Upper GI Cancer Support Worker - Band 4

at  Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an individual who has a special interest in cancer care to join our established Upper G.I Surgery & Oncology teams. We are looking for an individual who is highly motivated, enthusiastic, organised, compassionate, reliable and flexible who can prioritise their workload and demonstrate excellence in cancer care.
You must possess excellent communication skills, be able to exercise initiative and demonstrate a consistently high standard of professionalism, being aware of the need for confidentiality and integrity.
The support worker is a crucial part of our specialist team in giving additional support to patients & their carers when facing a distressing cancer diagnosis.
The postholder will be an integral part of the Cancer Team, who will work closely under the supervision of the Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) however will also need to be able to work independently as patient interactions, intervention or practise dictates.
The main purpose of the role is to support people to navigate the complex health and social care system, before, during and/or following completion of cancer treatment. This will include patients on curative intent & palliative pathways.
The post holder will coordinate care by delivering emotional and practical support to patients & their carers with a diagnosis of cancer. You will specifically lead in the delivery of Holistic Needs Assessment’s which aim to identify and address patient’s concerns.
Additional to the specialist Upper G.I team work, you will work as part of the wider Cancer Support Worker Team and have support from the Lead Cancer Support Worker. You must be willing to undertake on-going training and development
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is the largest employer in the county and with over 8,000 staff, we are one of the largest NHS trusts in the UK. We offer a generous annual leave allowance, excellent bank rates, access to the excellent NHS Pension Scheme, discounts for local shops, restaurants and services, access to our health and well-being hub, access to our two on-site nurseries, flexible working options, discounted public transport, reward and recognition schemes, exercise and activity classes and membership to our popular hospital choir.
Key Result Areas
The duties and responsibilities listed below should be undertaken in accordance with levels of competence. In addition, all staff are expected to act in accordance with the values and behaviours of the Trust.

Under the guidance and supervision of a registered practitioner:

• To provide general information and support about 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, virtual 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 the nature of cancer. Communication in this context requires a high degree of empathy, understanding, diplomacy, honesty and integrity.
• To utilise verbal and non-verbal communication skills to effectively communicate with patients, their families and carers. This will include patients/carers who may or may not have barriers to communication through cognitive or physical impairment e.g. hearing or visual impairment, confusion and depression.
• To meet the challenge of supporting patients living with the consequences of a cancer diagnosis. Encompassing patients receiving curative and palliative treatments and supportive care.
• Establish a process of Holistic Needs Assessment. Undertaking patient assessments and formulating individual Care Plans to best suit patient needs and preferences.
• To be responsible for accessing written resources to provide information for patients and carers.
• To integrate the support worker role into the existing service with the aim of maintaining personalised care, ensuring an excellent level of patient experience.
• To support the CNS team by contributing to the redesign of care pathways for patients with an Upper GI cancer in order to improve quality and patient safety.
• To undertake by negotiation, administrative tasks currently undertaken by the CNS team ie monitoring of database, monitoring telephone helpline.
• Provide basic telephone advice and refer on or signpost to other sources of support.
• Communicate and signpost to appropriate needs related information.
• To be actively involved in service development plans such as Prehab etc.
• Guide people through the use of self-assessment resources.
• To strengthen the links with primary and secondary services and refer to multi-disciplinary team members as appropriate
• Be proactive and motivated; to be able to identify areas of potential future role development, and demonstrate how this will contribute to an enhanced provision of patient care within the team.
• To undertake specific supervised and unsupervised work, organising and prioritising own caseload (within clearly defined boundaries).
• To directly support patients with non-complex needs, providing practical support and advice.
• To comply with Trust and Departmental policies and procedures e.g, Health and Safety at Work Act (1974), Manual Handline, clinical equipment competency, risk management, Data Protection Acts and patient confidentiality at all times. This will include demonstrating compliance with the terms of all safeguarding policies and processes relevant to the safeguarding of adults and children in the care of GHNHSFT and to undergo regular mandatory training concerned with safeguarding matters.
• Support people to access appropriate information and support, by sign-posting to a range of support services and take an approach which helps people to self-manage where appropriate
• Advise patients on individual self-care management principles and review/further promote this information
• Encourage and support active and healthy lifestyle choices
• Planning/inviting/organising of health and well-being events or other supported self-management

Communications and Working Relationships

• To utilise verbal and nonverbal communication skills to effectively communicate with patients, their families and carers. This may include patients/carers who may or may not have barriers to communication e.g., language, through cognitive or physical impairment
• To co-ordinate 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.
• To motivate patients to enrol in rehabilitation, where there may be reluctance or communication difficulties
• Comment on proposed changes to policies and procedures
• Support and contribute to audit processes and service development
• Make sure that people affected by cancer are aware that they are interacting with a healthcare professional and know about the full range of resources and services available
• Understand that there will be frequent exposure to distressing/highly distressing situations and when to seek appropriate support/advice
• Take an active part in team meetings and audits as required
• Support people to access appropriate information and support, by sign-posting to a range of support services and take an approach which helps people to self-manage where appropriate
• Encourage and support active and healthy lifestyle choices
• To form a link with all health and well-being events, referring patients as appropriate
• To encourage patients to enrol in prehab recommendations to optimise outcomes
• Deliver patient-centred, self-management support and education as necessary to non-complex patients, including how to self-assess

Mental and Emotional effort

• Make sure that people affected by cancer are aware that they are interacting with a healthcare professional and know about the full range of resources and services available
• Understand that there will be frequent exposure to distressing/highly distressing situations and when to seek appropriate support/advice
• Demonstrate an awareness of the limits of own practice and knowledge and when to seek appropriate support/advice

Most Challenging Part of the Job

• Frequent exposure to emotional challenges when dealing with relatives and/or carers coping with uncertainty, loss of status/role, grief and physical change
• Frequent use of IT equipment, e.g. laptops
• Occasional exposure to aggressive or abusive patients or relatives
• To utilise the appropriate skills to communicate and assess patients being or having been treated for cancer or receiving supportive care.
• Assisting patients to contribute to the development of their own care plan, empowering them to make decisions at times where there may be anxiety and uncertainty.
• To encourage patients to enrol in prehab recommendations to optimise outcomes.
• To motivate patients to enrol in rehabilitation, when there may be reluctance or communication difficulties.
• To provide high quality care in a fast paced, ever changing working environment within the resources available. To contribute to the delivery of Trust Targets and National cancer initiatives.
• To manage an unpredictable workload additional to a scheduled timetable.
• To manage own stresses and emotional wellbeing within an emotionally challenging cancer group.

Physical Effort and Working Conditions

• To receive regular clinical supervision as required
• Demonstrate self-directed learning, actively seeking role development opportunities to enhance knowledge and role progression
• Identify personal education needs and skills development with the registered practitioner
• Carry out some administration duties required by the role
• Order supplies and equipment
• Demonstrate an awareness of the limits of own practice and knowledge and when to seek appropriate support/advice

Please refer the Job description for details