Job summary
We are looking for a Band 4 Cancer Support Worker to support the Breast Oncology Nurse team.
The role involves face-to-face and remote interactions with patients, offering information, guidance, and support via telephone or email, as well as signposting patients, families, and carers to appropriate services. The postholder will assist in organising and facilitating the delivery of the Breast Cancer service, ensuring patient queries and care needs are addressed promptly. Responsibilities include processing referrals and enquiries, guiding clinical and patient questions, and supporting the multidisciplinary team.
This position forms part of the evolving Band 4 support worker role within cancer services, aiming to improve patient experience, streamline care pathways, and enhance collaborative working across the entire Breast Cancer service
***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as 'Priority' and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***
Main duties of the job
The post holder will act as a point of contact for patients and their carers, triaging calls and escalating complex and clinical concerns to the registered practitioners as appropriate. The post holder will be required to work independently, but under the guidance and supervision of the Lead Nurse for the Breast cancer clinical team to provide support and information to those affected by a cancer diagnosis. The post holder will be based within the clinical team for Breast cancer to support patients Living With and Beyond Cancer in line with the national Personalised Care in Cancer programme (PCC). They will also take a lead role in coordinating and initiating Holistic Needs Assessments, Treatment Summaries and assisting with provision of Health and Wellbeing support.
The Cancer Support Worker will support the Breast Cancer Specialist Nurse Team, MDTs and Mustard Tree to enhance the care and management of patients and also be required to collect data and prepare statistical reports to track patient activity through the new pathway.
About us
We are a people business - where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure.PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY.If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment team on 01752 432100.We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams.It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Coordinate care for Breast patients living with and beyond cancer
- Contribute to the holistic needs assessment and the development of an individual care plan under the direction of the CNS
- To support patients under the direction of the CNS on the wards across the hospital and in outpatient settings.
- To triage incoming calls, providing general advice to healthcare professionals and patients/carers/, referring complex/specialist issues to the CNS
- Provide general telephone advice, signposting patients/carers to other sources of support as appropriate
- Coordinate appointments or investigations to fast-track patients through the system.
- Liaise with the MDT coordinators, Breast CNS team to ensure a seamless service for patients and smooth transition through the patient pathway
- To identify patient/carer general informational needs signposting to the Mustard Tree as appropriate
- To make pre planned outbound telephone calls to patients to assess on-going needs to enable a proactive prevention approach
- Identify indication of need or changes in need through telephone contact and respond appropriately
- Support the CNS in the coordination of care to facilitate safe and effective transition between services to provide seamless support for people
- Support the delivery of patient and carer training and education, including the use of equipment
- Advise patients on individual self-care management support and education as necessary
- To provide Level 1 psychological support to patients/carers, referring patients who require level 2 support to the registered nurse
- Contribute to the development of the nursing service including taking part in research.
- Comment on proposed changes to policies and procedures to enhance the nursing service
- To support the CNS in the development and implementation of support groups
- To participant in the peer review process
- To support the development of holistic needs assessments and care plans at the end of treatment and the initiation of end of treatment summaries
- To be a flexible member of the team able to respond to the changing needs of patients and the service including accepting to learn how to perform ECGs if necessary.
- To provide a vital link between patients and the registered nurse, highlighting patients that require specialist assessment.
- To carry out administrative duties required by the role
- Understand that there will be frequent exposure to distressing situations and when to seek appropriate support/advice.
- To achieve the agreed competencies to fulfil the role within 6 months of being in post
- Demonstrate an awareness of the limits of own practice and knowledge and when to seek appropriate support/advice
- Recording patient information on the Trusts Systems
- To participate in the formal review process and plan future personal development and competencies to be achieved
- To utilise clinical systems to inform decision making
- To support and contribute to clinical audit and research initiatives
For further details please see the attached JD & PS
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Coordinate care for Breast patients living with and beyond cancer
- Contribute to the holistic needs assessment and the development of an individual care plan under the direction of the CNS
- To support patients under the direction of the CNS on the wards across the hospital and in outpatient settings.
- To triage incoming calls, providing general advice to healthcare professionals and patients/carers/, referring complex/specialist issues to the CNS
- Provide general telephone advice, signposting patients/carers to other sources of support as appropriate
- Coordinate appointments or investigations to fast-track patients through the system.
- Liaise with the MDT coordinators, Breast CNS team to ensure a seamless service for patients and smooth transition through the patient pathway
- To identify patient/carer general informational needs signposting to the Mustard Tree as appropriate
- To make pre planned outbound telephone calls to patients to assess on-going needs to enable a proactive prevention approach
- Identify indication of need or changes in need through telephone contact and respond appropriately
- Support the CNS in the coordination of care to facilitate safe and effective transition between services to provide seamless support for people
- Support the delivery of patient and carer training and education, including the use of equipment
- Advise patients on individual self-care management support and education as necessary
- To provide Level 1 psychological support to patients/carers, referring patients who require level 2 support to the registered nurse
- Contribute to the development of the nursing service including taking part in research.
- Comment on proposed changes to policies and procedures to enhance the nursing service
- To support the CNS in the development and implementation of support groups
- To participant in the peer review process
- To support the development of holistic needs assessments and care plans at the end of treatment and the initiation of end of treatment summaries
- To be a flexible member of the team able to respond to the changing needs of patients and the service including accepting to learn how to perform ECGs if necessary.
- To provide a vital link between patients and the registered nurse, highlighting patients that require specialist assessment.
- To carry out administrative duties required by the role
- Understand that there will be frequent exposure to distressing situations and when to seek appropriate support/advice.
- To achieve the agreed competencies to fulfil the role within 6 months of being in post
- Demonstrate an awareness of the limits of own practice and knowledge and when to seek appropriate support/advice
- Recording patient information on the Trusts Systems
- To participate in the formal review process and plan future personal development and competencies to be achieved
- To utilise clinical systems to inform decision making
- To support and contribute to clinical audit and research initiatives
For further details please see the attached JD & PS
Person Specification
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- o Demonstrable health or administration experience in a similar role
- o Demonstrable experience of multi-professional working
- o Demonstrable experience in the use of data management
Desirable
- Previous demonstrable oncology experience
Qualifications
Essential
- oNVQ Level 4 or Diploma in related subject or equivalent demonstrable experience.
- oWilling to undertake further learning and development courses
Desirable
- oProven evidence of continued role development
Aptitude & Abilities
Essential
- oIT skills
- oAble to use own initiative and work without supervision
- oEffective organisation skills
Person Specification
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- o Demonstrable health or administration experience in a similar role
- o Demonstrable experience of multi-professional working
- o Demonstrable experience in the use of data management
Desirable
- Previous demonstrable oncology experience
Qualifications
Essential
- oNVQ Level 4 or Diploma in related subject or equivalent demonstrable experience.
- oWilling to undertake further learning and development courses
Desirable
- oProven evidence of continued role development
Aptitude & Abilities
Essential
- oIT skills
- oAble to use own initiative and work without supervision
- oEffective organisation skills
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).
