Urology Cancer Support Worker

Job description

Job responsibilities

Detailed job description and responsibilities

Communication and working relationships

• Communicate effectively with patients and carers and with a wide range of clinical and non-clinical stakeholders in secondary and community settings
• Communicate sensitively and compassionately in (potentially) high emotive situations with patients and carers, demonstrating tact, reassurance, empathy, understanding, diplomacy, honesty and integrity
• Ability to deal with complex and difficult situations and handle difficult questions
• Demonstrate an awareness of limits of practice and seek appropriate support and guidance
• Actively engage with the key voluntary sector and community stakeholders
• Provide sensitive support and guidance to individuals who contact The Urology Cancer Nursing Service Support via multiple mediums i.e. face to face, telephone and MS teams
• Support information delivery to patients and carers on a wide range of matters within your field of expertise and recognise when onward referral is required
• Assist in the triage of incoming phone calls and drop ins. This will include consideration of callers information and support needs, provision of verbal and written information, supportive listening, action planning and signposting to available services and support
• Communicate all information and advice using a range of advanced communication skills including use of reassurance, tact, and empathy
• Support the team with day-to-day running of the service and support clinical teams when required i.e. by providing information, responding to queries and attending meetings
• Key relationships will be with:
• Patients and Carers
• Primary Care
• The local community/public
• Lead Cancer Nurse
• Cancer Services Manager
• Consultants and other medical/nursing staff
• Cancer Nurse Specialists
• The Lodge Cancer Support and Information Centre staff
• Wider Cancer Services Team
• Community teams and services
• Trust administrative staff
• Lodge volunteers

Planning and organisational skills

• Support the Cancer Nurses in co-ordinating the day to day running of the information and support services
• To support data collection to facilitate service improvements, quality and audit
• Organise and prioritise the designated workload in relation to identified needs
• Organise appointments as required
• Make pre-planned outbound calls to patients to assess on going needs to enable a proactive prevention approach

Analytical and judgemental skills

• Escalating complex decisions/queries to the Clinical Nurse specialists for assessment and review
• Ensure that situations or enquiries requiring specialist intervention are referred appropriately and in a timely fashion
• Demonstrate the ability to recognise and respond appropriately when faced with an individual in crisis and to act as appropriate, knowing when to signpost or refer onwards
• Identify indicators of need or changes in need through telephone contact and respond appropriately

Responsibility for patient and client care

• To proactively identify patient and carer needs using the appropriate assessment and process to ensure that people get the right support to meet their needs. The role requires use of judgment in responding to the needs of individuals. The level of judgment required relates to identifying the complexity of the situation, providing appropriate advice and escalating to the Cancer Nurses, clinical team, community team where appropriate
• To signpost patients/carers directly to information resources to support people in making decisions about aspects of their own care, enable independence and support self-management as appropriate
• Support the delivery of patient and carer information around topics such as reducing the risk of cancer and living with cancer and beyond treatment
• Encourage and support active and healthy lifestyle choices
• Support patients and carers to understand what signs, symptoms or situations to be aware of that would indicate concern
• Support and inform patients and carers to understand how to make contact when they feel that their condition or needs have changed, including what to do out of hours

Policy and service development

• Support and contribute to annual report and service review of this innovative new model of care and service provision
• Contribute to the continuous improvement and development of the service, identifying areas for change / improvement, suggesting new approaches and implementing changes in practice identified through other routes, such as surveys

Responsibility and accountability

• Demonstrate self-directed learning, actively seeking role development opportunities to enhance practice, knowledge and role progression
• Identify personal education needs and skills development
• Deputise at meetings where appropriate
• Maintain absolute patient confidentiality at all times in accordance with Trust policy and the legal framework such as the Data Protection Act
• Attend corporate induction, participate and complete ongoing mandatory training including attendance at mandatory training sessions as directed. Participate in the Performance Development Review process (appraisal) in line with National and Trust Policies

Information technology and administrative duties

• Maintain accurate records using a wide range of trust systems
• Provide administrative support to PSA tracker service, ensuring blood tests required are actioned and documented on the appropriate IT systems
• Regularly utilise Trust Information Systems such as PAS, Infoflex, and any third-party system used for monitoring cancer patients. Competent in use of Microsoft Word, Excel and Publisher in order to support Lodge data collection

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential

• Diploma or equivalent qualification

Desirable

• Evidence of personal development through further study

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Direct patient care. Experience of working in clinics and/or outpatient or inpatient setting
• Knowledge and/or experience of working directly with people with cancer
• Administrative and organisational experience
• Ability to support and communicate virtually
• Experience of dealing with routine and complex problems and escalation

Desirable

• Proficient in the use of hospital computerised patient systems
• Evidence of using Microsoft Teams by way of supporting patients
• Knowledge and/or experience of the Holistic Needs Assessment

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

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Urology Outpatient Department

Paignton Health & Wellbeing Centre

Paignton

TQ3 3AG

Employer's website

https://www.torbayandsouthdevon.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)