About this role
Job summary
Macmillan Cancer Support & Information Support Worker will be based at The Lodge Cancer Support and Information Centre. This role will provide advice and support during each patient's acute phase of treatment, from diagnosis to end of treatment, with the responsibility to refer on to our primary care and community services thereafter to deliver personalised care for all.
The post is patient, carer and public facing; much of the role will entail assessing holistic needs and care planning to provide direct information and support, or signposting to appropriate supportive services. Due to the drop-in nature of the service workloads can be variable and demanding, requiring the ability to prioritise and manage multiple tasks at times whilst being proactive in-service development at quieter times.
Main duties of the job
To provide general, specific and specialist information and support about cancer and cancer services, to ensure patients are signposted at all times during their treatment and beyond. Provide information and support for people living with and beyond their cancer diagnosis. Provide information and support for people with non-complex care needs. To engage with the community services in line with the Peronalised Care Agenda to support patients accessing services from home. Recording patient information on the Trusts Systems and undertaking holistic needs assessments as and when required. Supporting the introduction of the delivery of prehabilitation to improve patients' outcomes after Cancer.
About us
Why Work With Us
The Lodge provides advice and support to Cancer Patients and their families from diagnosis, during their acute phase of treatment both face to face and by telephone. The Lodge is supported by Macmillan Charity. We offer complementary therapies to our patients and clinics to discuss Benefits Advice. We offer a drop-in service and planned group sessions such as the HOPE programme.
Job description Job responsibilities
Provide sensitive support and guidance to individuals who contact The Lodge Cancer Support and Information Centre via multiple mediums i.e. face to face, telephone and MS teams.
Communicate all information and advice using a range of advanced communication skills including use of reassurance, tact, and empathy.
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.
Escalating complex decisions to the Manager or Cancer Support Team 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.
Support information delivery to patients and carers on a wide range of matters, including financial and benefits advice, grant applications, emotional support, fatigue management, complementary therapies and supportive therapies.
To facilitate wellbeing and relaxation sessions as delegated by, or alongside, The Lodge Manager i.e. HOPE course and other group sessions.
Support the Lodge Manager 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.
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 Lodge Manager, CNS, clinical team, community team where appropriate.
Organise and prioritise the designated workload in relation to identified needs.
Implement, monitor and review the care plan with the patient and carer, in line with standard operating procedures and protocols. This will entail arranging follow-up calls at specific intervals, signposting to other services and ensuring the care plan is updated as appropriate.
Organise appointments as required.
Make pre-planned outbound calls to patients to assess on going needs to enable a proactive prevention approach and ensure Holistic Needs assessments and care plans are offered to all appropriate patients at set time points.
Identify indicators of need or changes in need through telephone contact and respond appropriately.
To signpost patients/carers directly to information resources to support people in making decisions about aspects of their own care, enable independence and support selfmanagement 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.
Additional elements for the role:
Support and contribute to annual report and service review of this innovative new model of care and service provision.
Demonstrate self-directed learning, actively seeking role development opportunities to enhance practice, knowledge and role progression.
Identify personal education needs and skills development.
Provide administrative support to The Lodge Manager as the service requires (during times of leave and sickness).
Support the manager with day-to-day running of the Centre and support clinical teams when required i.e. by providing information, responding to queries and attending meetings.
In the absence of The Lodge Manager work with volunteers, allocating work and supervising their day to day activities.
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.
Provide training to new or less experienced employees or volunteers in The Lodge or Cancer Support Team.
Communication:
Communicate effectively with patients and carers and with a wide range of clinical and nonclinical 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.
De
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.
Support information delivery to patients and carers on a wide range of matters, including financial and benefits advice, grant applications, emotional support, fatigue management, complementary therapies and supportive therapies.
To facilitate wellbeing and relaxation sessions as delegated by, or alongside, The Lodge Manager i.e. HOPE course and other group sessions.
Support the Lodge Manager 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.
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 Lodge Manager, CNS, clinical team, community team where appropriate.
Organise and prioritise the designated workload in relation to identified needs.
Implement, monitor and review the care plan with the patient and carer, in line with standard operating procedures and protocols. This will entail arranging follow-up calls at specific intervals, signposting to other services and ensuring the care plan is updated as appropriate.
Organise appointments as required.
Make pre-planned outbound calls to patients to assess on going needs to enable a proactive prevention approach and ensure Holistic Needs assessments and care plans are offered to all appropriate patients at set time points.
Identify indicators of need or changes in need through telephone contact and respond appropriately.
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.
Additional elements for the role:
Support and contribute to annual report and service review of this innovative new model of care and service provision.
Demonstrate self-directed learning, actively seeking role development opportunities to enhance practice, knowledge and role progression.
Identify personal education needs and skills development.
Provide administrative support to The Lodge Manager as the service requires (during times of leave and sickness).
Support the manager with day-to-day running of the Centre and support clinical teams when required i.e. by providing information, responding to queries and attending meetings.
In the absence of The Lodge Manager work with volunteers, allocating work and supervising their day to day activities.
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.
Provide training to new or less experienced employees or volunteers in The Lodge or Cancer Support Team.
Person Specification
Essential Essential
NVQ Level 3 in health & Social Care oDirect patient care. Experience of working in clinics and/or inpatient setting oKnowledge and/or experience of working directly with people with cancer oAdministrative and organisational experience oAbility to support and communicate virtually oExperience of dealing with routine and complex problems and escalation oProviding emotional support at Level 1 and 2. oExcellent communication skills. Able to learn and assimilate information quickly oProven ability to work to deadlines, prioritise and multitask oTo have awareness of limitations and boundaries
Desirable
oDiploma or equivalent appropriate qualification, e.g. foundation degree oCourses/further study attended to demonstrate evidence of personal development oProficient in the use of hospital computerised patient systems EPIC oEvidence of using Microsoft Teams by way of supporting patients oKnowledge and/or experience of the Holistic Needs Assessment oLevel 2 Psychological skills training oExperience of coaching/counselling oExperience in systems such as Microsoft office, Microsoft Teams, & EPIC oAdvanced communication skills
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship 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).
Employer details Employer name Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust
Address The Lodge
Torbay Annexe
Torquay
TQ2 7AA
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.torbayandsouthdevon.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)