Job responsibilities
2.
JOB PURPOSE/SUMMARY
This role is part of a National Strategy,
funded by NHS England, to enhance services for families in high need areas and
will link closely with equivalent posts in other areas of high need nationally.
The Genomic Associate will help implement culturally competent genetics
services for underserved groups, particularly where close relative partnerships/marriages
are more common, and will become an expert in this area.
The Genomic Associate will
be supervised by the Principal Genetic Counsellors and the Genetic Counsellor
team and will work with the wider clinical and administrative teams including
consultant Clinical Geneticists, junior doctors and the patient pathway admin
team.
Communication with patients
outside of a clinic appointment (with supervision from
Consultants & Genetic Counsellors at pre & post clinic meetings)
Support triaging done by
senior colleagues
Contact patients and
families prior to clinic to explain why they have been referred to Clinical
Genetics and the potential benefits of the appointment, explain what happens at
a genetics clinic appointment, address any misconceptions about the
referral/appointment, obtain family history, developmental and obstetric
history (as appropriate), and assess expectations and language needs to enhance
attendance and uptake of genetics services.
Reaffirming information
provided in clinic during post-clinic contact, identifying and recording
questions or concerns, relaying these to the appropriate clinician to be
addressed.
Co-ordinating and supporting
proactive cascade screening in families, under supervision of the Genetic
Counsellor team.
Making decisions about
obtaining appropriate medical and genetic records, results and investigations,
cancer confirmations (and delegating the collection of these to members of the
patient pathway team)
Facilitating safeguarding
(e.g. to confirm parental responsibility for a looked-after child)
Responsibility for
responding to referrals that do not require clinical contact e.g. those that do
not meet referral criteria
Obtaining and/or checking
appropriate permission/consent have been given as required for clinic
Monitoring outstanding
records/samples/screening/investigations and actioning appropriately (and
delegating administration to patient pathway team)
Elicit and accurately
document patients concerns and expectations.
Identify and respond to
emerging issues for the patient and family and report concerns to appropriate
member of the clinical team.
Communicate with patients
who are bereaved in a supportive way and signpost onto other appropriate
services when appropriate, following discussion with a member of the genetic
counselling team.
Manage conflict when
patients demands are incompatible with professional responsibilities and
resources.
Organising and obtaining
familial blood or saliva samples to help confirm diagnosis in proband
Facilitating patient support
events
Communication with colleagues (with supervision as above)
Administrative support to
the genetic counsellors and consultants
MDT coordination, collating
agenda items, taking meeting minutes
Liaise with and be a named
point of contact for other health professionals (including midwives, GPs,
Health Visitors and others) regarding provision and promotion of culturally
sensitive services.
Work with colleagues in other identified areas of
high need as part of the National Strategy.
Attend national meetings in
relation to culturally sensitive services
Liaise with laboratory
colleagues as required.
Liaise regionally,
nationally and internationally with other laboratories, departments, e.g:
histology, surgery, screening, midwifery, psychiatry, cardiology, cancer
registry to obtain and provide information.
Discuss cases with ethical
complexity with colleagues where appropriate.
Organising patient days,
educational events for Genetic Counsellors
Education coordination
(administrative)
Patient Care (Working under supervision of clinical team)
- Obtain patient records,
any results and other information as requested.
- Assist in the running
and organisation of general and specialist genetics clinics across the
region.
- Ensure that the views
of patients or those speaking on their behalf are heard and that
complaints, both formal and informal, are received courteously and
responded to promptly according to Trust guidelines.
- Ensure equity of access
to information and risk assessment by identifying extra support for
patients whose English may not be their first language or who have a
disability and may require additional support e.g. use of interpreters,
involvement of learning disability nurse specialist.
- May be required to
undertake venepuncture, height / weight / blood pressure measurements
after receiving appropriate training.
- Obtain record of
patient choice/consent (not having the full consent conversation, but
recording that it has been taken)
- Assisting in specialist clinics as required, e.g.
Inherited Cardiac Conditions, Prenatal Genetics, Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis,
General Paediatric and Adult Genetics clinics and specialist cancer
clinics.
- Attending clinic with the doctor or specialist
genetic counsellor as required, and as appropriate to: take blood/saliva
samples, assist with clinical examinations, take blood pressure and ECGs,,
act as a chaperone.
- Advocate for families
to help them access appropriate services, particularly where language
barriers exist
- Liaise with families
who have been referred to the Clinical Genetics Service but do not attend
their appointment, especially where there may be language, cultural or
social barriers
Planning & Organisation
The post holder will provide
support for specialty clinics, and with supervision from consultants &
genetic counsellors will be responsible for:
Assisting in the preparation
of selected referrals prior to clinic.
Taking full pedigree
information.
Obtaining paediatric
development information using a proforma.
Obtaining all relevant
clinical and laboratory information, including consent forms and medical records
of relatives as needed.
Co-ordinating MDT clinics
under supervision of senior colleagues, collating agenda items, taking meeting
minutes.
Monitoring outstanding
records/samples/screening and actioning appropriately.
Facilitating patient access
in more complex scenarios and auditing/improving systems to improve patient
access.
Providing administrative support
for Clinical Geneticists and Genetic Counsellors.
Responsible for appropriate
and specific departmental tasks e.g. fire warden, health and safety officer,
first aider.
Ensuring clinic rooms are
fully stocked, clean and presentable, adhering to LTHT Infection Control
Policy.
Participating in checking
departmental emergency resuscitation equipment and replacing expired / used
resuscitation equipment.
Assisting
in monitoring and auditing of infection control within the department and
participating in other departmental audits.
Working under supervision of
clinical team & recognise limits of role and escalate queries
appropriately.
Policy & Service Development
Propose changes to working
practices within the department.
With guidance design
protocols and policies to enhance the smooth running of genetics clinics.
Information Resources
Ensure that all clinical
documents are up-to-date, accurate, legible and appropriately filed.
- Use word processing
skills to accurately send patient standard and non-standard letters and
other communications as appropriate.
- Accurately record data
on patient information systems and use in-house databases.
- Create and maintain databases
or spreadsheets using computerised systems. These may include recall of
complex cancer genetic screening requirements, Whole Genome Sequencing
results tracking, and Prenatal referral/testing tracking.
Staff Supervision & Training
Provide advice and
demonstrate workplace activities to new and less experienced members of staff.
Support the role of the Family
History Assessors where appropriate
Support the education of
healthcare and other professionals about culturally competent services, the
role of the Clinical Genetics Service and how to refer to the service
