Wirral Cancer Prehabilitation Exercise Practitioner

The Prehabilitation project aims to give people affected by cancer access to appropriate physical activity opportunities pre and post-surgery to maximise surgery / treatment to improve patient health outcomes. The role will contribute to increasing patient’s physical activity levels, improving diet, and making long-term lifestyle changes.

The post holder is a Cancer Prehabilitation Practitioner for people with cancer who are awaiting surgery. The post holder will act within their professional boundaries to support people who are about to undergo surgery. We want to make sure that everyone with cancer awaiting surgery has access to appropriate physical activity opportunities pre and post-surgery to maximise surgery and improve patient health outcomes. The role will contribute to increasing patient’s physical activity levels, improving diet, and making long-term lifestyle changes.

We are looking for a qualified exercise referral specialist who has experience delivering physical activity support for cancer patients. There will be options in this role to support the Diabetes Prehabilitation service also

**Role Responsibilities**

The following are the core responsibilities of the Wirral Prehabilitation Practitioner. There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks. This will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels:
a. To work as part of a multi-disciplinary team in a patient facing role to assess and treat patients using expert knowledge.

b. To provide physical activity and lifestyle support for people treated for a suspected cancer to improve health outcomes.

c. To deliver cancer physical activity sessions and provide tailored physical activity advice.

d. To be responsible for the assessment of new patients with subsequent production and completion of individual care plans

e. To coach and motivate patients through multiple sessions to identify their needs set goals, and support them to implement their personalised health and care plan.

f. To provide personalised support to individuals, their families and carers to ensure that they are active participants in their own healthcare and to empower them to take more control in manging their own health and well-being, to live independently and to improve their health outcomes through the following:
g. Providing interventions such as self-management, education and peer support

h. Supporting people to establish and attain goals set by the person based on what is important to them, building on goals that are important to the individual

i. Working with the social prescribing service to connect them to community-based activities which support their health and well-being

j. To be aware of limitations and, as required, be responsible for the referral of patients who require the intervention of other healthcare professionals

k. To work with patients and to understand their level of knowledge, skills and confidence when engaging with their health and well-being

l. To provide support to local community groups and work with other health, social care and voluntary sector providers to support patients’ health and well-being holistically

m. To identify risk factors and categorise patients into appropriate risk banding

n. To facilitate groups of patients with group consultations to assist patients to work with others to support their own goals

o. To be responsible for the day-to-day planning of personal workloads
- To follow departmental policies procedures and guidelines

q. To liaise with the cancer teams, cancer care coordinators, social prescribers, and health coaches within the Primary Care Networks

r. To receive referrals and directed patients from triage services and other clinicians.

s. To actively signpost patients to the correct healthcare professional

t. To maintain accurate clinical records of all patient consultations and related work

**Person specification - Wirral Prehabilitation Practitioner**

**Qualifications**

Level 3 accredited Personal Trainer award.

Level 4 Cancer Rehabilitation Qualification

GP Referral Qualification (Wright Foundation or Gayton YMCA/Fit).

Relevant qualification in health and wellbeing/physical activity or nutrition

**Experience**

Experience in a Physical Activity / Sports Development/ Health area within the public, voluntary or private sector.

Partnership working.

Broad knowledge of general practice

Working with Multidisciplinary team

Experience with cancer patients

Experience of delivering physical activity session

Experience in health and nutrition work with patients

**Skills**

Self-motivated and an ability to work unsupervised.

Clear, polite telephone manner

Good clinical system IT knowledge

Effective time management (Planning & Organising)

Demonstrate personal accountability, emotional resilience and work well under pressure

**Personal qualities**

Ability to follow legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies/procedures and codes of conduct