Secondary Breast - Cancer Support Worker, Band 4

Job description

Job responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities listed below should be undertaken in accordance with levels of competence. In addition, all staff are expected to act in accordance with the values and behaviours of the Trust.

Under the guidance and supervision of a registered practitioner:

- To provide general information and support about cancer services, to enable people to navigate the health and social care system and make choices that are best for their cancer and their life.

- A key aspect of the role involves daily and direct (e.g., face to face, virtual and telephone) communication with patients, relatives, carers and other health and social care professionals. The information and nature of the communication required is sensitive due to the nature of cancer. Communication in this context requires a high degree of empathy, understanding, diplomacy, honesty and integrity.

- To utilise verbal and non-verbal communication skills to effectively communicate with patients, their families and carers. This will include patients/carers who may or may not have barriers to communication through cognitive or physical impairment e.g. hearing or visual impairment, confusion and depression.

- To meet the challenge of supporting patients living with the consequences of a cancer diagnosis. Encompassing patients for palliative treatments and supportive care.

- Establish a process of Holistic Needs Assessment. Undertaking patient assessments and formulating individual Care Plans to best suit patient needs and preferences.

- To be responsible for accessing written resources to provide information for patients and carers.

- To integrate the support worker role into the existing service with the aim of maintaining personalised care, ensuring an excellent level of patient experience.

- To support the CNS team by contributing to the redesign of care pathways for patients with cancer in order to improve quality and patient safety.

- To undertake by negotiation, administrative tasks currently undertaken by the CNS team i.e. monitoring of database, monitoring telephone helpline.

- Provide basic telephone advice and refer on or signpost to other sources of support.

- Communicate and signpost to appropriate needs related information.

- To be actively involved in service development plans such as Prehab etc.

- Guide people through the use of self-assessment resources.

- To strengthen the links with primary and secondary services and refer to multi-disciplinary team members as appropriate

- Be proactive and motivated; to be able to identify areas of potential future role development, and demonstrate how this will contribute to an enhanced provision of patient care within the team.

- To undertake specific supervised and unsupervised work, organising and prioritising own caseload (within clearly defined boundaries)..

- To comply with Trust and Departmental policies and procedures e.g., Health and Safety at Work Act (1974), Manual Handline, clinical equipment competency, risk management, Data Protection Acts and patient confidentiality at all times. This will include demonstrating compliance with the terms of all safeguarding policies and processes relevant to the safeguarding of adults and children in the care of GHNHSFT and to undergo regular mandatory training concerned with safeguarding matters.

- Advise patients on individual self-care management principles and review/further promote this information

- Encourage and support active and healthy lifestyle choices

- Planning/inviting/organising of health and well-being events or other supported self-management

Contact Details

We would encourage applicants to contact the team for an informal introduction or an informal visit.

Justine Crewe or Alice Smith - Secondary Breast Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialists. ghn-tr.secondarybreastcancerref@nhs.net or Telephone 0300 422 4038

Person Specification

Education, Qualification and Training

Essential

• English and Maths GCSE (A-C grade or Grade 5 and above)
• Competence in the use of all Microsoft products (Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook)

Desirable

• Basic counselling qualification or relevant experience

Knowledge and Experince

Essential

• Relevant health or social care experience at Agenda for Change level 3 or equivalent
• Experience of multi professional working
• Understanding of the health and social care environment
• Excellent communication skills

Desirable

• Basic knowledge of relevant cancer treatments, interventions and terminology
• Knowledge of medical terminology
• Experience coordinating a patient workload

Additional Qualities

Essential

• Able to use own initiative and work without supervision
• Able to communicate verbally with patients and multi-disciplinary team
• Ability to retrieve information from a wide variety of sources
• Ability to work flexibly depending on the needs of the service
• Empathetic and caring nature, able to be sensitive to the needs of patients and their carers
• Be calm and objective

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Cheltenham General Hospital (Cancer Services)

Cheltenham

GL53 7AN

Employer's website

https://www.gloshospitals.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)