Health Inequalities Link Worker

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Summary

You will coordinate and deliver activities that support early diagnosis of cancer.You will deliver key cancer-related health messages through a variety of methods, using evidence-based approaches to reach target communities.You willwork with and support cancer screening teams to both identify and breakdown barriers to timely presentation.

Primary Responsibilities

The following are the core responsibilities of the Health Inequalities Link Worker. There may be on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks; this will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels:

You will;

- activate people to seek cancer screening / intervention earlier

- develop awareness of signs and symptoms of cancer

- engage the hard to reach communities

- localise National cancer campaigns and make relevant to our population

- work with the Primary Care Network Cancer Care Coordinators

- work with and support the Cancer Screening Programmes teams

Targeted / Specific Responsibilities

- Target interventions toward the most deprived communities and other communities and geographies of health inequality including ethnically diverse communities, those in digital poverty, with a learning disability or autism, and areas with lower health literacy

- Target interventions toward younger people with the dual objective of increasing their own awareness of signs and symptoms of cancer and encouraging them to present for cancer screening but also look to them to be vectors of communication to their older family members/ workmates or wider community

- Support the delivery of the Targeted Lung Health Check (TLHC) programme across South Tyneside & Sunderland, maximising uptake amongst harder to reach groups, patients from our most deprived communities and supporting current smokers to stop smoking

- Support specific local campaigns identified by National Cancer Alliance, this will include work on Lung and Head and Neck cancer awareness

- Support continued uptake of Faecal Immunochemical Testing (FIT), reinforcing the importance of patients completing the FIT test if allocated one in Primary Care

- Support and promote uptake of the three cancer screening programmes and contribute to the following new initiatives in screening where appropriate to the populations targeted:

- Support the increase in uptake of breast screening in ethnically diverse populations (intersectionality with deprivation)

- Support the development of new interventions and information resources to target more high risk communities

- Work with breast screening providers to influence them to adapt their offer to these women to be more culturally aware.

- Support those new to bowel screening (men under 60) to be more willing to take up the offer of screening (specifically targeting men in quartiles 4/5) using behavioural science principles

- Support the increase in update of cervical screening in younger women, ethnically diverse populations and in deprived communities

- Support the increase of Smoking Cessation with local pharmacies to help reduce the smoking population within South Tyneside

- Support our linked Social Prescribing Link Workers to help reduce obesity which will reduce the risk of cancer in later life

Generic Responsibilites

All staff at West View Surgery have a duty to conform to the following:

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

A good attitude and positive action towards ED&I creates an environment where all individuals are able to achieve their full potential. Creating such an environment is important for three reasons: it improves operational effectiveness, it is morally the right thing to do, and it is required by law.

Patients and their families have the right to be treated fairly and be routinely involved in decisions about their treatment and care. They can expect to be treated with dignity and respect and will not be discriminated against on any grounds including age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Patients have a responsibility to treat other patients and our staff with dignity and respect.

Staff have the right to be treated fairly in recruitment and career progression. Staff can expect to work in an environment where diversity is valued, and equality of opportunity is promoted. Staff will not be discriminated against on any grounds including age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Staff have a responsibility to ensure that you treat our patients and their colleagues with dignity and respect.

Safety, Health, Environment and Fire (SHEF)

This practice is committed to supporting and promoting opportunities to for staff to maintain their health, well-being and safety. You have a duty to take reasonable care of health and safety at work for you, your team and others, and to cooperate with employers to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements. All personnel are to comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Environmental Protection Act 1990, Environment Act 1995, Fire Precautions (workplace) Regulations 1999 and other statutory legislation.

Confidentiality

This practice is committed to maintaining an outstanding confidential service. Patients entrust and permit us to collect and retain sensitive information relating to their health and other matters, pertaining to their care. They do so in confidence and have a right to expect all staff will respect their privacy and maintain confidentiality at all times. It is essential that if, the legal requirements are to be met and the trust of our patients is to be retained that all staff protect patient information and provide a confidential service.

Quality & Continuous Improvement (CI)

To preserve and improve the quality of our output, all personnel are required to think not only of what they do, but how they achieve it. By continually re-examining our processes, we will be able to develop and improve the overall effectiveness of the way we work. The responsibility for this rests with everyone working within the practice to look for opportunities to improve quality and share good practice.

This practice continually strives to improve work processes which deliver health care with improved results across all areas of our service provision. We promote a culture of continuous improvement, where everyone counts and staff are permitted to make suggestions and contributions to improve our service delivery and enhance patient care.

Induction Training

On arrival at the practice all personnel are to complete a practice induction programme; this is managed by the Practice Manager.

Learning and Development

The effective use of training and development is fundamental in ensuring that all staff are equipped with the appropriate skills, knowledge, attitude, and competences to perform their role. All staff will be required to partake and complete mandatory training as directed by the training coordinator, as well as participating in the practice training programme.Staff will also be permitted (subject to approval) to undertake external training courses which will enhance their knowledge and skills, progress their career and ultimately, enable them to improve processes and service delivery.

Collaborative Working

All staff are to recognise the significance of collaborative working. Teamwork is essential in multidisciplinary environments. Effective communication is essential, and all staff must ensure they communicate in a manner which enables the sharing of information in an appropriate manner.

Service Delivery

Staff at West View Surgery must adhere to the information contained with practice policies and regional directives, ensuring protocols are adhered to at all times.Staff will be given detailed information during the induction process regarding policy and procedure.

Security

The security of the practice is the responsibility of all personnel. Staff must ensure they remain vigilant at all times and report any suspicious activity immediately to their line manager. Under no circumstances are staff to share the codes for the door locks to anyone and are to ensure that restricted areas remain effectively secured.

Professional Conduct

At West View Surgery, staff are required to dress appropriately for their role. Administrative staff will be provided with a uniform whilst clinical staff must dress in accordance with their role.

Leave

All personnel are entitled to take leave and should be encouraged to take all of their leave entitlement.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• - Educated to GCSE level or equivalent
• - GCSE Mathematics & English (C or above)

Desirable

• - Health Care related qualification

Experience

Essential

• - Experience of working with the general public
• - Experience of administrative duties
• - Experience of working in a health care setting
• - EMIS (Web) user skills
• - Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
• - Strong IT skills
• - Clear, polite telephone manner
• - Competent in the use of Office and Outlook
• - Effective time management (Planning & Organising)
• - Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
• - Good interpersonal skills
• - Problem solving & analytical skills
• - Ability to follow policy and procedure
• - Polite and confident
• - Flexible and cooperative
• - Motivated
• - Forward thinker
• - High levels of integrity and loyalty
• - Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
• - Ability to work under pressure

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

West View Surgery

Address

Stanhope Parade Health Centre

Gordon Street

South Shields

Tyne and Wear

NE33 4JP

Employer's website

http://westviewsurgerysouthshields.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)