Familial Cancer Specialist

Job summary

To provide a co-ordinated service at secondary care level for individual patients, their families and medical professionals in relation to potential genetic pre-disposition to cancer. Primarily this involves breast, ovarian, colorectal, endometrial and some additional associated cancers.

The familial cancer specialist is a highly specialised autonomous professional providing advanced, theoretical and practical knowledge and skills in order to provide a high standard of effective, safe, timely evidence-based care for patients. This may start with initial assessment of a family history, through to appropriate genetics testing, screening and risk reducing surgery. Patients, and their families, often require both practical and emotional and psychological support along this journey.

The Familial Cancer Team consists currently of 1 Familial Cancer Lead and 4 Familial Cancer Specialist., and 3 part time sectaries. Who have varied backgrounds and diverse experiences from working in the health care sector. We are highly specialised autonomous professionals providing advanced, theoretical and practical knowledge in order to provide a high standard of effective, safe, timely evidence-based care for patients. Patient care is at the forefront of everything we do. We are a highly motivated and adaptable team and like to push boundaries and continually striving to improve the service we provide for our patients and families.

Main duties of the job

To elicit patients concerns and expectations and accurately document a detailed family history

Confirm diagnoses and interpret medical, family and psychological history

• Communicate complex genetic information to patients and their relatives and identify and respond to possible areas of conflict and any sensitive issues that may arise
• Identify and manage conflict within families created by sensitive genetic information and manage confidentiality issues relating to sharing of medical information
• Identify and respond to changes in the family and communicate and apply any new

Scientific information that may be relevant

• Interpret and communicate implications of normal and abnormal genetic test results to patients, family and associated health professionals, which may cause high levels of distress and be psychologically damaging
• Manage patient expectations and skilfully explain the rational and the evidence for

Decision making in relation to patients concerns.

• Use skills to communicate sensitively in the presence of language, cultural and/or medical issues, or when dealing with cases where there is antagonism or a highly sensitive atmosphere.

Closing date of applications: 04 June 2025

Interview date: 18 June 2025

About us

As a trusted organisation at the heart of our communities, we recognise the important role we can play in supporting the public, patients, our own people and local partners in achieving the best of health for the local population and the communities in which they live by providing Exceptional Care Together

Our fundamental Values of Compassion, Openness and Excellence underpin how we intend to work as a Trust and the associated behaviours are becoming embedded in all aspects of how we work.

In return we will offer:

• Development opportunities, including both professional and leadership development
• On-going support through every step of the way from recruitment to when you join our team and beyond.

• A variety of other staff benefits including employee assistance programme, discounted gym membership, onsite fitness classes, car schemes

Key Facts about our Trust:

• We see on average 4810 OP appointments per day.
• We are the 4th busiest Trauma & Orthopaedic outpatients department in England - an average of 2077 per week.
• An average of 1115 patients are seen in A&Es across our network every day - 3rd largest in the country.

• Our hospitals admit an average of 195 emergency patients daily.
• Last year we undertook almost 33,700 planned surgical operations in our 57 operating theatres.
• We are one of only 7 Trusts nationally with more than 50 operating theatres.
• We carry out more than 140 elective procedures each working day.

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Royal Derby Hospital

Uttoxeter Rd

Derby

DE22 3NE

Employer's website

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

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Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Royal Derby Hospital

Uttoxeter Rd

Derby

DE22 3NE

Employer's website

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

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