Cancer Support Assistant inChesterfield inChesterfield PUBLISHED THU 16 JAN 2025

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated and proactive individual to contribute to the co-ordination of the care provided to cancer patients.

Our cancer pathway team keeps track of all the suspected and diagnosed cancer patients making sure they are seen and treated as soon as possible and within national cancer waiting time targets. We support the weekly multi-disciplinary team meetings and as an integral member of these teams you will be involved in managing the pathway accurately in the preparation and collation of clinical information as well as the meticulous capture of cancer data for national clinical audits. Previous experience is not essential as training will be provided.

You will need to be a good communicator as you will be dealing with clinical and administrative teams both within and across other Trusts.

You will be joining at an exciting time as we continue to expand and improve our Cancer waiting times for Patients. We are looking for someone who is passionate about delivering earlier cancer pathways by ensuring a co-ordinated and smooth service for patients through their pathway.

The core purpose of this role is to support the team of MDT Coordinators in providing efficient, patient centered pathways to help meet the demanding cancer targets. This will ensure coordination of the patient journey and accurate data collection for all tumour sites.

The post holder will work with the MDT Coordinators to ensure that all relevant patients have accurate data collection and validation to enable effective patient tracking of all suspected and positively diagnosed cancer patients in line with the Cancer Waiting Times and COSD guidelines. This role will be focusing on the new 28 day target and using the tracking and electronic recording systems currently in use by the Trust, to ensure that patients do not breach any targets set currently or in the future.

The post holder will be supporting the team of MDT Coordinators in all aspects of their role from MDT preparation to tracking patients through the patient journey. The post holder must be able to communicate sensitively and effectively with a wide range of people including other colleagues, medical and nursing staff, other outside agencies and other departments throughout the Trust.

About us

1. Key Result Areas

These are the key areas that support the purpose of the job:

1. To ensure that diagnostic tests are achieved within the national and local Cancer Waiting Time targets for specific tumour sites
2. To complete the daily input of referrals and checking of outcomes of patients attending outpatient clinics via Two Week Wait referrals to progress the booking of any required tests within deemed timescales to ensure optimal pathway for patients
3. To support the MDT Coordinators along with clinical colleagues in collating, validating and entering relevant patient information onto InfoFlex on a daily basis to ensure that accurate timely patient information is available at all times
4. To contribute towards the data collection of the national Day 28 Faster Diagnosis Standard dataset
5. To provide support to the MDT Coordinators with MDT preparation to enable timely patient discussion
6. To actively participate in the annual appraisal process and work towards yearly objectives
7. To support the MDT Coordinators in ensuring that all mandatory dataset items pertinent to national guidelines are collected specifically for Cancer Waiting Times, COSD and National Audits
8. To maintain an up to date knowledge of disease sites in order to be able to provide cover during absences
9. Be responsible for escalating any issues which will adversely affect a patient's pathway and in accordance with the specific Trust cancer waiting times policy.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

1. To act in line with the Trust's CARE values.
2. To maintain patient confidentiality at all times.
3. To actively participate in the staff appraisal process.
4. To be familiar with relevant Operational, Personnel, Health and Safety Policies and procedures, including Fire, COSHH, No Smoking and Alcohol.
5. It is the responsibility of every employee to actively help the Trust prevent and control infection by washing their hands effectively, carrying out their duties in a way which minimises infection, attending appropriate training and maintaining up to date knowledge and skills in infection control and prevention as relevant to their post.

This job description acts as a guideline to the responsibilities of the post holder and will be reviewed in consultation with the post holder and amended to meet changing professional and service needs.