Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic individual to join Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust as a Welfare Benefits Advisor.
At the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre we are passionate about developing our services across all our sites, ensuring that we have a sustainable workforce for the future and are proud to have been rated by the CQC as Good overall in 2019, with Outstanding for Caring.
The successful post holder will possess a deep understanding of the benefits system and be able to deliver specialist welfare rights advice and casework to a very high standard.
The post holder will have the confidence and initiative to work independently in a hospital setting. They must be calm and competent under pressure, able to manage a large caseload. The post holder will interact daily with people (and their families) living with cancer, many of whom will only recently been diagnosed.
The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre is keen to welcome applicants from all diverse backgrounds with the skills and motivation to join a busy, developing and energetic team.
This opportunity is a full time post of 37.5 hours per week.
Main duties of the job
The Welfare Benefits Advisor will work as part of a team which provides comprehensive advice and support to people affected by cancer as well health and social care professionals. The post holder will be responsible for providing support, advice and information to help people affected by cancer to maximise income, manage debt and build financial management skills. The post holder will undertake complex case work with clients to assess entitlement to welfare benefits as well as other sources of financial help which may be available to them. The post holder will support clients to challenge benefit decisions and to support clients in preparation for tribunals as appropriate.
The Macmillan Welfare Benefits Advisor will provide information and support within the boundaries defined for the role, managing complex needs and referring and signposting patients to appropriate support, including The Information and Support Services Manager, PALs officer, Head of Patient Experience and Inclusion and other appropriate health and social care professionals.
The post holder will deputise for the Lead Macmillan Welfare Benefits advisor as required, and support the provision of a high quality service and service user experience across all three Clatterbridge Cancer Centre sites.
About us
The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre (CCC) NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK's leading providers of non-surgical cancer treatment, caring for a population of 2.4 million people across Cheshire & Merseyside, North Wales, the Isle of Man and parts of Lancashire.
Based in Liverpool, Merseyside and supported by radiotherapy treatment centres on the Aintree Hospital site in Liverpool and Clatterbridge at Wirral, we also operate specialist chemotherapy clinics in five of Merseyside's district hospitals and deliver a pioneering Treatment at Home and Work service.
In June 2020 we expanded our expert services into central Liverpool and opened a brand new specialist cancer hospital. Based on the same thriving research and healthcare campus as the University of Liverpool and the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, the new hospital will ensure every patient has access to the most advanced treatments and clinical trials.
Together, working across all sites and operating a network of chemotherapy clinics, we deliver a comprehensive range of inpatient care, advanced radiotherapy, chemotherapy and other systemic anti-cancer therapies including gene therapies and immunotherapies. We are also the only facility in the UK providing low-energy proton beam therapy to treat rare eye cancers and host the region's Teenage and Young Adult Unit, (supported by the Teenage Cancer Trust).
Job description
Job responsibilities
The successful post holder will possess a deep understanding of the benefits system and be able to deliver specialist welfare rights advice and casework to a very high standard.
The post holder will have the confidence and initiative to work independently in a hospital setting. They must be calm and competent under pressure, able to manage a large caseload. The post holder will interact daily with people (and their families) living with cancer, many of whom will only recently been diagnosed.
As part of the Cancer Information and Support Team, the post holder will liaise not only with external agencies and but also with Trust colleagues at all levels including oncology colleagues, clinical nurse specialists and allied health professionals. The post holder will also be part of the Benefits Advice network of advisers from across the region which meets quarterly for support and service development. Therefore, the post holder will have excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
The post holder will ensure that that they work in accordance with both the Trust's and Macmillan Cancer Support's aims and values.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The successful post holder will possess a deep understanding of the benefits system and be able to deliver specialist welfare rights advice and casework to a very high standard.
The post holder will have the confidence and initiative to work independently in a hospital setting. They must be calm and competent under pressure, able to manage a large caseload. The post holder will interact daily with people (and their families) living with cancer, many of whom will only recently been diagnosed.
As part of the Cancer Information and Support Team, the post holder will liaise not only with external agencies and but also with Trust colleagues at all levels including oncology colleagues, clinical nurse specialists and allied health professionals. The post holder will also be part of the Benefits Advice network of advisers from across the region which meets quarterly for support and service development. Therefore, the post holder will have excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
The post holder will ensure that that they work in accordance with both the Trust's and Macmillan Cancer Support's aims and values.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Educated to degree level or with equivalent experience
- Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of welfare benefits especially those related to disability and ill health (a minimum of 2 years)
- Excellent keyboard skills, ECDL or equivalent, proficient in MS Office
- Experience of and an ordered approach to managing income maximisation case work and an ability to follow set procedures to ensure that a client's case is followed through from inception to conclusion
- Experience of communicating effectively, both orally and in writing with a range of professional, statutory and voluntary agencies with particular expertise in negotiation and representation
- Ability to prioritise own work and manage a large caseload to ensure that key dates are not missed
- Ability to work effectively both as part of a team and also under own initiative
- An understanding of the issues facing people affected by long term illness and disability including cancer
- Demonstrate understanding of social and political trends and their implications for clients and service provisions
- Understanding of and commitment to the mission, aims and values of Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust
- Knowledge of or willingness to gain an understanding of Macmillan Cancer Support's services, and to other services relevant to people affected by cancer and share this learning with colleagues
Desirable
- Substantial recent experience of advice work with people affected by cancer (a minimum of 12 months)
- Experience of and an ability to effectively prepare and represent clients up to appeal tribunal
- Understanding of the health and social care environment
- Experience of multi-disciplinary team working
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Educated to degree level or with equivalent experience
- Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of welfare benefits especially those related to disability and ill health (a minimum of 2 years)
- Excellent keyboard skills, ECDL or equivalent, proficient in MS Office
- Experience of and an ordered approach to managing income maximisation case work and an ability to follow set procedures to ensure that a client's case is followed through from inception to conclusion
- Experience of communicating effectively, both orally and in writing with a range of professional, statutory and voluntary agencies with particular expertise in negotiation and representation
- Ability to prioritise own work and manage a large caseload to ensure that key dates are not missed
- Ability to work effectively both as part of a team and also under own initiative
- An understanding of the issues facing people affected by long term illness and disability including cancer
- Demonstrate understanding of social and political trends and their implications for clients and service provisions
- Understanding of and commitment to the mission, aims and values of Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust
- Knowledge of or willingness to gain an understanding of Macmillan Cancer Support's services, and to other services relevant to people affected by cancer and share this learning with colleagues
Desirable
- Substantial recent experience of advice work with people affected by cancer (a minimum of 12 months)
- Experience of and an ability to effectively prepare and represent clients up to appeal tribunal
- Understanding of the health and social care environment
- Experience of multi-disciplinary team working
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
