Liver Health Checks and HCC Surveillance Pathway Navigator

Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust is a friendly, integrated healthcare provider focused on improving the life chances and health outcomes of our diverse population. We have three strategic objectives:

• People: To cultivate and sustain happy, productive and engaged staff;
• Patients: To be good or outstanding at everything we do;
• Population: To work seamlessly with partners to improve lives;

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. 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.

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 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.

Person specification

• GCSE or equivalent to Level 2 Functional Skills Maths & English
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Previous experience of working in an NHS/Healthcare clinical setting
• Evidence of good communication skills with both patients and clinicians
• Knowledge of cancer provision within the NHS, including an understanding of cancer waiting times standards.
• Experience of multi-professional working
• Experience of working with patients and carers
• Experience of inputting and interpreting data
• Experience of coordinating patient pathways
• Knowledge of cancer treatments, interventions and terminology
• Knowledge of medical terminology
• Awareness of the importance of confidentiality and discretion
• Ability to adapt behaviour to changing circumstances
• Reliable, approachable, demonstrates empathy, values diversity and difference, operates with integrity and openness
• Experience of supervision
• Knowledge of Cancer Waiting times and Cancer Outcomes and Services
• Understanding of the Hepatitis C trust / British Liver Trust and their roles across the UK.

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Please contact prior to application to arrange a visit or chat about the role.