The Royal Surrey Cancer Centre is looking for an empathetic and motivated individual to join our Teenage and Young Adult (TYA) Cancer Service as Youth Support Coordinator.
This is a job share where the post holder will be expected to have a strong understanding of person-centred care, with the ability to build supportive relationships with young people aged 16–30 facing cancer.
Applicants should be proactive, well-organised, IT literate, and flexible to work occasional evenings or weekends.
This post requires an experienced, forward thinking, motivated and ambitious person whose contributions will be recognised by a dynamic, professional and friendly team.
For further details and informal visit, please contact Lead Nurse Nana Akowuah –Addo on 01483 571122 extension 2596 or email
[email protected]
- Taking referrals from clinical staff and identifying appropriate individual, group and peer-support activities to meet the needs of young people.
- Working collaboratively with our youth support coordinator (Job share) to ensure our patients are well supported.
Co-coordinating, and providing diversionary 1:1 and group activities in the hospital setting ensuring they are well-planned, appropriate and safe for all participants.
Taking the lead on design and organization of agreed patient group activities outside the hospital setting, with input from TYA team colleagues as appropriate to ensure they are well-planned, appropriate and safe for all participants. This may be outside usual working hours.
Contributing to the design and implementation of programs to support transition, both in relation to age/development and stages of the cancer care pathway including end of life care
Developing age-appropriate methods for involving teenagers and young adults in the evaluation and development of services, taking a key role in supporting their involvement.
Contributing to the development and use of communication technologies to meet the needs of teenagers and young adults with cancer.
This role may include working across hospitals sites within the NHS Trust, and may require travel around the region at times.
Supporting/ working with Designated Hospitals and Principal Treatment Centers in the region to provide health and well-being events and peer meetings
Ongoing development of TYA Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) group
Attendance at Teenage Cancer Trust events and regional meetings
Royal Surrey is a compassionate and collaborative acute and community Trust. Recognising that our 5,000 colleagues are our greatest strength, we offer a comprehensive health and wellbeing programme alongside a strong commitment to developing your career. Our diverse and welcoming Royal Surrey family ensures you feel valued from your initial interview and throughout your time with us.
We are clinically led and provide joined-up care by bridging hospital and community services, alongside delivering regional specialist cancer care. Our main acute hospital site is in Guildford, with community sites at Milford, Haslemere and Cranleigh, and services delivered in patients’ homes across Guildford and Waverley.
We work in partnership with Ashford & St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust through a collaborative Group Model, supporting joined-up services, workforce flexibility and development opportunities.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated us as Outstanding. We are proud of our achievements and continue to invest in our people and infrastructure.
To learn more about life at Royal Surrey, please watch our short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R96pMboIYdo
Adverts may close early, so you are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
Supporting young people in hospital
1. Establish effective relationships with teenagers and young adults, using age-appropriate approaches and communication skills to identify individual’s interests, strengths, areas of concern/need and help them to participate in positive activity while in hospital.
2. Develop a programme of 1:1 and small-group diversionary and supportive activities and enable young people to participate as appropriate to their physical health and personal preferences.
3. Use motivational techniques to engage young people in their cancer treatment plan, follow up schedule and self-care. Assist colleagues in effective communication with individual young people to achieve this aim.
4. Contribute to information-giving and preparation of young people undergoing medical procedures and accompany them to provide non-clinical support as required.
5. Collaborate with colleagues to identify health and wellbeing issues for the patient group and for individuals, and to provide young people with access to age-appropriate awareness and health promotion materials.
6. Assist in providing ward environments in which young people feel safe, welcomed, respected and encouraged, and that facilitate supportive social interaction between patients.
7. Ensure recreational, craft and other non-medical equipment used by TYAs is maintained for safety and cleaned in line with relevant policies e.g., infection prevention, food hygiene.
8. Co-ordinate agreed therapeutic hospital-based activities provided by internal or external agencies e.g. art therapy, music workshops, and liaise with the complementary therapy service.
9. Supervise unqualified staff such as students and volunteers.
10. Encourage teenagers and young adults in hospital to maintain their personal routines, independence, education/work and personal interests. Help them keep up their links with family, friends, school or work.
11. Attend the relevant ward and multidisciplinary meetings to contribute to coordinated assessment and support, report on work being undertaken with patients, raise any concerns and seek advice.
12. Contribute to transition programs for teenagers in the children’s service, working under guidance of clinical staff to help young people develop their understanding of their illness, treatment and self-care needs and supporting successful transfer from child to adult services.
