Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a confident, enthusiastic and motivated individual to work within the Urology Cancer Services Team at Somerset Foundation Trust working across both hospital sites Musgrove Park Hospital and Yeovil District Hospital on a 12 month fixed term post. It is a really exciting time to join the Trust as this role will support with the integration of the 2 clinical teams. You will directly communicate with patients and their relatives ensuring appropriate and timely access to appointments, advise on any concerns or queries and signpost the patient to relevant and appropriate support. It is essential that you develop close relationships with medical, nursing and allied health professionals for each of the Trusts multi-disciplinary teams across sites and within primary care. The role is vital to streamline the patient journey and contribute to the improvement of both quality and experience.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will act as patient advocate and facilitator to overcome barriers to timely access to Urology services, utilising interpersonal skills and resources across the health service, third sector and local authorities. Close liaison with radiology and the admissions team is essential ensuring investigations are booked, reports are available and staging is complete in time for follow up appointments. The post holder will actively participate in Cancer Wait Time monitoring and ensure patient tracking procedures are followed and kept up to date.
About us
As an organisation, the NHS offers a wide range of benefits including flexible working, pension contributions, market leading annual leave allowance, career progression, and regular conversations, not to mention our Blue Light Card and NHS exclusive discounts.
The benefits of working in Somerset include the idyllic countryside, with our areas of outstanding beauty and stunning coastlines. You will get to enjoy these perks whilst still only being a stone's throw away from bustling city centres like Bristol, Bath and Exeter and only two hours away from London.
There are excellent educational facilities in the area and, when compared to other regions, house prices are reasonable. You will experience the best of both in Somerset, the countryside and the cosmopolitan - there is truly something for everyone!
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To enhance the patient journey throughout diagnostic pathways is a key priority in order to achieve the National target of referral to diagnosis, or exclusion of cancer within 28 days of GP referral
- To streamline the patient journey to enable improved patient outcomes and patient experience through earlier diagnosis of cancer and ensure effective patient centred services
- To work collaboratively across primary and secondary care and third sector organisations with responsibility to provide an effective caring and compassionate service to patients to optimise their access to cancer services through close working with MDT teams
- To liaise with patients and their relatives and ensure appropriate and timely appointments are secured and any additional tests are organised prior to their imaging within the Trust
- To ensure patients are aware of benign results under the guidance of the Urology team
- To ensure close collaboration with radiology, theatres and oncology
- To ensure investigations are booked, reports are available, and staging is complete
- To act as patient advocate and facilitator to overcome barriers to timely access to cancer services, utilising interpersonal skills and resources across the health service
- Responsible for escalation of any concerns in respect of individual patient pathways that may result in breaches of cancer waiting time standards
- Using initiative and working autonomously to resolve issues where these fall within their sphere of knowledge and competence
- Communicating complex issues onwards to the CNS and clinicians for their management
- Providing basic telephone and face to face advice to patients, relatives and carers along with signposting where necessary
- Working alongside the MDT coordinator tracking investigations and ensuring timely discussion at MDT meetings
- Ensuring timely return of investigations / reports requested by medical staff, drawing attention of clinical team to any abnormal or unusual results
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To enhance the patient journey throughout diagnostic pathways is a key priority in order to achieve the National target of referral to diagnosis, or exclusion of cancer within 28 days of GP referral
- To streamline the patient journey to enable improved patient outcomes and patient experience through earlier diagnosis of cancer and ensure effective patient centred services
- To work collaboratively across primary and secondary care and third sector organisations with responsibility to provide an effective caring and compassionate service to patients to optimise their access to cancer services through close working with MDT teams
- To liaise with patients and their relatives and ensure appropriate and timely appointments are secured and any additional tests are organised prior to their imaging within the Trust
- To ensure patients are aware of benign results under the guidance of the Urology team
- To ensure close collaboration with radiology, theatres and oncology
- To ensure investigations are booked, reports are available, and staging is complete
- To act as patient advocate and facilitator to overcome barriers to timely access to cancer services, utilising interpersonal skills and resources across the health service
- Responsible for escalation of any concerns in respect of individual patient pathways that may result in breaches of cancer waiting time standards
- Using initiative and working autonomously to resolve issues where these fall within their sphere of knowledge and competence
- Communicating complex issues onwards to the CNS and clinicians for their management
- Providing basic telephone and face to face advice to patients, relatives and carers along with signposting where necessary
