Cancer Information Specialist Nurse

Cherry Lodge Cancer Care is an independent charity committed to improving the quality of life for people living with cancer, their carers, family, and friends.

We have an exciting opportunity for you to join us as a Cancer Information Specialist Nurse, and are seeking an experienced, flexible, and dynamic NMC registered nurse to join our team. 

At Cherry Lodge, we work alongside the clinical care of the NHS in an area centred on Barnet and covering much of North London and South Hertfordshire. We are based at the very friendly and welcoming Cherry Lodge Centre, in Union Street, Chipping Barnet. We also have an Outreach Service with an impact across the borough of Barnet, concentrating particularly on providing information and support to members of black and minority ethnic groups. Our Befriending Service provides additional support for people in their own homes.

Job Purpose:

To act as a specialist information resource for the management of people with cancer, their carers, and families.

To co-ordinate, manage and develop the Cherry Lodge Cancer Care (CLCC) information service by providing assessment, information, support and signposting to people visiting and telephoning the centre. Oversight of interventions and therapies delivered, ensuring the person with cancer/carer/family experience of support feels seamless and is transparent.

To work proactively with primary and secondary care and voluntary sector partners to promote Cherry Lodge Cancer Care and build awareness of the support available for people living with and beyond cancer. This will include further developing relationships with local cancer care providers including the North London Hospice and North Central London Cancer Alliance.

Contribute to the coordination of the day-to-day running of therapy and complementary therapies delivered at CLCC,  including mentoring of junior staff and volunteers as necessary. Working in close partnership with the Volunteer Co-ordinator and Befriending Service Lead.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Information/Service Provision

To ensure people with cancer their carers and families/friends gain access to the information they require by providing the following services:

1.     To provide one to one sessions where assessment and planning ensures people are able to discuss all information aspects of their illness (symptom management, treatment, and living with cancer).

2.     Provide support, access to therapies and signposting to other local services and support services.

3.     Provide appropriate psychological support throughout the cancer diagnosis, treatment and follow up pathway, as appropriate and identified by the person with cancer.

4.     Facilitate and support nurse/therapy led groups

5.     Act as the person with cancer’s advocate, particularly where informed discussion may affect care management options, by ensuring robust links with secondary care Clinical Specialist Nurses.

6.     Deliver support, information, and education to promote self-care following a diagnosis, and reduce risks of future complications. Actively encourage a Health & Wellbeing, enabling approach.

7.     Work closely with the Cancer Information Specialist Nurse (Outreach).

8.     To maintain a comprehensive, accurate and up to date information resource, including a database of information about local and national services.

9.     Maintain professional links and liaise with other units/centres to ensure continuity of care and support for patients throughout their care pathway.

10.  To use communication skills and empathy to impart information at all levels. To work with the Operations Manager to audit the service on a regular basis ensuring that feedback from users of the service is used to develop services further.

11.  Support and participate in service review and ongoing development of nurse/therapy led services.

12.  Ensure clear and concise records are documented ensuring effective communication observing NMC guidance for records and records keeping.

13.  To provide information by telephone and respond to written requests for information.

Managerial and Leadership responsibilities

1.     Act as a role model demonstrating high standards of care and providing leadership to all staff in the Cherry Lodge Cancer Care team.

2.     Responsibly manage resources utilised within the role.

3.     To publicise the facilities and activities of CLCC within the local provider trusts and in the wider community.

4.     To ensure all activity delivered at CLCC is recorded on the database and provide regular updates to the Operations Manager and Trustees, helping to identify where there is unmet need in order that new services can be developed/commissioned.

5.     To develop policies and procedures to assure the quality of information giving and support, including monitoring and evaluation systems that meet the highest standards, and is in line with activity across the North Central London Cancer Alliance.

6.     To contribute to the Charity’s annual and strategic plans by working with the Operational Manager and Trustees to provide data & narrative that will assist in planning future service developments.

Training and Education

1.     Support a positive learning environment for all staff – including volunteers.

2.     To contribute to CLCC’s education programme by organising talks, seminars and workshops relating to cancer information and support.

3.     To lead on the delivery of CLCC’s Induction Day for all staff and volunteers, evaluating its effectiveness by seeking and incorporating participant feedback.

4.     Take responsibility for own learning and development needs.

5.     Develop and maintain awareness of current local and national guidelines and workstreams which affect cancer information services, sharing a regular update with CLCC staff and Trustees.

6.     Participate in regular clinical supervision and have responsibility for maintaining that supervision.

7.     Attend management meetings, Trustees meeting and events as appropriate.

8.     To understand and comply with all policies at CLCC including (but not exhaustive) Health & Safety, AL/TOIL, sickness reporting and monitoring and GDPR.

Research, Audit & Quality

1.     To develop methods of obtaining useful feedback from people with cancer and other users of the service in order to provide high quality and responsive service, and to develop mechanisms to audit the effectiveness of the service.

2.     To critically evaluate latest research and audit findings, disseminating these findings into practice in order to develop best practice and helping to support understanding by all (centre users and staff).

Personal Development

1.     To maintain own expert level of competence.

2.     To maintain current NMC registration by ensuring compliance with the NMC revalidation process.

3.     To actively participate in the CLCC appraisal process.

4.     To facilitate access to training for all volunteers within the service, working closely with the Volunteer Co-ordinator.

Communication

1.     Develop and maintain good channels of communication and openness with colleagues within Cherry Lodge Cancer Care.

2.     Ensure effective communication regarding all matters across the service. Be aware that all staff and volunteers represent Cherry Lodge Cancer Care and ensure that your actions always represent Cherry Lodge Cancer Care’s values and beliefs. Keep up to date with Cherry Lodge Cancer Care’s internal communications and share these with junior staff to ensure compliance with current requirements. Foster and encourage a sense of inclusiveness with all members of the charity’s team.