Job summary
The post is integrated within the award winning South East London Community Head & Neck Cancer Service. The position involves working directly with individual patients and groups on a range of therapy tasks, using local competency development programmes.
This is primarily a clinical role, although there will be some administrative and duties required. The post will be based at New Cross with the expectation for outreaching into CHANT community clinics and home-based rehabilitation to support best practice, as well as running virtual clinics.
The successful candidate will have experience of working within a healthcare setting and be passionate about rehabilitation and helping others.
Main duties of the job
Examples of duties:
Educate patients with regards to Holistic Needs Assessments.
Assist the service lead with collecting and presenting data
Assist the Physiotherapist with the planning of patient activities and exercise programmes, and support patients to carry out their exercise programs and become more physically active.
To help contribute to the development of psycho-education groups.
Support the set-up of audit and service developments, and attend meeting when needed
Carry out regular swallow and speech exercise programmes with patients
Telephone patients to review their progress with nutrition
About us
South East London Community Head and Neck Cancer Team (CHANT)
In 2009, Guys' & St Thomas's NHS Foundation Trust (GSTFT), in partnership with Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, won a competitive tender to provide this innovative service to deliver specialist and dedicated care of the highest quality to Head and Neck Cancer patients across South East London. From April 1st 2022 the service will be transferring fully across to GSTFT.
The team delivers active rehabilitation and symptom management in the community setting utilising collective specialist skills and experience in head and neck cancer. Since inception, the team has worked collaboratively with the acute rehabilitation team to ensure patients receive seamless care along the cancer pathway. The team has empowered patients and carers to develop the service they require through patient involvement, and through training and development of existing community services.
Job description
Job responsibilities
4. Duties and Responsibilities
CLINICAL:
Generic
1. To work with individual patients on CNS/DT/PT/SLT/Psychology therapy tasks, organising their own time and patient-caseload under the direct supervision of the managing CHANT clinician.
2. To progress and/or adapt treatment programmes within agreed clinical protocols and parameters using their own judgement and knowledge acquired as part of local competency development programmes.
3. To provide individualised advice, information and support through face-to-face, telephone and virtual (e.g. Attend Anywhere) consultations with patients, under the supervision of the managing clinician, and document conversation and outcomes/actions in the patients health record.
4. To be able to recognise change in the condition or reaction of a patient with guidance from clinicians and to monitor the patient response to any treatment undertaken.
5. To work with other members of CHANT to co-ordinate, plan and deliver end-of-treatment Holistic Needs Assessments (HNAs) for patients and ensure that care plans are completed, and documents are uploaded and communicated with all relevant parties.
6. To complete preparation tasks for community clinics and home visits.
7. To work with other members of CHANT to co-ordinate, prepare and deliver the CHANT Health & Wellbeing Events sessions, teaching and training programmes, tutorials and presentations. This will include booking speakers and venues, inviting patients and/or delegates, and attending the sessions with the support of clinical staff.
8. The post-holder will work closely with all disciplines within CHANT when office-based and will be independent and autonomous when visiting patients either at home or in CHANT clinics in the six boroughs of South East London.
9. On an occasional basis the post-holder will be required to transport suction units, weighing scales and enteral feed/equipment.
Job description
Job responsibilities
4. Duties and Responsibilities
CLINICAL:
Generic
1. To work with individual patients on CNS/DT/PT/SLT/Psychology therapy tasks, organising their own time and patient-caseload under the direct supervision of the managing CHANT clinician.
2. To progress and/or adapt treatment programmes within agreed clinical protocols and parameters using their own judgement and knowledge acquired as part of local competency development programmes.
3. To provide individualised advice, information and support through face-to-face, telephone and virtual (e.g. Attend Anywhere) consultations with patients, under the supervision of the managing clinician, and document conversation and outcomes/actions in the patients health record.
4. To be able to recognise change in the condition or reaction of a patient with guidance from clinicians and to monitor the patient response to any treatment undertaken.
5. To work with other members of CHANT to co-ordinate, plan and deliver end-of-treatment Holistic Needs Assessments (HNAs) for patients and ensure that care plans are completed, and documents are uploaded and communicated with all relevant parties.
6. To complete preparation tasks for community clinics and home visits.
7. To work with other members of CHANT to co-ordinate, prepare and deliver the CHANT Health & Wellbeing Events sessions, teaching and training programmes, tutorials and presentations. This will include booking speakers and venues, inviting patients and/or delegates, and attending the sessions with the support of clinical staff.
8. The post-holder will work closely with all disciplines within CHANT when office-based and will be independent and autonomous when visiting patients either at home or in CHANT clinics in the six boroughs of South East London.
9. On an occasional basis the post-holder will be required to transport suction units, weighing scales and enteral feed/equipment.
Person Specification
Knowledge/Qualifications
Essential
- Completed appropriate NVQ Level 3 or Part 1 City and Guilds certificate (with prior healthcare experience) or assessed satisfactory completion of an equivalent training course.
- Relevant experience in a healthcare setting and base level of theoretic knowledge.
Previous Experience
Essential
- Previous experience of working within a healthcare setting.
- Experience of performing administrative duties including using IT systems.
- Experience of working within and contributing to a team.
- Effectively dealing with sensitive, complex situations which may involve other colleagues, patients and families/ carers.
Desirable
- Previous experience working in the field of cancer
- Previous experience of working as a therapy assistant.
Skills
Essential
- Ability to prioritise workload and work within deadlines.
- Ability to use own judgement within defined parameters.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to appreciate the sensitivity and complexity of context and culture and diversity within clinical practice.
- Evidence of being self-motivated and demonstrating an innovative approach to problem solving.
- Good time keeping and consistency of attendance record.
- Demonstrates good spelling, grammar and numeracy skills.
- Skilled in a range of Microsoft software
Person Specification
Knowledge/Qualifications
Essential
- Completed appropriate NVQ Level 3 or Part 1 City and Guilds certificate (with prior healthcare experience) or assessed satisfactory completion of an equivalent training course.
- Relevant experience in a healthcare setting and base level of theoretic knowledge.
Previous Experience
Essential
- Previous experience of working within a healthcare setting.
- Experience of performing administrative duties including using IT systems.
- Experience of working within and contributing to a team.
- Effectively dealing with sensitive, complex situations which may involve other colleagues, patients and families/ carers.
Desirable
- Previous experience working in the field of cancer
- Previous experience of working as a therapy assistant.
Skills
Essential
- Ability to prioritise workload and work within deadlines.
- Ability to use own judgement within defined parameters.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to appreciate the sensitivity and complexity of context and culture and diversity within clinical practice.
- Evidence of being self-motivated and demonstrating an innovative approach to problem solving.
- Good time keeping and consistency of attendance record.
- Demonstrates good spelling, grammar and numeracy skills.
- Skilled in a range of Microsoft software
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).
