Colorectal Health Care Assistant Practitioner / Navigator in Merthyr Tydfil

The post holder will work within the colorectal department as part of the Colorectal Nursing Cancer team. The post holder will support the patient during their colorectal cancer journey, through treatment, follow up and end of life, supported by the Colorectal Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist. This will be achieved by supporting them and navigating them through often complex health and social care systems. Learning will be from the Colorectal Nurses, following colorectal standard operating procedures, functional, stoma care national and local guidelines.

A key element of the role will be teaching the patient how to become independent in their stoma care routine, following advice and clinical pathways developed by the Colorectal Clinical Nurse Specialist for treatment of basic stoma care complications. The post holder will help to facilitate, enable and support the colorectal nursing team to deliver a high quality, evidence‑based person‑centred cancer service to the patient and their family. The post holder will support the colorectal nursing team and contribute to the development and implementation of a long‑term strategy for a comprehensive Colorectal cancer service for the Health Board.

Main duties of the job

• Ensure consistency, quality and safety is adhered to at all times.
• Support the named key worker to work in partnership with the person affected by cancer and their family, assisting and implementing with holistic needs assessments.
• Performing clinical treatments to colorectal patients, once trained and competent in stoma care and functional conditions.
• Support the Colorectal Clinical Nurse Specialists.
• Once competent, contribute to the adjustment or modification of patient care plans.
• Be responsible for communicating any changes in the patient’s condition to the Colorectal Clinical Nurse Specialist.
• Maintain accurate and time‑effective written records at each patient intervention whether this be face to face, telephone, email etc., ward, clinic or home visit settings using the appropriate IT technology (MIME, WCP, Myrddin etc.).
• Help to develop and coordinate audits, patient satisfaction surveys, questionnaires.
• Assist with data collection and writing up of the findings and sharing information with the team.
• Assist the Colorectal Clinical Nurse Specialist with providing training and education to the UHB and outside agencies.
• Play an active part in supporting the implementation of change management strategies as a response to new findings or direction.
• Facilitate and support the development of a cross‑Health Board approach to Colorectal cancer service delivery.

About us

Cwm Taf Morgannwg (CTM) University Health Board, part of NHS Wales, serves a large population across a diverse and beautiful region, steeped in history and heritage. With nearly 13,500 staff, our health board is one of Wales's largest employers. Together, we are Team CTM; a workforce dedicated to offering excellent patient care and support to the 450,000 people across our three regions, Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil, and Rhondda Cynon Taf. We operate three District General hospitals, several community hospitals, primary and community care facilities. CTM's location offers the best of South Wales, just 20 minutes from Cardiff's vibrant city life, the natural beauty of the Brecon Beacons, and the serene coastline at Ogmore. Whether you enjoy lively urban amenities, peaceful countryside, or seaside escapes, our location makes an ideal setting for both work and personal life.

CTM employees enjoy benefits including a leading pension, generous leave, flexible work, career growth, and access to ongoing learning and development. At CTM, you'll find a welcoming, team‑oriented workplace that values diversity and compassion, where you can take pride in your work and the difference it makes.

Job responsibilities

The post holder will:

• Plan, organise and prioritise own workload as part of the Colorectal Cancer Nursing Team ensuring a person‑centred care approach is adopted.
• Re‑prioritise and adjust workload as the need arises, liaise with the Colorectal Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialists regarding deadlines and priorities for referrals, follow‑up calls and administration support through development of framework and standard operating procedures for the colorectal team.
• Liaise and communicate effectively with the Colorectal Clinical Nursing teams, Colorectal Medical Team and other external bodies (NHS Trusts, Health Boards, primary, secondary, third sector and independent sector settings and South Wales Cancer Network, stoma/functional appliance companies) to support the Colorectal Clinical Nurse specialists using a variety of communication methods e.g. e‑mail, telephone, video conferencing etc. while adhering to UHB policies and procedures relating to sharing information.
• Communicate complex situations, sensitive information to the Colorectal Clinical Nurse Specialists and show tact and diplomacy when dealing with patient information verbally, electronically or in writing from other departments or hospitals.
• Possess a working knowledge of cancer services and associated pathways, keyboard computer skills to fulfil duties of the post and to ensure accurate input and retrieval of data and information.
• Perform a range of specific colorectal/nursing procedures and practices to the patient (e.g. colostomy irrigation, anal irrigation, and fistula management and stoma complication treatments).
• Have knowledge about the different stoma appliances/accessories available to the patient.
• Support and participate with the Colorectal Cancer nursing team in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data towards service evaluation outcomes, assist the team with how best to present data once collected and analysed.
• Have knowledge and understanding of key NHS Wales strategic objectives such as the Welsh Government’s Together for Health and its associated Cancer Delivery Plan, possess knowledge of cancer health services in Wales, support the Colorectal cancer nurses in identifying and recommending innovative solutions to workforce‑associated problems.
• Maintain regular contact with patients and carer representatives in a range of settings, clinical settings, home environment, ward settings, adhere to Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB policies and procedures, and be responsible for the ordering and monitoring of stock and supplies used by the Colorectal Nursing Teams.
• Work under the direction of the registered nurse and be required to work for periods on their own using their own initiative within standard operating procedures.

Welsh Skills Desirable: This post is advertised as Welsh Desirable. This does not mean essential; whilst the candidate does not need to have skills in Welsh, we will consider it an advantage when short‑listing and selecting candidates. This isn’t fluency, just speaking & listening skills at Level 3 (equivalent to CEFR B2) or above. Level 3 means basic conversations with patients about their everyday health.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Educated to NVQ level 3 with additional relevant specialist training in a range of nursing procedures and practices to diploma level equivalency.
• Knowledge and understanding of key NHS strategic policies e.g. Together for Health Cancer Delivery Plan.
• Good knowledge of cancer nursing terminology.
• Understanding of Macmillan Cancer Support and its role across the UK.
• Knowledge of colorectal cancer and the impact of a cancer diagnosis.
• Understanding of providing excellent customer service.
• 5 GCSEs including English and Mathematics – Grades A–C or equivalent ECDL or other IT qualification.
• Cancer care qualification/training.
• Educated to Level 4 Credit Qualification for Wales (CQFW), NVQ level 4 or possess equivalent skills and knowledge, or willingness to work towards.
• Relevant stoma experience & colorectal knowledge & willing to undertake further training.
• Knowledge of the patient cancer pathway.
• Understanding of the importance of high‑quality information and associated confidentiality issues.
• Welsh Language Skills (Level 3 and above/B1) are desirable for this role.

Experience

• Previous experience as a healthcare support worker.
• Experience of working in an NHS organisation.
• Relevant experience of working with colorectal cancer patients.
• Experience of working in a cancer environment.
• Experience of working with CaNISC or cancer patient administration systems.
• Experience in the use of database packages, presentations, data entry and retrieval.
• Experience of multi‑professional working.

Personal Qualities

• Flexible approach to work.
• Recognition of own limitations.
• Confident yet approachable.
• Methodical, reliable and able to work to a high standard under time restrictions.
• Ability to travel throughout the Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB locality in a timely manner.

Abilities

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work unsupervised and within a team.
• Ability to show empathy and understand the difficulties faced by people affected by cancer.
• Ability to deal with complex and difficult emotional situations.
• Ability to prioritise own workload.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.