Senior Information and support officer

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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Welcome and greet all visitors to the department and ensure that all communications result in effective person-centred care. To assess the needs of all individuals attending/contacting the service and to identify the required level of intervention.
• The post holder will communicate and provide and receive complex or sensitive, non-clinical information to visitors and signpost to the relevant specialist support services and clinical teams.
• To be able to recognise any safeguarding triggers or concerns and escalate to the appropriate person, which can include the safeguarding team.
• Provide all visitors with accurate and up-to-date information in all formats and support accessibility to different forms of communication.
• To be responsible for the day-to-day co-ordination of the information centre under guidance of the Living with Cancer Manager ensuring the centre is open between the hours of 9am - 4pm.
• To undertake such other duties as and when required relevant to the role and appropriate to the grade. This will include supporting patients to complete the patient experience surveys and from these interventions assess the patient's information and support needs and signpost patients to the relevant information/support they require.
• Responsible for ensuring electronic data bases are maintained. Complete data input for footfall and wig prescriptions. Analyse the data to complete the monthly board report and provide to the relevant Service Manager.
• To recognise the need for referral to specialised services and clinical nurse specialists & specialist clinical teams and be able to escalate any concerns or level 3 or 4 contact to the relevant staff ensuring working within the boundaries of the role.
• Maintain excellent communication with patients, relatives regarding aspects of care and demonstrating a variety of communication skills.
• To work with the patient information team and develop information available to patients.
• To manage, supervise volunteers working in the information centre ensuring adherence to standard of practice and trust policy.
• Develop detailed about specialist support services internal and external to the Christie NHS Foundation Trust. Plan and implement promotional events such as disease awareness months and organise participation in well-being events.
• To be responsible for ensuring the information used in the information centre and all patient area is up-to-date, relevant and consistent in digital or paper format. This will require planning skills to ensure there are not issues in providing information.
• To identify and lead on implementing and evaluating new initiatives to enhance service provision. May be required to contribute to and implement new policies.
• Responsible for ordering new stock and raising requisitions and monitoring of activity under the guidance of the manager. Have a basic understanding of the Trusts standard financial instructions (SFI)
• To answer queries promptly and courteously, taking appropriate actions according to the mode of enquiry or the information required.
• To inform or refer enquiries or problems to the relevant qualified staff where appropriate.
• Actively support and assist in alleviating distress and anxiety of patients or carers, by directing to relevant specialist services.
• Proactively help patients and carers to take an active role in care delivery.
• Demonstrate respect for the individual patient, ensuring religious, cultural and social needs are considered at all times and acknowledge their individual rights. In all situations ensure consideration is made to the patient's cultural background.
• May be required to demonstrate and assist more junior staff to gain experience, skills and knowledge. To manage and supervise volunteers working in the information centre ensuring adherence to standards of practice and trust policy.
• Contribute to effective team working, by being fully involved, committed and participative to achieving full potential.
• Develop personal awareness of others perceptions, acknowledging and changing behaviour in response to any constructive feedback.
• Undertake all training required to perform duties effectively to the requirements of the post and contribute to personal development.
• Undertake clerical duties as directed in relation to all verbal and written communications, ensuring messages and communications are passed to other team members, storage and retrieval of such information.
• Be responsible for planning and leading the co-ordination of end of life weddings on the wards under the management of the LWC manager and to coordinate with the relevant ward staff without direct impact on the cancer information centre.
• Be responsible for liaising with the wards to promote the information centre services available, coordinate keeping the information racks up to date and providing hair loss support to ward patients unable to visit the information centre.

Special working conditions

• Physical effort - the role requires speed and accuracy to maintain a high quality and efficient service. Combination of sitting, standing and walking in restricted position. Light physical effort to carry health information literature to replenish shelves.
• Mental effort - regular concentration required in relation to responding to and meeting patients and relatives needs. Dealing with complex and changing care needs and enquiries. Robust verbal and written communication skills required at all times.
• Emotional effort - exposure to difficult situations including dying, distressed patients and relatives/carers.
• Working conditions - very occasional lone working for short periods of time. Rarely may be exposed to aggression for patients or their relatives/carers.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Vocational healthcare qualification at level 3 or equivalent experience.
• NVQ Level 3 or equivalent experience.

Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience of working in an acute care environment, undertaking a range of commitment and skills to vocational healthcare level 3 qualification or equivalent experience.
• Ability to identify and overcome barriers to communication.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working in an oncology health or social care setting.

Skills

Essential criteria

• Effective communication and person centred skills such as active listening skills and demonstrating empathy.
• Ability to communicate sensitive information.
• Able to work using own initiative and autonomously. Ability to demonstrate care skills to more junior healthcare support workers and volunteers.
• Level 2 IT skills.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of contributing to service development.

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Indepth understanding of patient pathways.
• Able to demonstrate a good understanding of confidentiality.

Desirable criteria

• Evidence of recent training.
• Understanding of using electronic resources to obtain information i.e. internet
• Awareness of safeguarding issues.

Values

Essential criteria

• Committed to delivering high standards of patient care.
• Empathetic and caring.
• Professional outlook and positive attitude.
• Positive approach to personal development.
• Honest and trustworthy.

Other

Essential criteria

• Available to work flexibly/weekends/short notice

The closing date for this post may be extended if there are insufficient applicants or brought forward if there is a high volume of applicants.

We want to ensure that everyone who works at the Christie or uses our services is welcomed, valued and treated with dignity and respect. The Christie values diversity and is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all and fair representation across the organisation at all levels. In support of these commitments, we particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and other ethnic minority people and people with disabilities for this post. Appointment will be only on merit.

We are committed to creating a balanced and diverse workforce. As such we welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. Together we will foster inclusion and tackle inequity and health inequalities in cancer care.

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy

All positions within the Christie are subject to the receipt of satisfactory written references, medical clearance and evidence of your Right to Work in the UK. Some roles will require a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check. Please note if you are successfully appointed to a post with this Trust, you will be required to pay for your own DBS Disclosure.

By applying for this post you are agreeing to The Christie NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system. Please note, all communication regarding your application will be made via email, please ensure you check your junk/spam folders as emails are sometimes filtered there.

If you have not heard from us within four weeks of the closing date, I regret that on this occasion your application will have been unsuccessful.

The Inter-Authority Transfer (IAT) process is a critical and beneficial component of ESR and will form part of the recruitment process. In the event that you are successful following interview your previous NHS employment data, if applicable will be transferred from your current / most recent employer.

Overseas candidates wishing to apply for this position and who would require immigration sponsorship, may wish to self-assess the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship for the post on the UKVI website.

You should be aware the Trust operates a No Smoking Policy and therefore employees are not permitted to smoke at work.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

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.

Documents to download

• Job Description and Person Specification (PDF, 190.7KB)
• The Christie Values and Behaviours (PDF, 919.5KB)
• Strategy Brochure (PDF, 1.0MB)
• Trust Membership - Christie Talent (PDF, 23.0KB)
• Travel to The Christie (PDF, 3.8MB)