Helpline Care Navigator - South and South West Region
Job Purpose
This role offers an opportunity to play a vital part in sustaining our Helpline service, which sits at the heart of the support we provide to people living with PSP & CBD. As Helpline Care Navigator (HCN), you will act as the first point of contact for individuals, families and health professionals across the South and South West, including parts of the West Midlands.
You will deliver compassionate, person-centred support and clear, practical information via telephone and email, ensuring people affected by PSP & CBD feel heard, informed and supported at every stage of their journey. Alongside direct support, you will actively engage with health and social care professionals, neurology clinics and wider partners to strengthen local awareness of PSP & CBD and enhance referral pathways across the region.
This is a key role in maintaining continuity, quality and momentum within our Helpline service and you will be reporting to the Helpline and Support Services Manager.
Contract Type
Full Time – permanent contract (6-month probationary period)
£27,500 per annum
Hours of Work & Annual Leave
- 35 hours per week - this may include working some unsociable hours, including evenings and weekends.
- 28 days plus bank holidays. Pro-rated for part-time role.
The main office is in Milton Keynes, and we have a hybrid working policy with staff expected to spend one day a week in the office, and the remainder can be worked from home. HCN’s currently work from the office on a Wednesday. There is flexibility in the arrangements that need to be agreed upon with the line manager.
Key Responsibilities
- To be ‘first point of call’ for people with PSP & CBD and their families living in the West and South West Region including Shropshire, Herefordshire, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Hampshire, West Sussex, East Sussex, Dorset, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall, Avon, Isle of Wight. Providing people with support and information over the phone and via email
- To raise awareness of PSP & CBD across all health and social care disciplines in the region by engaging with HSCP’s and neurology clinics.
- To provide accurate information in all aspects of PSP & CBD in response to enquiries and signpost onto other organisations where appropriate.
- Ensure a maximum response to all helpline calls, emails and enquiries.
- To keep clear and accurate records and statistics of enquiries received and actions taken.
- To carry out a maximum number of proactive calls to people affected by PSP & CBD within the region as directed by the Helpline Manager.
- Develop and maintain the existing database of key health and social care professionals and regional services.
- Attend outreach events to build the profile of PSPA services amongst health and social care professionals.
- To deliver awareness and learning sessions to HSCP’s within your region
- Work with the Director of Policy and Influencing to identify ways in which services and care can be improved for families affected by PSP & CBD in the region.
- To signpost to PSPA Support Groups and services.
- Liaise with external services to signpost to local support.
- Take an active part in the delivery and planning of information and support events, which may include the possibility of overnight stays and weekends.
- Liaise with the fundraising team to signpost to fundraising activities.
- Liaise with the Volunteer Coordinator to maintain and build volunteering in the region.
- To attend and contribute constructively to team and other meetings as required.
- To ensure the implementation of policies, procedures and quality standards as defined by PSPA.
- Contribute to the development of literature and articles for PSPA Matters.
- To undertake any other tasks, by agreement as required, in support of the work of PSPA.
The duties may be changed and/or varied to meet changing circumstances at the discretion of the CEO and Board of Trustees.
Person Specification
- Experience in delivering helpline and/or information andsupport services
- Excellent listening and interpersonal skills, with the capacity to listen actively, understanding different points of view
- Ability to keep accurate records
- Willingness to undertake training and continuing personal development
- Experience of and sensitivity to communicating with audiences from a range of backgrounds
- Strong IT skills, with experience in MS Office products and customer relationship management software
- Flexible and reliable attitude and the ability to self-organise and to work without direct supervision
- Good communication skills, both oral and written and excellent telephone manner
- Ability to manage difficult questions, emotions and situations calmly and confidently.An understanding of Safeguarding and an ability to follow relevant policies and procedures
- Knowledge of PSP & CBD or other neurodegenerative diseases and/or experience of working in the NHS
- Knowledge of healthcare or social care systems.
For more information about this role, please visit our website .
- Pension Scheme
- Employment Assistance Programme
PSPA
Dear Candidate,
If PSP or CBD is new to you, do not worry; many people who joined us, including me, hadn’t heard of the condition until we joined PSPA. It is shocking to find that a degenerative condition that currently affects 10,000 people in the UK is not yet well known, and people are often left without support or a diagnosis. When you join us, you'll find a supportive team and community of people who are inspired to support the 10,000 people living with or affected by these conditions every step of the way, and we hope to find a cure. You will also be joining us at an exciting time as we refresh our strategy and consider how we can do more to support people, ensure services are better, and fund research that drives breakthroughs for people living with PSP & CBD.
Our Helpline remains at the core of the support we provide to people living with PSP, CBD, their families and health professionals. We are now looking for a compassionate and caring person to join the helpline team and continue our growth across the region.
Being the only charity in the UK to provide support, raise awareness and fund research for people living with PSP or CBD, we are in the unique position of being the voice of those affected across the UK. We provide a great range of support services, a growing programme of research grants and want to expand our impact in raising awareness to improve diagnosis to we can make progress towards finding treatments and a cure.
Our 2022 patient survey showed that 60% of people with PSP or CBD are initially misdiagnosed and the average time to a diagnosis is three years. For conditions where there are no treatments and no cure, we are their drive and ambition to forge partnerships that can change the landscape for people with PSP or CBD.
We know together we can improve diagnosis for the 10,000 people living with PSP & CBD. That’s why we have hybrid working arrangements which allow flexibility of working at home, alongside some time with colleagues in the office to collaborate and innovate for the benefit of everyone affected by PSP or CBD.
I hope you will consider coming to join us. If you have any questions, please get in touch with our Helpline & Support Services Manager, Peggy Newton, at peggy.newton@pspassociation.org.uk
#J-18808-Ljbffr
