patients/carers living with cancer, from diagnosis and throughout the course of the illness
  • Advice on treatment options
  • Guidance on management of pain and other symptoms
  • Advice on sources of practical and financial help
  • Provide a link between the hospital and community care teams
  • Liaise with consultants, GPs, District Nurses, Hospital Nurses, Hospice Colleagues, Social Services and other agencies involved in patient care.

Your Head and Neck Specialist Nurse works as part of the team responsible for your care and treatment (called a multi-disciplinary team or MDT for short). The team works closely with James Cook University Hospital in Middleborough which is a specialist centre providing treatment for patients with a cancer diagnosis. It offers some of the most advanced and cutting-edge methods of radiotherapy and chemotherapy and provides specialised cancer surgery.

Your Head and Neck Clinical Nurse Specialists at Darlington Memorial Hospital (sometimes referred to as a 'CNS') are Julie Newman and Heather Morrison.  Julie and Heather can be contacted on: 01325 743592.

Lead Clinician - Mr Rajeev Srinivasan

Hours of work - Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm.