Interview with Linda Gomm, Advanced Nurse Practitioner at KHP ECMC

15 May 2025

We sat down with Linda Gomm, Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) at KHP ECMC to answer a few questions about her experiences in the role and how she is involved in clinical research delivery.

Q: Please can you provide an overview of your career path to your current ANP role?

I have worked as an Oncology Nurse for 22 years, with 12 of those years dedicated to Research Nursing in Cancer Early Phase Trials. I began my research career in 2008 as a Band 6 Research Nurse in a small early-phase trials unit. After seven years in this role, I decided to transition to a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) position. While I greatly enjoyed this role, I eventually missed the fast-paced environment of Research Nursing.

In 2020, I returned to the Early Phase Trials team but soon felt frustrated that my knowledge and experience were not being fully utilised. Although I had completed my MSc in Advanced Practice in 2014, I had not yet completed the non-medical prescribing module. Determined to advance my career, I undertook this module and began considering the Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) role.

In 2023, I successfully became an ANP in the Early Phase Trials team, leading on cell therapy trials—my dream job. Every day, we continue to develop and refine this role. One of the key highlights is the ability to assess patients independently, ensuring continuity of care. I also enjoy working alongside the medical team and learning new things daily.

Some challenges I have encountered include ensuring the wider team understands my role transition from Research Nurse to ANP, as well as engaging with sponsors and addressing inconsistencies in the role across the UK.

Q: What does a typical day look like in your role at KHP ECMC? What are the biggest challenges, what are the highlights?

As an ANP, I work across all four pillars of advanced practice: clinical, leadership and management, education, and research.

My week is varied, and I strive to incorporate all four pillars of advanced practice into my role. Clinically, I assess patients on trials, evaluate their fitness for treatment, and manage adverse events both in clinic and via telephone consultations. Once a week, I lead a new patient clinic, where my team and I review new referrals to assess their suitability for trials.

Beyond clinical work, a significant part of my role involves education, leadership, and management. I am also in the process of writing a research proposal to lead my own nurse-led study. The diversity of my role is what I love most, it challenges me every day and allows me to make a meaningful impact.

Q: What would you say to Centres considering incorporating ANP roles into their research team?

Despite its potential, the ANP role remains widely underutilised in clinical trials. Within clinical research, ANPs have a unique opportunity to expand the portfolio of investigator-led trials, support the development of nurse-initiated research, and enhance patient recruitment—all while ensuring continuity of care.

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received in your career so far?

Everything is possible! From the moment I started as a research nurse, I wanted to see the role evolve—but at one point, that just didn’t seem possible. When I first began working in clinical trials, nearly everything clinically was done by doctors. Now, there is an incredible opportunity to expand the role of research nurses, making it more dynamic and, hopefully, more appealing to junior nurses.

I absolutely love being an ANP in clinical trials. It’s a privilege to be part of a team delivering novel treatments to cancer patients—an exciting and deeply rewarding role. The work is complex and challenging, requiring collaboration across multiple teams and specialties. But that’s what makes it so fulfilling. As an ANP in clinical research, no two days are the same, and the learning never stops.

Q: What do you think the impact is of having ANP roles as part of the early phase oncology trials team within your Centre?

This role has a significant impact on both patients and staff. It has allowed us to establish a new clinic, easing the pressure on existing services while providing patients with greater continuity of care. The team now has a dedicated member of the team readily available to answer queries, assess blood results, and triage patients, ensuring smoother and more efficient care.

I am passionate about advancing the role of the Research ANP and actively contribute as a member of the national Research ANP steering group. Promoting the research nurse role is something I’m extremely enthusiastic about, and I believe that showcasing this career progression and the expansion of the Research Nurse role will help make it a more attractive and rewarding path for junior nurses nationally.