Cancer Support and Information Healthcare Professional

Job summary

The Lodge Cancer Support and Information centre offers practical, emotional and psychological support to local people affected by cancer, including patients and those supporting them. The Lodge Support and Information Healthcare Professional (HCP) play a key role in ensuring that the people we serve receive a warm welcome and the experience that they need at what can be a very challenging and stressful time. Working as part of the Information team, they will be able sit down with someone coming into the centre to have a conversation. The HCP will aim to listen and identify what would most help and support that person now, and identify a way to get it, whether at The Lodge or beyond.

They will also be involved in answering calls to our busy support helpline; delivering group support, such as the HOPE, Look Good Feel Better; liaising with fellow professionals; raising awareness of The Lodge relevant local and national support; and identifying, reviewing and updating relevant online and paper-based information. The role is dynamic and constantly changing in response to the needs of our service users.

Main duties of the job

• To be a member of, actively participate in, and work within the guidelines of The Lodge Support Services and the wider team.
• To liaise with oncology-related MDTs who are involved throughout the patient's pathway whilst under the care of the MDT, from diagnosis through treatment and follow-up care, ensuring that clients receive the very best service at all times.
• To provide appropriate verbal and written information for service users and relatives and hospital staff, keeping Cancer services colleagues update on developments in the field of cancer and treatments.
• To provide psychological, social and cultural support to patients diagnosed with Cancer, taking responsibility for an informal frontline assessment of a client's mental health, and liaising with other relevant professionals and service who may be able to support them
• Actively participate in the planning and delivery of group support programmes e.g. Look Good Feel Better, HOPE, the post holder
• will be based at the The Lodge in Torbay. They may go out to outreach settings and to the acute hospital to support clients when appropriate.
• The post holder will fulfil all tasks and work as part of a team. To meet the needs of the service, the post holder may be required to work in other areas as appropriate as directed by the line manager

About us

Why Work With Us

The team based at The Lodge are part of the wider Cancer Support team here at Torbay offering a compassionate, personalised and collaborative approach to cancer support recognised as an established service for our increasing local population. Providing a wide range of services including specialist nursing information and advice, counselling, complementary therapies, specialist oncology advice, exercise programmes, support with hair loss and pre-loved wigs, benefits advice, relaxation and mindfulness courses, specialised programmes to help people move on after treatment or cope with cancers that can't be cured.