Cancer Support Worker

We are delighted to offer the opportunity for a Cancer Support Worker to join our team to work alongside the Uro-Oncology Clinical teams.This Band 4 role will be based in Sutton for 22.5 hours/week.

The successful candidate will be supported by committed and established teams and provide a single access point for patients and their carers. In addition, the successful candidate will provide administrative support to the teams to facilitate the smooth running of the patient pathway.

We are looking for a candidate who is enthusiastic and articulate with excellent communication and organisational skills.

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is a world-renowned cancer centre, offering comprehensive holistic care to patients affected by cancer. As an organisation we care for the greatest number of cancer patients in London. We are well resourced with a skilled multi-professional workforce and established academic links and status. We have a history of innovation in medical treatments and in the field of clinical role development and patient led initiatives. This enables our patients to be diagnosed early and get the treatment and care which is best for their cancer and for their life (MO 1 and 3).

Under the supervision of the Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), the main purpose of the AfC Band 4 Support Workers-Care co-ordination, is to support people to navigate the complex health and social care system during and following completion of cancer treatment. The post holder will coordinate care by providing a single point of access, including rapid re-entry into the system for those people identified as having urgent or specialist needs; and coordinate care, education and support for people with noncomplex care needs. Education and training will be provided for post holders.

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is a world-leading cancer centre. Our role is to offer our patients the best cancer care available anywhere in the world, and to continue to make a global contribution to finding better ways of diagnosing and treating cancer. We employ over 4,500 staff in a diverse range of careers including nursing, medical, science, radiography, pharmacy, occupational therapy, finance and administrative services. We have two hospitals – one in Chelsea, London, and one in Sutton, Surrey – as well as a Medical Daycare Unit in Kingston Hospital

At The Royal Marsden, we deal with cancer every day, so we understand how valuable life is. When people entrust their lives to us, they have the right to demand the very best. That's why the pursuit of excellence lies at the heart of everything we do.

At the heart of the hospital is our dedicated team. We offer a stimulating and dynamic working environment, a wide range of staff benefits and learning and development opportunities. We are looking for employees who aspire to excellence, share our values and can play a crucial role in our on-going achievements.

For further information on this role, please see the attached detailed Job Description and Person Specification.

• Coordinate care by providing a single point of access, including rapid re-entry into the system for those people identified as having urgent or specialist needs.
• To provide general information and support about cancer and 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 the nature of cancer. Communication in this context requires a high degree of empathy, understanding, diplomacy, honesty and integrity.
• Triage incoming calls, using a risk assessment framework and initiate appropriate response according to protocols and individual pathways, using good communication skills, basic clinical awareness and appropriate tools and procedures, liaising as appropriate when non routine and refer complex decisions to the team for assessment and review.
• Provide basic telephone advice and refer on or sign-post to other sources of support.
• Coordinate the necessary assessments, appointments or investigations to fast track people back into the system if required.
• Demonstrate the ability to recognise and respond appropriately when faced with a sudden deterioration or an emergency situation, alerting the team or enabling rapid response as appropriate.