Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen within the regional Skull Base neurosurgical team for an enthusiastic, dynamic and proactive individual with a passion for supporting people through extremely challenging times to navigate patients and their families through their brain tumour journey providing support and information and promoting empowerment.
The main purpose of the Skull Base Brain Tumour Support Worker role is to work as an integral part of the Advanced Nurse Practitioner team within NMSK. North Bristol NHS Trust Adult Neurosurgery Department, Southmead Hospital is a regional centre providing Adult Neurosurgical care for Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire and the city of Bristol. The Skull Base team care for patients with cancerous and non-cancerous brain tumours including meningioma, vestibular schwannoma, pituitary tumours, chondrosarcoma, chordoma, epidermoid, olfactory neuroblastoma and para-nasal sinus cancer, all of which are often associated with complex symptomology and long-term morbidity. We require a Macmillan Support Worker who can work within the Skull Base service alongside the multi-disciplinary team to support patients from initial diagnosis, through their hospital pathway and beyond.
Main duties of the job
The Brain Tumour Support Worker will work with divisional cancer services, the multi- disciplinary team and NGS Macmillan Wellbeing Centre Managers to ensure patients are:
- Supported to regain as normal a life as possible
- Given advice for post operative recovery and where relevant about how to minimise their risk of developing further cancer or brain tumour related problems
- Given advice about possible signs of recurrence or long-term effects of treatment
- Enabled to re-access specialist services without delay should they need to do so
The Brain Tumour Support Worker will do this by:
- Working alongside the Advanced Nurse Practitioner and multi-disciplinary team
- Coordinating care by providing a single point of access
- Triaging patients, using a risk assessment framework and initiate appropriate response according to protocols
- Undertaking individual holistic needs assessments and care planning
- Providing basic telephone and face to face advice and refer on or sign-post to other sources of support
- Coordinating any necessary assessments
- Supporting information provision
- Guiding people through the use of self-assessment resources
- Participating in the organisation, delivery and administration of the Health and Wellbeing events and courses and other patient education sessions
- Documenting and monitoring all aspects of care coordination and service delivery, supporting data collection for audit
About us
North Bristol NHS Trust employs over 12,000 staff providing healthcare to the residents of Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset from our award-winning hospital building at Southmead. We are the regional Major Trauma Centre, and an internationally recognised centre of excellence in a range of services and major specialities. Our vision is that by enabling our teams to be the best that they can be, we will provide exceptional healthcare, personally delivered.
North Bristol NHS Trust values all people as individuals. We aim to be an anti-discriminatory organisation and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We welcome applicants from all underrepresented groups.
Bristol is consistently voted the best place to live in the UK, with vibrant local music, arts and gastronomic scenes, a wide range of modern and state of the art shopping, recreation and leisure facilities, a wealth of great local family days out, fantastic transport links for local, national and internal holidays, and it has a rich history. If you prefer country, village or smaller town living, our Trust is also easily commutable from a range of attractive locations in North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and South Wales (such as Portishead or Chepstow).
Job description
Job responsibilities
Under the guidance and supervision of the Advanced Nurse Practitioner team and NGS Macmillan Wellbeing Centre Management assist in the coordination of patient care throughout the pathway:
To provide general information and support about brain tumours / cancer and brain tumour support/ cancer services, to enable people to navigate the health and social care system and make choices that are best for their cancer and their life. A key aspect of the role involves daily and direct (e.g. face to face and telephone) communication with patients, relatives, carers, and other health and social care professionals. The information and nature of the communication required is sensitive due to potential nature of cancer. Communication in this context requires a high degree of empathy, understanding, diplomacy, honesty and integrity.
To proactively identify patient and carer needs using approved tools and procedures to ensure that people get the right support to meet their needs. The role requires use of good judgement in responding to the needs of individuals. The level of judgement required relates to identifying the complexity of the situation, providing appropriate advice and escalating to the registered practitioner where appropriate.
To coordinate access to the right information and education resources to support people in making decisions about aspects of their own care, enable independence and support self-management as appropriate. Develop a partnership approach to working in order to empower the patient and carers.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Under the guidance and supervision of the Advanced Nurse Practitioner team and NGS Macmillan Wellbeing Centre Management assist in the coordination of patient care throughout the pathway:
To provide general information and support about brain tumours / cancer and brain tumour support/ cancer services, to enable people to navigate the health and social care system and make choices that are best for their cancer and their life. A key aspect of the role involves daily and direct (e.g. face to face and telephone) communication with patients, relatives, carers, and other health and social care professionals. The information and nature of the communication required is sensitive due to potential nature of cancer. Communication in this context requires a high degree of empathy, understanding, diplomacy, honesty and integrity.
To proactively identify patient and carer needs using approved tools and procedures to ensure that people get the right support to meet their needs. The role requires use of good judgement in responding to the needs of individuals. The level of judgement required relates to identifying the complexity of the situation, providing appropriate advice and escalating to the registered practitioner where appropriate.
To coordinate access to the right information and education resources to support people in making decisions about aspects of their own care, enable independence and support self-management as appropriate. Develop a partnership approach to working in order to empower the patient and carers.
Person Specification
Education
Essential
- NVQ level 4 or NVQ level 3plus additional training to diploma level in health and social care
- GCSE English Language and Mathematics (Grades A-C) or equivalent
Work Experience
Essential
- Relevant health or social care experience at AFC and 3 or equivalent
- Experience of supporting/teaching patients and their carers
Desirable
- Experience in an administrative role and in the use of data management
- Experience of working in a multi-professional environment
Knowledge/skills/abilities
Essential
- Evidence of good communication skills and the ability to relate sensitively to patients
- IT and administrative skills
- Understanding of person centred care
- Understanding of the health and social care environment
- Have effective organisational skills
- Good observational, assessment and problem solving skills
- The ability to work within a team
Desirable
- Knowledge of NHS IT systems
- The ability to retrieve information from a wide range of sources
Person Specification
Education
Essential
- NVQ level 4 or NVQ level 3plus additional training to diploma level in health and social care
- GCSE English Language and Mathematics (Grades A-C) or equivalent
Work Experience
Essential
- Relevant health or social care experience at AFC and 3 or equivalent
- Experience of supporting/teaching patients and their carers
Desirable
- Experience in an administrative role and in the use of data management
- Experience of working in a multi-professional environment
Knowledge/skills/abilities
Essential
- Evidence of good communication skills and the ability to relate sensitively to patients
- IT and administrative skills
- Understanding of person centred care
- Understanding of the health and social care environment
- Have effective organisational skills
- Good observational, assessment and problem solving skills
- The ability to work within a team
Desirable
- Knowledge of NHS IT systems
- The ability to retrieve information from a wide range of sources
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).
