Liver Health Checks and HCC Surveillance Pathway Navigator

This is a new role to support the delivery of the West Midlands Liver Health Checks Operational Delivery Network and the regional Hepatocellular Cancer Surveillance. Primary liver cancer is the eighth most common cause of cancer death in the UK accounting for 3% of cancer related mortality (CRUK). Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer and presents in patients with cirrhosis. The dominant risk factors include cirrhosis caused by alcohol or viral hepatitis, and metabolic or fatty liver disease. There is a strong link with deprivation including homelessness, drug addiction, and obesity. Whilst HCC incidence is increasing in the UK (Burton JHEP reports 2021) survival remains poor with less than 15% 5-year survival. Funded by NHS England and NHS Improvement to deliver a programme of work to develop a West Midlands Liver Surveillance programme. The pilot aims to screen for liver disease in at risk populations and for those individuals with cirrhosis engage and retain them in hospital-based liver cancer surveillance pathways (6monthly USS / bloods and clinical review). The aim is to contribute to the national strategy around early cancer diagnosis. Main duties of the job Under the direction, guidance and supervision of the team and Consultants, the post holder will coordinate the care and monitor surveillance pathways for patients with cirrhosis enrolled in Hepatocellular Cancer Surveillance at UHB and across the West Midlands ODN network. The post holder will also have a specific focus to provide direct support for patients to maintain engagement in surveillance pathways ensuring they receive surveillance scans on schedule. The Pathway Navigator will work as part of a multi professional team to deliver the Liver Health Checks and HCC Surveillance programme. Key deliverables include work to facilitate a smooth patient journey ensuring that co-ordinated and streamlined administrative processes revolve around patients identified as eligible for cancer surveillance following a screening fibro scan in Liver Health Checks clinics across the network. The Pathway Navigator will support the patient journey by providing a single point of access, including rapid re-entry into the system for those people identified as having urgent or specialist needs. The post holder will have administrative responsibilities including data management and patient tracking for those individuals participating in the liver health checks programme including patients referred into hospital-based liver cancer surveillance clinics., For further information regarding this post, please see the attached job description and person specification.

• oGCSE or equivalent to Level 2 Functional Skills Maths & English
• oEvidence of continuing professional Development
• oNVQ 3 or equivalent
Desirable
• Communication skills training
Experience Essential
• oPrevious experience of working in an NHS / Healthcare clinical setting
• oEvidence of good communication skills with both patients and clinicians
• oKnowledge of cancer provision within the NHS, including an understanding of cancer waiting times standards.
• oExperience of multi-professional working
• oExperience of working with patients and carers
• oExperience of inputting and interpreting data
• oExperience of coordinating patient pathways
• oKnowledge of cancer treatments, interventions and terminology
• oKnowledge of medical terminology
• oAwareness of the importance of confidentiality and discretion
• oAbility to adapt behaviour to changing . circumstances
• oReliable . Approachable . Demonstrates empathy . Value diversity and difference, operates with integrity and openness
Desirable
• oExperience of supervision
• oKnowledge of Cancer Waiting times and Cancer Outcomes and Services
• Understanding of the Hepatitis C trust / British Liver Trust and their roles across the UK.
  
  Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust (SWBT) is an integrated careorganisation with a budget of approximately £600 million and over 7,000 staff. Diversity and social care is at the core of what we do as the Trust provides Community and Acute Services to over half a million people in an urban centre that demands massive regeneration and has substantial premature mortality.
Our new acute hospital, the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital (MMUH), opens this year and will provide care to our local population from first class, purpose-built premises. As a result, the base of this role may change to MMUH . If this is applicable to your role, you will be informed during the recruitment process and continue your application with this understanding. The development of the new hospital will play an important role in the regeneration of the wider area and in improving the lives of local people and reducing health inequalities. We have three strategic objectives :
• Our People - to cultivate and sustain happy, productive and engaged staff
• Our Patients - to be good or outstanding in everything we do
• Our Population - to work seamlessly with our partners to improve lives