Specialist Screening Practitioner

Job overview

The Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield Bowel Cancer Screening Programme currently invites men and women aged 50-74 to complete an at home test kit (Faecal Immunochemical Test – FIT) which if positive offers them the opportunity to attend for a screening colonoscopy to determine whether they have a Bowel Cancer or a potential bowel cancer. The programme also includes Lynch Surveillance patients.

The Screening centre covers a large geographical area which includes two NHS Trusts which are Calderdale and Huddersfield Foundation Trust and the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals Trust.

This post would be a suitable post for an experienced, forward-thinking nurse with an interest in Bowel Cancer and Screening Programmes who can demonstrate a high level of clinical achievement with a desire to expand their expertise and knowledge within the specialised field of bowel cancer screening. They will need to demonstrate a “can do attitude” and therefore the post holder will be expected to:-

Role model standards of care and behaviour through clinical practice.

Contribute to the development of MDT/team objectives for the service/specialty.

Contribute to local clinical networks and specialty specific groups, working in partnership with other key professionals.

Participate in shared learning

Contribute to moving the service forward and the development of new ideas and ways of working

Main duties of the job

• To act as the referred participants contact and support.  To provide advice to participants who contact the centre pre their decision to take part in Screening.
• Through Nurse-Led Clinics, assess the participant’s suitability, acceptability and fitness for the screening examination, requesting alternative screening examinations if appropriate based on guidance.
• Coordinate, monitor and review the participants screening centre journey, liaising and referring to members of the screening team (Hub and screening centre) as appropriate.
• To use specialist knowledge and advanced communication skills with patients, relatives and carers when breaking bad news and providing psychological support on diagnosis, treatment and symptom management
• Act as Key Worker for individuals whom have cancer or malignant polyps detected (confirmed by histology and/or cytology) at the screening examination
• To act as advocate and put forward views and wishes on behalf of the referred participant
• Provide support in collaboration with the wider public health and promotion teams to maximise participation in the BCSP.
• To provide follow up/surveillance nurse led face to face and telephone clinics for all participants in the programme.
• To ensure all mandatory datasets are completed in a timely manner in real time.

To ensure all participants meet both the 28 day and 62 day targets wherever possible.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To provide a specialist service to the participants in the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme

To provide the highest standard of care for patients participating in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme.

To participate and attend Health Promotion events.

To participate in Screening Quality Assurance Service visits, working alongside and supporting the Lead SSP’s, Programme Manager and Clinical Director.  They will assist in auditing and acting on any anomalies. To promote the sharing of skills, knowledge and experience within the screening centre and the wider screening community through formal and informal networks. The  post holder will either be an experienced SSP and will have attended and passed the mandatory SSP Liverpool JMU course or working towards it or they will be willing to do so within 12 months of appointment. All SSPs must pass this course in order to remain working as an SSP. All SSPs must undertake BCSS training.

The post holder will need to hold a valid driving licence to enable travel between community clinics, endoscopy units and the local designated central office.

The post holder will need to be able to work their hours over any 7 days including evenings and weekends when required and work across multiple sites.

To be responsible for the maintenance and safe use of SSP equipment and office equipment and report/escalate any faulty equipment if necessary.

Ensures coordination of patients through the screening pathway implementing appropriate strategies to accommodate the achievement of the 28 day and 62 day targets.

Any other duties that may be required to ensure continuity of service.