Cancer Support Worker

Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust; Bath; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Cancer Support Worker to join the Cancer Support Team, based at an NHS site. You will provide emotional and practical support, lead Holistic Needs Assessments, and help develop personalised care plans for people affected by cancer.

Working with the multidisciplinary team, you will signpost to services, coordinate non-clinical support, and ensure timely access to care while maintaining confidentiality and compassion.

Qualifications

• GCSE English and Maths at A-C or equivalent.
• NVQ4 or NVQ3 in Health and Social Care plus diploma-level training or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Act as single point of access for patient concerns and signposting.
• Support patients to navigate cancer care and access services.
• Document and monitor all care coordination activities.
• Signpost patients and carers to community resources.

Skills

MS Office

Communication skills

Problem solving

Empathy

Education

GCSE English and Mathematics (Grades A-C) or equivalent

NVQ4 or NVQ3 in Health and Social Care or equivalent plus additional training to diploma level equivalent

Tools

NHS Patient Administration System

Job description

Job Overview

We have an exciting opportunity to join our Cancer Support Team as a Cancer Support Worker based at Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust We are recruiting for:

• 1 x Full-Time position (37.5 hours per week)
• 1 x Part-Time position (22.5 hours per week)

As a Cancer Support Worker, you will be an integral part of the Cancer Support Team, working under the supervision of the Cancer Support Lead, Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), Lead Cancer Nurse and Macmillan Lead Cancer AHP. The primary purpose of this role is to support people affected by cancer to navigate the often-complex health and social care system during and following cancer treatment, as part of the Personalised Care and Support agenda. Working across services and in partnership with the wider multidisciplinary team, you will coordinate and facilitate non-clinical support tailored to individual needs.

You will provide emotional and practical support to patients following a diagnosis of cancer, leading on the delivery of Holistic Needs Assessments and the development of personalised care plans. These conversations aim to identify and address concerns, understand what matters most to the individual, and ensure they are signposted to the most appropriate services, resources and sources of support.

The post holder will demonstrate excellent communication and organisational skills, with the ability to work independently, exercise initiative and manage a varied workload. You will be committed to ongoing learning and development and consistently demonstrate professionalism, confidentiality and integrity. In addition, you will signpost patients and carers to relevant information, community resources and support services based on their identified needs, helping them access the right support at the right time throughout their cancer journey.

This is an excellent opportunity for a compassionate, motivated and patient-centred individual who is passionate about improving the experience and outcomes of people living with and beyond cancer, while contributing to the delivery of high-quality personalised care services.

Please note that this vacancy can't be sponsored for.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will act as a single point of access for patient concerns, signposting and supporting patients on an individual basis, liaising closely with clinical teams to enable rapid access to clinical review for those patients who are identified as requiring urgent or specialist needs.

The post holder will support and give advice to help patients minimise the risk of developing further cancer-related problems including possible signs of recurrence or long-term effects of treatment.

The post holder will ensure people affected by cancer have access to appropriate information and support to enable them to self-manage post treatment where appropriate.

The role will require a number of administrative duties and will be required to document and monitor all aspects of care coordination and service delivery.

Please see attached Job description and person specification for full details of roles and responsibilities.

Working for our organisation

Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust (SFT) is part of the Bath, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW) Hospitals Group, alongside Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust. Together, we are committed to delivering outstanding, sustainable healthcare through collaboration, innovation and excellent patient care.

With a history spanning more than 250 years, SFT combines a proud heritage with a forward-looking approach to healthcare. We employ more than 4,000 staff, provide around 470 beds and deliver acute, specialist and regional services across Wiltshire and beyond.

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to creating an inclusive, supportive workplace where colleagues feel valued, developed and empowered to reach their potential. Flexible working helps colleagues balance work and personal commitments while meeting the needs of patients.

We offer NHS benefits including the NHS Pension Scheme, generous annual leave, staff discounts and onsite facilities.

Salisbury offers an exceptional quality of life, combining a historic city with beautiful countryside, access to the south coast and excellent transport links. Find out more at Experience Salisbury.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

Please see attached Job description and person specification for full details of roles and responsibilities.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• GCSE English and Mathematics (Grades A-C) or equivalent
• NVQ4 or NVQ3 in Health and Social Care or equivalent plus additional training to diploma level equivalent or equivalent through short courses

Desirable criteria

• Evidence of continued professional development
• Basic coaching or counselling qualification
• Psychological Level 2 training
• Communication training

Experience

Essential criteria

• Knowledge and experience of a full range of administrative processes
• Experience of maintaining comprehensive record keeping
• Experience of using a NHS Patient Administration System
• NHS experience

Desirable criteria

• Experience of coordinating a patient workload
• Overview of cancer treatments, care and terminology
• Understanding of personalised care including Holistic Needs Assessment, care plans, Personalised Stratified Follow Up and information needs.

Knowledge & Skills

Essential criteria

• Excellent working knowledge and experience of Microsoft Office and Windows systems
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, with the ability to communicate in a clear and articulate manner
• Ability to work flexibly depending on the needs of the service
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to build strong working relationships across teams and staff groups
• Ability to use own initiative and problem solve
• Ability to prioritise and deliver against a background of competing demands
• Interest in and commitment to improving quality in healthcare
• Ability to work under pressure with minimal supervision
• Ability to demonstrate integrity and discretion when working with confidential informatio
• Demonstrates empathy and sensitivity

Desirable criteria

• Understanding of health and social care environment
• Experience of coaching/teaching patients and carers

Please note - Due to recent changes in UK immigration and visa rules applicants who do not currently have the right to work in the UK may not be considered unless an alternative right to work solution can be provided. Candidates requiring sponsorship (or will need sponsorship at the end of a current visa e.g. those with graduate visa's) should review the eligibility criteria on the gov.uk website before applying: Prove your right to work to an employer: Overview - GOV.UK

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

Documents to download

• Job Description (PDF, 238.0KB)
• Facts About Salisbury (PDF, 214.5KB)

Further details / informal visits contact

Name Anett Hallai Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 01722336262