Screening Specialist Practitioner Bowel Cancer Screening Programme

Transformationunitgm; Gateshead; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS Trust is seeking a Specialist Screening Practitioner to join their Bowel Cancer Screening Programme. You will work within a multidisciplinary team to ensure patient-centered care and support, coordinating necessary health processes while adhering to national standards. This full-time role offers a competitive salary and requires proven nursing expertise.

Benefits

Health and wellbeing support initiatives

Opportunities for professional development

Work-life balance initiatives

Qualifications

• Significant experience working in Gastroenterology, colorectal or endoscopy specialities.
• Demonstrable experience in audit and change management.
• Evidence of ongoing professional development.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and provide care within the Screening Programme.
• Advocate for patients during their screening journey.
• Capture accurate clinical information during examinations.

Skills

Leadership skills

Advanced interpersonal skills

Communication skills

IT skills

Education

Registered Nurse

Nursing or health related degree

Leadership qualification

Specialist Screening Practitioner certificate

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel

Job description

Main area South of Tyne Bowel cancer programme Grade NHS AfC: Band 6 Contract Permanent: n/a Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (rota for Saturday post procedure patient calls) Job ref 297-7091016

Employer Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Queen Elizabeth Hospital Town Gateshead Salary £37,338 - £44,962 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 25/06/2025 08:00

NHS AfC: Band 6

In the event of excessive applications being received this vacancy may close earlier than the stated closing date, you are encouraged to submit your application as soon as possible

IMPORTANT NOTE ON COMPLETION OF REFERENCE SECTION OF APPLICATION FORM

All references from current and previous employers will be sought and MUST cover a minimum of 3 years employment. Therefore, when completing the reference section of your application form, please give the address, telephone number and work email address of each of your current/previous line managers that cover 3 years employment. Where possible this should be from two separate employers. Failure to complete this section may result in your application not being processed.

PLEASE NOTEit is a requirement of this Trust that all successful applicants pay for their DBS certificate if a check is required for the post. This will be done through deduction from your monthly pay over a maximum of three months. It is also a requirement that all successful applicants register or are registered with the DBS update service where a DBS is required.

All new entrants to the NHS will be appointed on the minimum of the pay scale in line with Terms & Conditions.

Job overview

To support the Lead Specialist Screening Practitioner in delivering the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme across the South of Tyne Bowel Cancer Screening Centre (South Tyneside & Sunderland NHS FT, and Gateshead NHS Foundation Trusts) as part of a Screening specialist practitioner team

Main duties of the job

As part of a SSP team the post holder will;

• Work collaboratively with the Hub
• Coordinate and provide care from the screening centre to address the needs of individuals, arising as a consequent of the Screening Programme
• Acting as the patient’s advocate, supporting them to navigate and make informed choices at all stages of the screening programme
• To assist the Health Improvement Practitioner in the co-ordination of health promotion activities with local health promotion services to improve access to screening across all sections of the population.

Working for our organisation

Based in the North East of England we provide a range of hospital and community health services from our leading facilities, including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Blaydon urgent care centre and Bensham Hospital, all within Gateshead.

Established in 2005, we were one of the first foundation trusts in the country and since then have consistently achieved the highest levels of care for patients.

We now employ around 4,800 staff and currently provide 444 hospital beds across the Gateshead region.

Our values should be the ‘golden thread’ which runs through everything we do – they are the core of who we are. Our five values can easily be remembered by the simple acronymICORE; Innovation, Care, Openness, Respect, Engagement.

We have a number of staff networks including the Global Ethnic Majority (GEM) network, D-Ability network, LGBTQ+ Network and the Women’s Network, to challenge us and help us to constantly improve. Our Armed Forces network is one of our emerging networks.

The health and wellbeing of our staff is one of our highest priorities, and we offer a range of support and initiatives as part of our ‘Balance’ programme balancegateshead.com to cater for our diverse workforce, so that your individual needs can be supported, allowing you a happy and healthy working experience with us.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The post holder would be part of a multi-disciplinary team taking a patient centred approach to delivery a high standard of care. The post holder would be expected to;

· Successfully undertake and complete a course of recognised study as determined by NHS Cancer Screening Programme.

· Undertake 3 days residential training course for BCSS

· Work in capacity aligned to national screening standards for SSP

· Assist and support professionals from the multi-disciplinary team with agreed clinical, administrative activities

· Have the ability to concentrate and manage multiple tasks within a busy environment, managing interruptions and queries during clinic sessions.

· Work without direct supervision in the detailed and accurate capture of clinical information during bowel scope examinations, to uphold screening service reputation.

· Advise clinical staff of examination criteria as mandated by the NHS Cancer Screening Programme

· Will take responsibility for managing own usage of supplied equipment

· Adhere to good practice and Trust policy when assessing and implementing manual handling techniques

· Work unsupervised and plan ahead in the preparation of examination rooms when assisting during varied work lists

· Use initiative to maintain work flow and ensure minimum waiting times, liaising with senior staff if problems/ potential problems arise

· Provide support to patients pre, during and post endoscopic examinations

· Ensure all areas and equipment are kept clean and tidy in accordance with Trust infection control policy

· Safely handle pathology specimens in the appropriate manner, observing Trust infection control procedures and ensuring specimens are correctly identified and transported to pathology department

· Will ensure that all bowel specimens are checked with a qualified nurse prior to transportation

· Will work with BCSS ensuring all data is correctly inputted and presented correctly to progress the patient pathway

· Must audit own work according to NHSBCSP standards

· Will have the knowledge to provide patients/clients with accurate basic information on benign bowel conditions.

· Adhere to code of practice for safe administration of medicines.

· Restock bowel preparation supplies from pharmacy, ensuring rotation of stock including monitoring of expiry dates

· Participate in BCSP Quality Assurance duties and maintenance of CQC evidence under supervision of a Screening Practitioner

· Ensure efficient and timely workflow in the endoscopy procedure room

· Have good IT skills to enable them to work with BCSS and Microsoft Office packages

· Must work in accordance with Gateshead Health NHS FT and departmental policies and protocols

Person specification

essential and desirable

• Registered Nurse
• Demonstrable leadership skills Evidence of managing change Advanced interpersonal and communication skills Demonstrates ability to coordinate and manage own workload appropriately Able to motivate and work effectively within a team Proficient with Microsoft Office and Excel
• nursing or health related degree
• Leadership qualification Specialist Screening Practitioner certificate Advanced IT skills
• Demonstrable experience in audit Experience of change management Evidence of ongoing professional development

experience

• significant experience working in Gastroenterology, colorectal or endoscopy specialities

Applicants who have not been contacted within 4 weeks of the closing date are to assume that their application has been unsuccessful.

Applications from job seekers who require Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications where the post is eligible. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab) .

Candidates who require sponsorship are strongly advised to visit the UK Border Agency website and familiarise themselves with what is required. There is a facility on this site to access the points based calculator and work through an example which should assist candidates in their understanding of the process.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Name Carolyn Harper Job title Bowel Cancer Screening Programme Manager Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 01914456193