Job summary
We are seeking a self-driven highly organised individual with excellent communication skills to join our Haemato-Oncology Diagnostic Service (HODS) on the Royal Liverpool Hospital site. HODS facilitates the diagnosis of leukaemia/lymphoma, both for the Trust and as part of the regional service, covering Merseyside and Cheshire. The role of the Cancer Support Worker is to help ensure clinical pathways are proactively followed, ensuring that cancer waiting times standards are achieved and, crucially, that patients receive their treatment in a timely and efficient way. You will be involved in liaising with laboratory, clinical and administrative teams, both within the Trust and tertiary centres to assist with coordinating investigations, results and treatments. As a main point of contact for healthcare professionals, you will ensure the joining up of services, coordination, information and communication between all creating a seamless experience of care.
The post holder will work closely with medical, scientific & clerical staff across the region.
Hours of work: 37.5 hours per week, 08:30 - 17:00 Mon - Fri.
Main duties of the job
The postholder will be working within HODS, assisting in streamlining the current referral and reporting processes and improving the travel of information in and out HODS service.
Key duties of the role:
Act as the initial point of contact for escalated HODS results on suspected cancer specimens within Liverpool Clinical Laboratories (LCL) and HODS.
Review and map referral processes into HODS from external referrers to ensure users receive diagnostic reports within TATs.
Effective outstanding worklist monitoring; chasing and escalating all diagnostics tests requested by clinicians until the point a cancer has been diagnosed or excluded.
Proactively track samples from when they arrive at HODS to when they leave. Highlight any blockers or delays in the process, identify patients who are likely to breach their 28-day cancer waiting time target and escalate appropriately.
Deal promptly with email and telephone enquiries from service users.
Develop and maintain effective working relationships with a range of HODS users in the caner network, ensuring all patients on a cancer pathway are identified and tracked.
Prepare/gather reports & slides for Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) review and attend weekly MDT meetings.
Help ensure adherence to retention regulations such as filing, retrieval and dissemination of diagnostic material
Perform basic specimen reception duties as and when required.
About us
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust comprises Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital & Royal Liverpool University Hospital.
We are part of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, formed on 1 Nov 2024 from the coming together of LUHFT and Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust. The Group was born from a shared aim to improve the care we provide our patients.
UHLG is one of the largest employers in the region, with over 16,800 colleagues dedicated to caring for our communities - from birth and beyond.
For the 630,000 people across Merseyside, we are their local NHS. We provide general and emergency hospital care, alongside highly specialised regional services for more than two million people in the North West.
Aintree University Hospital is the single receiving site for adult major trauma patients in Cheshire and Merseyside and hosts a number of regional services including an award-winning stroke facility. Broadgreen Hospital is home to elective surgical, diagnostic and treatment services, together with specialist patient rehabilitation. Liverpool Women's Hospital specialises in the health of women and babies, delivering over 7,200 babies in the UK's largest single site maternity hospital each year. The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is the largest hospital in the country to provide inpatients with 100% single bedrooms and focuses on complex planned care and specialist services.
For roles at Liverpool Women's, visit their careers page.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main tasks
Co--ordinate diagnostic investigations to ensure the delivery of patient care is of the highest standard.
Act as the initial point for escalated histological results on suspected cancer specimens within Liverpool Clinical Laboratories (LCL). Specifically assist the HODS clinical service in coordinating care by tracking patient pathways and providing a point of access.
Entry and retrieval of confidential patient data using the specialist laboratory computer systems in accordance with data protection, GDPR, Caldicott guidelines.
Assist Laboratory Managers, pathologists and the Medical Secretariat with the referral vetting process - Review and map referral processes into HODS from external referrers to ensure users receive diagnostic reports within TATs.
Gather and present relevant information to HODS consultants/reporters to assist in the provision of MDT and attend weekly Patient Tracking List (PTL) & Multi-Disciplinary Meetings (MDT) meetings as required.
Chasing and escalating all diagnostics tests requested by clinician, ensuring correct priority is selected, until the point a cancer has been diagnosed or excluded.
Printing, sorting and dispatch of laboratory reports where electronic transmission is not available.
Proactively monitor to identify patients who are likely to breach their 28-day cancer waiting time target and escalate appropriately to enable action to be taken to prevent breaches, highlighting problems to the HODS management team and at PTL meetings.
Develop and maintain effective working relationships with Trust wide services, including clinicians, Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), MDT Co-Ordinators, other medical staff, medical secretaries/Pas and administrative staff, to ensure all patients on a cancer pathway are identified and tracked.
Negotiating with and instruct relevant personnel, departments of clinic bookings/diagnostic tests/admissions that need to be arranged or bought forward to ensure prompt diagnosis.
