Bowel Cancer Screening Practitioner - Based at Medway Hospital

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Bowel Cancer Screening Specialist Practitioner to join the West Kent & Medway Bowel Cancer Screening Service. Please note the role will be based at Medway NHS Foundation Trust.

The Bowel Cancer Screening Programme invites those aged 50-74 years to complete a home test kit which if positive requires them to attend for further suitability assessment for colonoscopy, as well as incorporating surveillance of Lynch syndrome patients. The service is hosted by Darent Valley Hospital but covers Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells and Medway.

The successful candidate will be a registered nurse with significant post registration experience with the capacity to work as an independent practitioner as part of a broader team. It is desirable that you are able to demonstrate evidence of having worked with patients with lower GI disease or cancer.

This position will not be supported for visa sponsorship.  All applicants are expected to have valid right to work document to work in the UK when applying for this position.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be expected to participate in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Specialist Screening Practitioner Training Course within the 1st year in post, and training on the Bowel Cancer Screening Computer System will also be provided. The ability to travel freely between sites is necessary.

Full time Screening Practitioners working days / shift patterns will be agreed by the line manager to meet the needs of the service. This includes working evenings and weekends.

The post will be based at Medway NHS Foundation Trust, however it is expected that the screening practitioner will work with a team of screening practitioners and will provide cross cover (travelling to other sites including Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust and Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Foundation Trust) and support to other members of the team / lead SSP’s across the sites as required.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Specific Responsibilities

Clinical Responsibilities

Be responsible for care delivery to patients identified by the screening programme and will meet the needs of patients arising as a result of;

Having been called to participate in screening

Having been identified as positive on screening

Needing to be assessed as fit to undertake screening colonoscopy or alternative diagnostic investigations

Needing to be able to make informed decisions prior undergoing screening colonoscopy or alternative diagnostic interventions

Having been identified as requiring further intervention, treatment, surveillance follow-up or discharge.

Run clinics for patients with abnormal FOB test results to prepare them for colonoscopy.

Appoint patients to screening colonoscopy sessions.

Attend colonoscopy sessions and record patients pathway ( including data collection such as histology)

Provide clinics for patients who wish to discuss the outcomes of colonoscopy.

Attend flexible sigmoidoscopy screening lists

Consent patients and feedback findings to patients from flexi-screening post procedure

To establish effective links with local colorectal cancer multi-disciplinary teams in order to ensure that when cancer is detected, there is timely presentation and transfer of patients to the multi-disciplinary team. This may include MDT attendance.

Provide advice, information and support for those making direct contact with the screening centre.

To apply an in-depth knowledge and enhanced communication skills with patients and carers when breaking bad news and providing psychological support on diagnosis, treatment and symptom management.

Ensure timely access to screening colonoscopy or alternative diagnostic intervention and seamless transition through agreed pathways in primary, secondary and tertiary care settings, during all stages of the screening pathway.

Populate and maintain the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme’s database.

Participate in ongoing data collection and quality assurance, service feedback and audit with particular responsibility for the follow-up of patients at 30 days post screening.

Collate, evaluate and report patient information by maintaining accurate patient records (such as data on treatment, staging and outcomes provided by the multi-disciplinary team) and participating in audits.

Please see attached job description for more information.