Breast Cancer Care
Job Description
Title:
Section:
Breast Care Nurse (Helpline, Ask the Nurse and patient information)
Accountable To: Senior Clinical Nurse Specialist
Clinical and Information Services Directorate
Southwark, London Location:
Salary: Agenda for Change (AFC) Band 6
Contract:
Hours:
Permanent
Part time with occasional evening/weekend work
About Breast Cancer Care:
Breast Cancer Care is here for anyone affected by breast cancer. We bring people together, provide information and support, and campaign for improved standards of care. We use our understanding of people's experience of breast cancer and our clinical expertise in everything we do.
Breast Cancer Care’s Vision and Mission:
We want every person affected by breast cancer to get the best treatment, information and support.
Nursing at Breast Cancer Care:
Professional development including opportunities to attend national and international conferences and training courses is encouraged and supported. Nurses receive training to undertake a variety of direct and indirect client services ensuring they retain regular client contact, keep up to date and have clinical credibility. Professional development is enhanced by the opportunity to gain experience in writing content for the website and Breast Cancer Care publications. All nurses are supported by line management and professional mentorship from a nurse, and have access to regular group supervision.
About the Post:
The post-holder will be a member of the Clinical and Information Services Directorate. The Clinical
Team includes a Clinical Director, Clinical Nurse Specialists and Breast Care Nurses.
Maintaining an up to date knowledge of treatment advancements and care of patients with breast cancer will be an integral part of contributing to delivery of optimum services The post-holder will act as a resource for clients, healthcare professionals and the wider public on the subject of breast health and breast cancer. This will involve providing information and support to clients by phone and email with either breast cancer or benign breast disease. The post holder will also write and review patient information.
The post-holder will take part in quality monitoring of services.
Contributing to live chat services is optional.
There will be the opportunity to deliver training and to work with our regional teams delivering face to face services to clients across the UK.
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Flexibility:
In order to work effectively in a changing environment, flexibility is required from the post-holder.
Any other tasks that may be requested will be at the same level of responsibility and terms and conditions of employment.
The post-holder must be prepared to travel throughout the UK and to occasionally work varying hours. The helpline service is run throughout the week and on Saturday mornings. Team training occurs twice a year on Saturdays. Live Chat sessions are currently held in the evenings.
Main Responsibilities
Core Dimensions
Communication

To work on relevant Breast Cancer Care Services, including the Helpline and Ask the
Nurse email services, providing information and support about all aspects of breast health and breast cancer.

To act as Nurse Team Leader during allocated shift.

To provide information and support via the Breast Cancer Care Helpline.

To answer client Ask the Nurse (ATN) emails by phone or email, delegating as appropriate.

To write and review Breast Cancer Care publications and online patient information as per information package schedule.

To maintain confidentiality.
Personal and people development

To keep informed of current developments in breast cancer and breast health.

To keep up to date on a national and global perspective on health care policy and provision and breast cancer.

To work closely with the Helpline and ATN development manager, Helpline coordinator and
Clinical Nurse Specialist (Primary breast cancer, Helpline & ATN).

To contribute to clinical training for all new starters on the helpline.

To contribute to the internal training of Breast Cancer Care staff.

Option of presenting information sessions.

To attend conferences or external training courses as required.

To be an effective member of the clinical team, presenting a positive impression of the team and the service.

To recognise, respect and promote the different roles and diversity of the individuals within the team.

To seek and reflect on feedback from the team and adapt as necessary.

To contribute to written clinical updates within the nursing team.
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 To assess one’s own educational needs as part of the appraisal process.

To be responsible for maintaining own portfolio.

To attend internal meetings as required.

To be competent in most administrative tasks and maintain accurate records.

To attend 6 weekly group supervision.
Service improvement

To act as an internal resource for staff.

To act as an expert resource for other nurses and helpliners, helping them to ensure their work is evidenced based and their knowledge is up-to-date.

In conjunction with the nursing team, to contribute to the induction, support and development of nurses and helpliner staff working in the team.

Work with the Publishing and Digital teams to contribute to patient information and online material updating and proof reading.

To contribute to expanding and updating internal resources.
Quality

To take a role in the clinical aspects of quality monitoring the helpline and ATN services.

To hold responsibility for clinical content of own Helpline calls and emails.

To work within the NMC Scope of Professional Practice and Code of Conduct.
Equality and Diversity

To operate within the organisational equal opportunities policy framework and implement policy framework within this area.
General Supervision

Act as a team leader supervising the daily practice of the helpline team.

Contribute to the clinical development of the nursing and helpline team at Breast Cancer
Care.

Contribute to the induction of the helpline team.

To adhere to the Breast Cancer Care Data Protection and Health and Safety policies.
 To use and maintain the organisation’s database, Enterprise, as required.
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Breast Cancer Care
Person Specification – Breast Care Nurse
Essential Criteria:
Knowledge and Experience

Registered General Nurse.

ENB A11 (Breast Care Nursing) or ENB 237 (Oncology) qualification or evidence of either a stand alone module in Breast Care Nursing practice, or as part of a degree programme.

Current or very recent experience of working directly with breast cancer patients and/or general cancer patients for a minimum of 18 months.

Ability to demonstrate a good working knowledge of breast cancer management and issues.

Working knowledge and experience of the counselling skills necessary to provide support within this arena .

Good understanding of psychosocial issues in relation to breast cancer.

Understanding of the issues relevant to a voluntary sector organisation.

Good understanding of the skills needed to give information and support by telephone and email to those with breast cancer, their relatives and friends.
Personal attributes and Skills

Excellent interpersonal skills.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Ability to work as part of a team and on own initiative.

Ability to work under pressure.

Willingness to occasionally work variable hours.

Willingness to adapt from a clinical environment to the voluntary sector.

Understanding of the equal opportunities issues in relation to breast cancer and a commitment to equality of opportunity.

Ability to show tact and discretion when dealing with sensitive and confidential information.
Desirable Criteria:

Experience of using telephone headsets, email and the internet.

Experience of undertaking supervision with a professional team.

Paid or unpaid work experience within the voluntary sector.
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