Cancer Quality Improvement Lead

Position Overview

An exceptional opportunity has emerged to become a part of the South East London Cancer Alliance (SELCA) team as a Cancer Quality Improvement Lead focused on Primary Care. We seek a motivated and proactive individual with a background in NHS Clinical or Operational roles, possessing experience in Cancer and/or Primary Care, particularly in managing change and enhancing quality improvement initiatives.

The successful candidate will collaborate with a dedicated team of Cancer Quality Improvement Leads, engaging across various programs within the SELCA framework. This role will specifically oversee a project aimed at supporting the SELCA Early Cancer Diagnosis and Personalised Care teams, working in close partnership with Primary Care colleagues.

The primary objective of this project is to create a comprehensive toolkit/framework that assists Primary Care Networks in implementing Early Diagnosis and Personalised Care strategies within their practices through the utilization of non-clinical support roles. It is essential to ensure that these non-clinical team members receive adequate training and support. Non-clinical roles may encompass care coordinators, social prescribers, support staff, and administrative personnel.

Success in this role requires the ability to operate at a senior level within a collaborative, multi-organizational environment to drive organizational and service transformation. Flexibility in thought and action, while maintaining a clear focus on overarching priorities, is crucial.

Key Responsibilities

The main priorities of this position include:

• Overseeing the development and execution of the overall project framework, including the establishment and coordination of a Project Steering Group.
• Collaborating with and learning from existing projects/services in South East London and beyond that have established frameworks to support non-clinical roles in Primary Care for delivering Early Diagnosis and Personalised Care initiatives.
• In the creation of this toolkit/framework:
  • Promote the use of the ACCEND Framework to aid in the development of staff members.
  • Identify gaps in training and support offerings.
  • Facilitate opportunities for primary and secondary care professionals to collaborate and enhance care integration.
• Exhibit strong communication and stakeholder management capabilities, working collaboratively with both internal and external stakeholders to ensure effective management of interdependencies and achievement of objectives.
• Be adaptable as the specific projects managed may evolve over time in response to the changing portfolio of work.

About the Organization

The South East London Cancer Alliance (SELCA) operates within the South East London Integrated Care System (ICS), collaborating with both primary and secondary care organizations in the region, hosted by Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust.

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust encompasses five renowned hospitals and community services, recognized for their commitment to high-quality care, clinical excellence, research, and innovation.

As one of the UK's largest NHS Trusts, we aim to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and foster partnerships with local individuals, patients, NHS organizations, local authorities, charitable entities, and general practitioners.

Project Management Responsibilities

• Oversee the creation of project plans that meet agreed milestones and objectives.
• Develop business cases as necessary, including feasibility studies and detailed scheme designs.
• Provide project management expertise to team members, ensuring clarity in roles and responsibilities.
• Maintain focus on priorities, setting and tracking timelines for delivery.
• Facilitate and lead project management meetings with stakeholders, ensuring broad participation and a focus on actionable outcomes.
• Develop and maintain effective project reporting to the project board.
• Prepare reports for submission to the boards of relevant NHS partner organizations, including data analysis and rationale for service changes.
• Proactively manage risks across all project activities, ensuring stakeholders are informed.
• Allocate staff and resources effectively, monitoring work distribution to ensure successful project delivery.
• Utilize appropriate project management practices to facilitate meetings among clinicians, managers, patients, and other partners to establish priorities and action plans.
• Ensure health inequalities are addressed throughout all project phases.
• Monitor progress to ensure compliance with Trust values, financial instructions, and project management processes.
• Plan and implement evaluations and audits of projects across various sites and organizations.
• Document work outputs clearly and store them appropriately.

Financial Management Responsibilities

• Assist in managing financial contracts as required by the Senior Programme Manager.
• Support budget management, including monitoring expenditures and providing budgetary reports.
• Actively track expenditures against budget and address issues promptly.

Staff and Stakeholder Management Responsibilities

• Develop engagement plans to foster positive relationships among team members and key stakeholders throughout the project.
• Manage strategies to achieve consensus and alignment among senior managers and clinicians.
• Utilize negotiation and motivational skills to garner support from a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Ensure delivery plans are developed and updated regularly, maintaining effective communication throughout the project lifecycle.
• Establish systems for effective communication within the project and to Senior Programme Managers.
• Delegate tasks to program support officers, providing guidance and training as needed.
• Lead project management training and model best practices for internal staff and external partners.
• Foster collaborative relationships with stakeholders through a matrix management approach.
• Support team members in all aspects of project delivery, ensuring lessons learned are integrated into future work.

Information Management Responsibilities

• Develop and evaluate project information management systems to meet diverse audience needs.
• Implement data collection systems that provide accurate and timely information.
• Maintain necessary project databases.
• Develop policies and protocols that align with Trust standards.
• Support the review and enhancement of existing project information management systems for an integrated approach.

Strategy, Change, and Service Improvement Responsibilities

• Manage the development of project strategies, including research to identify and promote best practices.
• Ensure infrastructure is in place to test and review new concepts and methods.
• Design innovative methods to engage patients and the public in service direction and improvement.
• Conduct regular horizon scanning for best practices within the sector.

Personal Development Responsibilities

• Maintain current knowledge of service improvement techniques and develop a personal continuing professional development program.

Research and Development Responsibilities

• Conduct primary and secondary research, audits, and evaluations as necessary.

General Responsibilities

• Exercise autonomy in specific program areas, assessing the impact of changes and making informed decisions.
• Provide advice to Senior Programme Managers.
• Proactively identify and address significant issues within the program.

Qualifications

Essential:

• Master's Degree or equivalent experience.
• Evidence of recent Continuing Professional Development.

Skills

Essential:

• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, networking, and negotiation skills.
• Strong people and project management abilities.

Experience

Essential:

• In-depth knowledge of the NHS clinical/operational environment and project management methodologies.
• Innovative problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work flexibly and prioritize workloads effectively.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to meet deadlines and delegate tasks efficiently.