Lung Cancer Screening Assistant Practitioner

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust; West Midlands Combined Authority; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent NHS Trust in the UK is seeking a Lung Cancer Screening Associate Practitioner to join their multidisciplinary team. The role focuses on patient communication regarding CT scan results, supporting the screening programme, and collaborating with nursing staff to enhance patient experiences. Ideal candidates will have strong communication skills and a commitment to patient care. This is a unique opportunity to play a pivotal role in early lung cancer detection.

Responsibilities

• Communicate CT scan results to patients and identify potential delays.
• Review low risk individuals with red flag symptoms for escalation.
• Encourage patient participation in the screening programme.
• Travel to CT sites for service needs.
• Provide immunisation reports as required.
• Collaborate with nursing staff to enhance patient experience.
• Manage patient information and co-ordinate pathways.
• Provide information about the Lung Cancer Screening programme.
• Conduct lung health assessments for eligibility.
• Answer queries about the programme for informed decisions.
• Facilitate access for patients with barriers in collaboration with services.
• Communicate effectively and compassionately with patients.
• Monitor the Lung Cancer Screening inbox regularly.
• Communicate CT scan results to patients when required.
• Educate patients on basic CT findings and healthy lifestyles.
• Conduct assessments for follow-up scans.
• Support patients following the Lung Cancer Screening pathway.
• Utilise clinical software systems for appropriateness of LDCT scans.

Job description

Overview

The overall purpose of the Lung Cancer Screening (LCS) Programme is to enable the early detection of lung cancer in order to save lives. Coventry & Warwickshire Health & Care Partnership and the West Midlands Cancer Alliance have identified high disease and smoking prevalence areas within Coventry where a significant impact can be made from detecting early-stage lung cancer. The Lung Cancer Screening Associate Practitioner will form an integral part of the multidisciplinary team and will work as part of the Lung Cancer screening team under the guidance and supervision of a registered practitioner.

Responsibilities

• Communicate CT scan results to patients and identify and address any potential delays in the patient7s journey.
• Clinically review low risk individuals who may present red flag symptoms or concerns, ensuring appropriate escalation to the specialist nursing team.
• Encourage patients to participate in the screening programme to detect signs of lung cancer or incidental findings at an early stage.
• Possibly travel to CT scanner sites and other hospital locations to deliver equipment or support service needs; have access to a vehicle for work purposes.
• Provide an immunisation and vaccination report as required from the current UK occupational health provider or UK GP.
• Collaborate with senior nursing and management staff to uphold and enhance the focus on the patient and carer experience at each stage of their journey.
• Support the Lung Cancer Screening Team by responding to non-complex workload and referring to the Nursing Team as appropriate.
• Ensure appropriate management of patient information and the co-ordination of patient pathways through collaborative working.
• Use the expertise of professional colleagues while acknowledging the boundaries of different roles.
• Provide patients with comprehensive information about the Lung Cancer Screening programme, its objectives, and subsequent steps.
• Conduct lung health check assessments to assess eligibility for the Lung Cancer Screening programme and for further investigations, and provide basic advice and support.
• Review individuals at low risk of lung cancer with red flag symptoms and escalate to the nursing team when appropriate.
• Answer queries or concerns about the programme to ensure participants are fully aware and can make informed decisions.
• Facilitate access to screening for patients with potential barriers (e.g., Learning Difficulties, Mental Health Capacity Concerns) in collaboration with relatives, carers and specialist services.
• Communicate effectively and compassionately with patients, providing reassurance and support, including in complex circumstances.
• Respond to telephone calls and monitor the Lung Cancer Screening generic inbox regularly.
• Communicate 24-month CT scan results, including those with actionable incidental findings, to patients via letters and telephone consultations when required.
• Inform patients of basic CT findings (e.g., emphysema, aortic valve calcification, osteoporosis, coronary artery calcification) and educate on healthy lifestyles, smoking cessation, and onward referral as needed.
• Conduct telephone assessments for patients due a 24-month recall scan to check attendance and any medical changes since initial assessment.
• Support patients in following the Lung Cancer Screening pathway per current protocols, including patients outside the local area, ensuring consistent interventions and follow-up where required.
• Utilise clinical software systems (e.g., EPR and Soliton) and the patient administration system (PAS) to check that LDCT scans are appropriate and escalate to the nursing team as needed.
• Refer to the attached job description for further details of the role.

Additional Information

• Secondment will be considered for internal candidates.
• If successful after interview, you must obtain approval from your current line manager to accept the offer.
• Closing Date: This job advert will close as soon as sufficient applications have been received. Please apply promptly if interested.
• University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust is rated as good by the Care Quality Commission and is one of the largest teaching Trusts in the UK.
• We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and to creating an environment where equality and human rights principles are promoted and embedded in the organisation7s core values.