13. On the request of clinical colleagues, contribute to the support available for young people attending follow up clinics to identify their concerns and signposting them to sources of appropriate information, advice and support.
Participatory Activities
14. Provide opportunities for social interaction, creative expression and informal support with other teenagers and young people with cancer including Look Good, Feel Better’, and accompanying young people as required e.g. Ellen MacArthur Sailing Trips and Royal Albert Hall events
15. Organize and lead social and support activities out of hospital for teenagers and young adults with cancer. Provide supported opportunities for parents, children, friends, partners and siblings in the TYA age group to participate as appropriate.
16. Identify, organize and promote opportunities for teenagers and young adults with cancer to engage in challenge activities that encourage positive contribution and personal development for example activity weekends and opportunities.
17. Collaborate with colleagues to develop age-appropriate methods for gaining feedback from young people and supporting their input into developing services. Report on Involvement activities to the appropriate management teams and share the outcomes with patients/families.
18. Co-ordinate and contribute to the development of communications technology to facilitate the opportunity for therapeutic support encouraging social interaction and explore options for using internet for patient involvement and feedback.
Record Keeping and Administration
19. Maintain records of patient contacts and activities provided. Ensure personal information or observations about individual young people are appropriately shared with colleagues to support multidisciplinary care.
20. Record and report all concerns relating to needs assessment or safeguarding children or vulnerable young adults to Lead Nurse and or appropriate department for support.
21. Record any untoward incidents using Trust reporting systems.
22. Undertake and record structured risk assessments for all organized activities in and out of the hospital liaising with the Lead Nurse and other colleagues as appropriate to manage risk.
23. Ensure all necessary consents and medical information requirements are obtained for activities and maintain these records safely.
24. Keep records of the referrals, contacts, activity/interventions and outcomes for patients accessing the service and be able to analyse the data to help inform practice
25. Plan for and utilize TYA funds effectively to ensure maximum benefit from expenditure.
26. Provide agreed information on request to patients/families who wish to make financial or other donations to support TYA cancer services.
27. Ensure records of recreational and technological equipment maintenance are kept according to Trust requirements.
Networking
28. Develop strong and collaborative professional links with the hospital teams, working particularly closely with representatives and colleagues from other organizations such as the Young Lives versus Cancer, including on joint activities and projects where appropriate.
29. Act as a contact for Teenage Cancer Trust and other organizations regarding patient participation, and liaise with TYA team to ensure each patient has made an informed choice to participate, with signed consents as required. Support individuals throughout these activities.
30. Act as point of contact for Teenage Cancer Trust and other organizations regarding trips, treats, holidays and other opportunities. Liaise with TYA team regarding any such activities as appropriate.
31. Be an active member of forums, and any other local TYA service development groups as appropriate, taking a lead on projects related to the role, agreed with TYA lead Nurse.
Personal and Professional Development
32. Adhere to TYA service guidelines concerning the maintenance of personal and professional boundaries.
33. Maintain appropriate professional contact with patients, whether face-to-face or via online systems, telephone, or text.
34. Ensure the responsibilities for patient confidentiality are maintained in all contacts with young people, families, friends and any other individuals or organizations.
35. Maintain own learning through personal study/reading and attending agreed study days or conferences. Undertake mandatory and other specific training required to fulfil the role and responsibilities.
36. Participate in research by outside agencies regarding teenage cancer and adolescent issues.
37. Be responsible and proactive in maintaining personal physical safety and emotional wellbeing, utilizing supervision and support systems on offer via the Hospital Trust and others establishments.
38. To work in collaboration with other trusts, designated TYA hospitals and Principle treatment Centres
39. To develop and engage young people in Patient Public Involvement forums, ensuring their voices are integral to service improvements and developments.
40. To manage and facilitate social media platforms within the TYA service.
41. To support TYA’s through the delivery of psycho social interventions, working alongside TYA well-being specialist, acting as a bridge for young people in being enabled to access psychological support.
42. To develop support groups.
43. To develop and maintain existing projects designed to meet the needs of the young people.
44. To supervise agencies delivering workshops to the TYA’s off and onsite.
45. To participate in research process by outside agencies regarding TYA issues.
46. To support TYA CNS’s through collaborative working to meet the needs of the TYA’s.
47. To support TYAs in their transitions through their cancer trajectory including post treatment and or end of life.
