POSITION DESCRIPTION
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Title:
Regional Coordinator, New Zealand Familial Gastrointestinal Cancer Registry
Organisation: New Zealand Familial Gastrointestinal Cancer Registry
Reports To:
National Clinical Manager, NZ Familial Gastrointestinal Cancer Registry
Purpose of the Position: Regional Coordinators are appointed to assess, coordinate and assign the
case load of Regional Centre/s. They will manage the Family History Assessor (FHA) team for a
centre/s and act in a public relations capacity in communications with patient and consumer interest
groups, and with referrers. Regional Coordinators also manage a clinical case load which includes
the ability to manage families on all risk categories for all syndromes.
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Key Accountabilities
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Manage the services provided out of the Regional Centre/s ensuring that Registry
policy and protocols are followed

Monitor and promote the quality of outcomes for referrers and patients using the
regional service by actively managing the Service’s performance and productivity
improvements

Manage a clinical case load consistent with the expectations of a Family History
Assessor Level 3
Operational
Specifically the Regional Co-ordinator will:

Co-ordinate and oversee the workload within their region/s
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Ensure that FHA staff are adequately supervised

Demonstrate effective communication and negotiation skills including an ability
and willingness to identify, utilise and enhance the skills of others and to give and
receive direction appropriately from other team members

Take responsibility for ensuring good communication amongst staff at a regional
level and between the regional service and the national office.

Negotiate and resolve conflict and manage patient and professional complaints

Take an active role in national team meetings, contributing to case discussion and
quality improvement in the clinical processes around family assessment and
recommendations

In conjunction with the National and Clinical Managers annually review the
performance of regional FHA and administrative staff, providing recommendations
for improvement, development and advancement
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
Ensure that all staff in the regional team/s comply with the requirements of the
data management protocols and that they understand their role and responsibility
in protecting the integrity of the data

Ensure that the data required for reporting requirements around performance
quality and service outcomes are available within the required timeframes
Clinical Leadership and Management
Specifically the Regional Co-ordinator will:

Have an advanced understanding of:

all Gastrointestinal cancer syndromes and clinical implications

genetic testing including the benefits, limitations and implications

polyp/cancer pathways and pathology, and the implications of
immunohisto chemistry for the mismatch repair gene proteins and
requests tests appropriately

Triage referrals and assign case loads

Have the ability to critique a family history and draw appropriate conclusions,
recognising where further investigation is needed and refer appropriately

Have the ability to analyse and interpret histology and pathology results,
recognising where further investigation is needed and refer appropriately

Be capable of advising families on all risk categories for all syndromes and
managing families with complex/multiple issues

Advise on surveillance requirements for families in accordance with the
“Guidelines” and Registry protocols.

Assess families for registration and consult with the National Clinical Manager and
Medical Advisor to form recommendations around complex cases

Refer and oversee patient referrals for procedures including liaison with gastro
services for late and/or urgent colonoscopies

Review FHA recommendations for registered families
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Review pedigrees and make an appropriate assessment of risk

Work at a level complementary to the National Clinical Manager and Medical
Advisor including ensuring that complex cases are referred and discussed

Develop and maintain professional and advisory relationships with external
clinicians

Have a detailed understanding of the health system processes and culture
including an in depth understanding of insurance and ethical issues in complex
settings
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Research and Promotion
Specifically the Regional Co-ordinator will:

Facilitate patient support groups

Assist with patient information media

Assist with education and promotion to external groups
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Promote the registry

Critically analyses literature on new advances for appropriateness and be able to
apply research into clinical practice
Be capable of horizon scanning at a research level and able to assist in

developing research areas
Service Quality and Continuous Improvement
Specifically the Regional Co-ordinator will:

Proactively monitor performance including auditing the work of FHAs and
reporting to the National and Clinical Managers

Contribute to protocol and guideline review and development
Staff Training and Education
Specifically the Regional Co-ordinator will:

Contribute content ideas and suggest improvements to structure to continually
enhance the teaching programme for FHA staff

Oversee the training of FHAs and support them in their participation in the
training programme

Identifies and manages knowledge gaps

Demonstrates the ability to coach colleagues
Self Development and Personal Responsibility
Specifically the Regional Co-ordinator will:

Self direct own learning, attends conferences and seeks opportunities to further
knowledge
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Undertake ongoing self-development
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Ensure that your personal conduct reflects the Registry’s objectives at all times

Identify areas for self improvement and discuss the means for self development
with the National and Clinical Managers

Demonstrate evidence that constructive feedback is sought and appropriate
changes made to performance and practice as necessary
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Working Relationships
External

