Job Description

W e are looking for an individual who has a special interest in cancer care. An individual who is dynamic, organised, flexible, reliable & compassionate to support patients and their families /carers with an UGI cancer. This would involve patients with an oesophago-gastric or hepatobiliary cancer from diagnosis, through treatment and at end of life.



The post holder will be an effective core member of our Upper G.I Multidisciplinary team (MDT) demonstrating the highest standard of advanced supportive care in the management of patients with an UGI cancer.



They will be responsible for working as an autonomous expert practitioner, making critical holistic clinical decisions through assessment, monitoring and planning. Facilitating timely investigations, coordinating care & providing information to enable patients to make informed choices.



A high proportion of our patients diagnosed with an UGI cancer have a palliative diagnosis therefore the post holder will need to be prepared for the distressing nature of this role and have mechanisms in place to manage their psychological wellbeing.



Use specialist nursing skills to assess the physical and psycho-social needs of patients within the defined caseload.



Ability to perform independent assessments of patients within nurse led clinics & telephone clinics & manage outcomes appropriately



Ability to use specialist knowledge & skills to respond to helpline calls & action appropriately.



Use your clinical skills & knowledge to support patients within the community setting & avoid hospital admissions when appropriate.



Assist patients to contribute to the development of their own care plan, empowering them to make decisions at times where there may be anxiety and uncertainty.



Participate in regular in-patient ward reviews, assessing patients, implementing care as appropriate



Safely & appropriately request & interpret clinical investigations & respond as appropriate.



Advanced communication with patients, carers and health professionals in order to disseminate complex nursing and clinical information which may be of a distressing nature.



Ability to perform procedures such as drain / suture removals or a willingness to learn.



Ability to work well independently & be a supportive team member



Attend & contribute to weekly MDT meetings, actioning outcomes as indicated and assist with recording cancer data.



Attend & support GUTSY patient support group. Participating in patient education & supporting their needs.



We take pride in placing people at the centre of everything we do, working together as a united team. Driven by a shared ambition to continually grow, develop, and learn, we recognise and value every contribution. By combining our experience and skills, we not only support our vibrant, diverse communities, but also support one another.



With a team of over 9,000 employees, we are proud to be the largest employer in Gloucestershire and rank among the top 10 largest Trusts in the South West region. By joining our Trust, you will benefit from an excellent package that includes exclusive benefits, flexible working opportunities and the chance to gain valuable experience in one or both of our innovative hospitals.



As well as generous annual leave allowance, you will have access to the excellent NHS pension scheme, competitive bank rates, discounts at local shops and restaurants, access to two on-site nurseries, discounted public transport, reward and recognition and a range of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.



1.Clinical Responsibilities/Key Responsibilities



Use specialist nursing skills to assess the physical and psycho-social needs of patients within the defined caseload.



Ability to perform independent assessments of patients within nurse led clinics & telephone clinics & manage outcomes appropriately



Ability to use specialist knowledge & skills to respond to helpline calls & action appropriately.



Use your clinical skills & knowledge to support patients within the community setting & avoid hospital admissions when appropriate.



Work collaboratively, in partnership with the multidisciplinary team, develop and advise highly specialised programme of care for patients



Be integral to coordinating the patient pathway to ensure patients receive timely treatment and prevent breaches within Gloucestershire and liaising with colleagues in tertiary centres to support pathways as appropriate.



Assist patients to contribute to the development of their own care plan, empowering them to make decisions at times where there may be anxiety and uncertainty.



Participate in regular in-patient ward reviews, assessing patients, implementing care as appropriate



Safely & appropriately request & interpret clinical investigations & respond as appropriate.



Advanced communication with patients, carers and health professionals in order to disseminate complex nursing and clinical information which may be of a distressing nature.



Ability to perform procedures such as drain / suture removals or a willingness to learn.



Ability to work well independently & be a supportive team member



Attend & contribute to weekly MDT meetings, actioning outcomes as indicated and assist with recording cancer data.



Attend & support GUTSY patient support group. Participating in patient education & supporting their needs.



In accordance with the Data Protection Act, retrieve, analyse and interpret information from the computer-based systems. Maintain clear, accurate and contemporaneous records.



Maintain patients' dignity & confidentiality at all times.



Be willing to work between Gloucester and Cheltenham hospital sites.



Be willing to have flexibility with your working day / hours.



2. Professional Development, Education and Training



Possession of excellent communication skills. Have already or be willing to undertake Advanced Communication skills training.



Possession of Independent & Supplementary prescriber qualification or ability to work towards this.



Possession of recognised qualification covering Physical Examination and Clinical Reasoning or ability to work towards this.



Possession of Non-Medical Radiology requesting or ability to work towards this.



Ensure personal & professional development is progressed through independent performance reviews & reflective practice.



Maintain knowledge & understanding of research & evidence based practice.



Have a willingness to contribute to specialist area research, audits & develop programmes or pathways within the framework of clinical governance.



3. Management and Leadership



Provide support, training & advice within your team & with wider nursing & medical colleagues.



Demonstrate well developed interpersonal communication, negotiating & influencing skills.



Support & help to deliver service objectives



Deliver high standards of care to achieve excellent outcomes & service users satisfaction.



Use excellent prioritising & time management skills to meet the unpredictable & conflicting needs of the service.



4. Planning and Organisation



Managing own time effectively to ensure workload is completed during contracted hours when have frequent interruptions to your planned working day causing unpredictable workload. Needing to continually reassess & reprioritise work demands whilst remaining focused & maintaining high standards of care.



Managing own emotional wellbeing when frequently involved in distressing situations.



Ensuring communications & actions between services & tertiary centres happen timely.



Working independently & making decisions on patients' care.



5. Communications and Working Relationships



Attend & contribute to team meetings to ensure involvement in decision making processes



Use specialist skills to request & interpret investigations & act upon them with necessary actions, ensuring to keep patients & involved personnel updated.



Be integral to coordinating patient pathways to ensure patients receive timely treatment and prevent breaches within Gloucestershire



Be integral to coordinating patient pathways to receive timely treatment & updates when referred to or referred from tertiary centres.



Liaise & facilitate referrals to Queen Elizabeth (QE) hospital.



Be actively involved in initiatives to enhance the patient experience, improve outcomes & overall service improvement.



Be involved in the development of any new nurse led services.



Be supportive with change within practice to enhance the service delivered.



Use advanced communication with patients, carers & health professionals in order to disseminate complex, sensitive information which may be of a distressing nature, ie, cancer diagnosis, prognosis, bereavement support or patient / carer complaints