Provide specimen reception support where necessary, including packaging of samples for transport to other specialist testing departments and archiving.
Actively follow up patient results to achieve improvements in compliance. Offer to arrange support if needed.
Have understanding and confidence of when appropriate to liaise with GP staff/ Cancer Community Support Service who can support with complex patients who may be proving difficult to engage and/or attend hospital appointments.
Be aware of dealing with potentially infectious materials, awareness of Departmental and Trust health and safety policies
Through the course of employment staff may become aware of information concerning patients or other staff. All such information must be treated as confidential.
All staff participate in an annual performance review program where Personal Development Plans are agreed.
See the full job description for more details.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main tasks
Co--ordinate diagnostic investigations to ensure the delivery of patient care is of the highest standard.
Act as the initial point for escalated histological results on suspected cancer specimens within Liverpool Clinical Laboratories (LCL). Specifically assist the HODS clinical service in coordinating care by tracking patient pathways and providing a point of access.
Entry and retrieval of confidential patient data using the specialist laboratory computer systems in accordance with data protection, GDPR, Caldicott guidelines.
Assist Laboratory Managers, pathologists and the Medical Secretariat with the referral vetting process - Review and map referral processes into HODS from external referrers to ensure users receive diagnostic reports within TATs.
Gather and present relevant information to HODS consultants/reporters to assist in the provision of MDT and attend weekly Patient Tracking List (PTL) & Multi-Disciplinary Meetings (MDT) meetings as required.
Chasing and escalating all diagnostics tests requested by clinician, ensuring correct priority is selected, until the point a cancer has been diagnosed or excluded.
Printing, sorting and dispatch of laboratory reports where electronic transmission is not available.
Proactively monitor to identify patients who are likely to breach their 28-day cancer waiting time target and escalate appropriately to enable action to be taken to prevent breaches, highlighting problems to the HODS management team and at PTL meetings.
Develop and maintain effective working relationships with Trust wide services, including clinicians, Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), MDT Co-Ordinators, other medical staff, medical secretaries/Pas and administrative staff, to ensure all patients on a cancer pathway are identified and tracked.
Negotiating with and instruct relevant personnel, departments of clinic bookings/diagnostic tests/admissions that need to be arranged or bought forward to ensure prompt diagnosis.
Provide specimen reception support where necessary, including packaging of samples for transport to other specialist testing departments and archiving.
Actively follow up patient results to achieve improvements in compliance. Offer to arrange support if needed.
Have understanding and confidence of when appropriate to liaise with GP staff/ Cancer Community Support Service who can support with complex patients who may be proving difficult to engage and/or attend hospital appointments.
Be aware of dealing with potentially infectious materials, awareness of Departmental and Trust health and safety policies
Through the course of employment staff may become aware of information concerning patients or other staff. All such information must be treated as confidential.
All staff participate in an annual performance review program where Personal Development Plans are agreed.
See the full job description for more details.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Diploma level and/or equivalent level of experience and/or equivalent qualification
- GCSE English and Mathematics or equivalent
- Evidence of continued professional development
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working within the NHS (either within primary or secondary care)
Desirable
- Knowledge of relevant cancer treatments, interventions and terminology
- Understanding of Macmillan Cancer Support and its role across the UK
Knowledge
Essential
- Efficient in the use of Microsoft Word for Windows, Excel, Power Point, Outlook and internet
Desirable
- Knowledge of medical terminology
- Knowledge of personalised care
Skills
Essential
- Demonstrate excellent communication skills both verbally and non-verbally with people at all levels
- Able to prioritise workload
- Practical problems solving skills
- Ability to retrieve information from a wide range of sources and in different formats
- Tactful and diplomatic with the ability to ask sensitively about information needs.
- Able to use own initiative and work without supervision
Other
Essential
- Must be prepared to work across different hospital sites when required
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Diploma level and/or equivalent level of experience and/or equivalent qualification
- GCSE English and Mathematics or equivalent
- Evidence of continued professional development
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working within the NHS (either within primary or secondary care)
Desirable
- Knowledge of relevant cancer treatments, interventions and terminology
- Understanding of Macmillan Cancer Support and its role across the UK
Knowledge
Essential
- Efficient in the use of Microsoft Word for Windows, Excel, Power Point, Outlook and internet
Desirable
- Knowledge of medical terminology
- Knowledge of personalised care
Skills
Essential
- Demonstrate excellent communication skills both verbally and non-verbally with people at all levels
- Able to prioritise workload
- Practical problems solving skills
- Ability to retrieve information from a wide range of sources and in different formats
- Tactful and diplomatic with the ability to ask sensitively about information needs.
- Able to use own initiative and work without supervision
Other
Essential
- Must be prepared to work across different hospital sites when required
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).