Internal
General Public
Regional Centres’ staff
National Office staff

Auckland District Health
Board staff
 Canterbury District Health
Board staff



General
Practitioners
 Consultants
 Laboratory staff


Person Specification
Educational
&
Professional
Committees/Groups/Organisations




National Familial Gastrointestinal Registry
Auckland Multi-disciplinary Advisory Group
Bowel Screening Taskforce
National Multi-Disciplinary Advisory Group
Northern Region Genetic Service
Central & Southern Genetic Service
Family History Assessor Level THREE
Essential: Health or science degree or relevant equivalent, in a health related discipline.
This may be a qualification gained overseas, which is not registerable in New Zealand.
As example but not limited to – nursing or clinical genetics
Desirable: Postgraduate qualification in a related subject or an approved subject related
non certificated course. Registerable vocational qualification in a related field.
Experience
Essential:
 One of the following - previous general medical, oncology or gastrointestinal service
experience; experience working at a senior level within a genetic service or within a
specialised registry service

Experience in working with patient information using a database - competent at
entering, sorting and reporting data and capable of using a database application as a
working tool

Ability to manage staff and prioritise workflow processes

Ability to use a personal computer with standard software applications for basic
operations such as file management, word processing, e-mail, diary management

Capable of managing an assigned caseload independent of supervision, establishes
methods to manage workload / workflow, takes account of changing priorities

Ability to deliver results and establish an effective and reliable track record

Ability to analyse and interpret information to support evidence-based decision making

Demonstrates attention to detail and initiates self-checking procedures, ensures high
levels of accuracy and consistent quality

Has a current in-depth knowledge of the genetic drivers behind hereditary cancer,
diagnostic techniques, the medical implications of the disease syndrome and the
appropriate surveillance guidelines
Desirable:

Ability to use standard software applications (MS Office suite, MS Access, MS Outlook)
to undertake complex tasks in one or more areas (e.g. creation of detailed Excel
spreadsheets with formulae)
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Competency
Leadership
Develops and communicates a vision for the future, inspiring commitment to the goals of
the organisation/team, operationalises the mission and facilitates change and is able to
manage diversity and draw together a range of perspectives
Teamwork
Collaborates with fellow team members and other work groups to achieve objectives for
the good of the whole, actively contributes to and accepts consensus decisions, seeks out
opportunities to support others in achieving goals, recognises and respects individual
differences
Planning and Monitoring
Develops action plans to accomplish goals, establishes timeframes and allocates
resources, identifies and removes barriers, monitors progress and addresses problems to
achieve outcomes
Organising
Establishes a plan of action and achieves priority goals, manages workload/flow,
recognises and addresses barriers, and takes account of changing priorities
Bicultural Approach
Understands the significance of the Treaty of Waitangi, displays cultural sensitivity and a
willingness to work positively with organisational strategies to improve opportunities for
Maori
Self Management
Sets high standards and strives to achieve stretching goals, displays drive and energy
and persists in overcoming obstacles, copes with stress, is resilient to change and
understands personal limitations, is proactive and displays initiative
Innovation
Actively questions old ways of doing things, thinks outside the square and develops
creative, effective solutions to improve outcomes
Analytical Ability
Breaks complex information down logically to identify key aspects, causal factors and
links between information from different sources
Organisational Awareness/Influencing
Understands the key decision making processes within the organisation, lobbies to
advance goals for the good of the organisation and seeks to influence outcomes
Judgement/Decisiveness
Considers options, develops options, identifies the pros and cons and makes effective
decisions within appropriate timeframes and levels of responsibility, recognises critical
factors and weighs up risks appropriately, knows when to ask for help, recognises and
acts within the scope of the role
Communication Skills: Listens well to draw out information and learn, asks questions to
clarify, expresses information effectively, demonstrates effective written and verbal
communication skills, has the ability to interpret complex information in a way that is
easily understood by patients
Customer Focussed: Has the ability to interpret customer information to support a unified
and consumer focused organisation. Develops a positive working relationship with
patients, identifies and seeks to meet their needs, treats them as first priority
Staff Relationships: Collaborates with fellow team members and other work groups to
achieve objectives for the good of the whole, a good team player, develops a positive
working relationship with staff, identifies and seeks to meet their needs
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Supervision
Has the ability to coach and mentor less experienced staff, to communicate
expectations and agreed goals, provide constructive feedback and objectively
evaluate performance, capable of formal training and supervision of assigned staff
Has the ability to interpret and teach complex information in a way that is easily
understood
Demonstrates an ability to communicate expectations and agreed goals, provide
constructive feedback and objectively evaluate performance
Models organisational values, setting the highest ethical and professional standards.
Actively recognises and acknowledges the achievements of others
Has the ability to adapt and work effectively within a variety of situation, and with
various individuals or groups
Self
Development
Demonstrates commitment to personal and professional development. Acknowledges
and learns from mistakes and seeks to improve outcomes, knows when to ask for
help
Constantly strives to build knowledge and skills, acknowledges and learns from
mistakes and improves outcomes
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