- Working alongside the MDT coordinator tracking investigations and ensuring timely discussion at MDT meetings
- Ensuring timely return of investigations / reports requested by medical staff, drawing attention of clinical team to any abnormal or unusual results
Person Specification
QUALIFICATIONS & TRAINING
Essential
- Educated to NVQ Level 4 or equivalent qualification or experience
- Knowledge of a range of work NHS procedures and practices
- Knowledge of a full range of administrative systems
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable
- Knowledge of Cancer pathways
KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE
Essential
- Understanding of service improvement and the application of this
- Be computer literate and have a good working knowledge of Microsoft Window packages
- Knowledge of service improvement methodology including simple tools, techniques, and measurement for improvement
- Knowledge of cancer patient pathways and cancer waiting time targets
- Excellent presentation, planning, interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and written)
- Use of IT equipment including laptops, projectors and tablets
- Expert user of Microsoft Office packages
- Knowledge of NHS systems and processes
- Knowledge of clinical and patient applications
- Experience of working with databases to record and extract data
- Experience in working within a hospital (acute or community) setting
- Experience of and confidence in working with senior individuals
SKILLS & ABILITIES
Essential
- Ability to identify trends in patent pathways that require improvements
- Ability to develop and implement policy and procedure guidance
- Excellent organisational skills
- Ability to take day to day responsibility for their own area of work, working autonomously for the majority of the time
- High level of communications skills when communication with patients/relatives/carers
- Advanced keyboard skills
- Ability to plan and organise activities on a daily basis and to meet changing needs of service
- Ability to learn how to use new software systems very quickly and efficiently
- Excellent Customer Service
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Essential
- Evidence of a good standard of Literacy / English language skills
- Be confident in communicating with all staff groups and external stakeholders
- Excellent communication skills (verbal, written, phone)
- Develop and maintain good working relationships with all employees and external stakeholders
- Able to present information verbally on an individual basis and to small and large group
PLANNING & ORGANISING SKILLS
Essential
- Ability to communicate and influence a broad range of staff at all levels with particular regard to cancer waiting times and prevention of breaches
- Excellent time management including ability to complete tasks requiring concentration when subjected to constant interruptions and in some circumstances working in a noisy environment
PHYSICAL SKILLS
Essential
- Standard Keyboard Use & office duties
- Able to cope in a busy working environment
OTHER
Essential
- Willingness to use technology to improve standards of care and support to our patients
- Ability to travel between YDH and MPH
Person Specification
QUALIFICATIONS & TRAINING
Essential
- Educated to NVQ Level 4 or equivalent qualification or experience
- Knowledge of a range of work NHS procedures and practices
- Knowledge of a full range of administrative systems
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable
- Knowledge of Cancer pathways
KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE
Essential
- Understanding of service improvement and the application of this
- Be computer literate and have a good working knowledge of Microsoft Window packages
- Knowledge of service improvement methodology including simple tools, techniques, and measurement for improvement
- Knowledge of cancer patient pathways and cancer waiting time targets
- Excellent presentation, planning, interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and written)
- Use of IT equipment including laptops, projectors and tablets
- Expert user of Microsoft Office packages
- Knowledge of NHS systems and processes
- Knowledge of clinical and patient applications
- Experience of working with databases to record and extract data
- Experience in working within a hospital (acute or community) setting
- Experience of and confidence in working with senior individuals
SKILLS & ABILITIES
Essential
- Ability to identify trends in patent pathways that require improvements
- Ability to develop and implement policy and procedure guidance
- Excellent organisational skills
- Ability to take day to day responsibility for their own area of work, working autonomously for the majority of the time
- High level of communications skills when communication with patients/relatives/carers
- Advanced keyboard skills
- Ability to plan and organise activities on a daily basis and to meet changing needs of service
- Ability to learn how to use new software systems very quickly and efficiently
- Excellent Customer Service
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Essential
- Evidence of a good standard of Literacy / English language skills
- Be confident in communicating with all staff groups and external stakeholders
- Excellent communication skills (verbal, written, phone)
- Develop and maintain good working relationships with all employees and external stakeholders
- Able to present information verbally on an individual basis and to small and large group
PLANNING & ORGANISING SKILLS
Essential
- Ability to communicate and influence a broad range of staff at all levels with particular regard to cancer waiting times and prevention of breaches
- Excellent time management including ability to complete tasks requiring concentration when subjected to constant interruptions and in some circumstances working in a noisy environment
PHYSICAL SKILLS
Essential
- Standard Keyboard Use & office duties
- Able to cope in a busy working environment
OTHER
Essential
- Willingness to use technology to improve standards of care and support to our patients
- Ability to travel between YDH and MPH
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).
