Health Inequalities Link Worker

Job summary

TheHealth Inequalities Link Worker's role is to help support patients fromdifferent groups within society who are affected by health inequalities. You will co-ordinate and deliver activities thatsupport early diagnosis of cancer.

Youwill deliver key cancer-related health messages through a variety of methods,using evidence-based approaches to reach targeted specific communities. You will work with and support the cancer screening teamsto both identify and breakdown barriers to timely presentation.

Main duties of the job

Our surgery is based within a deprived area of South Tyneside which means some patients may suffer from health inequalities, such as access to health care.

The Link Worker will work with other partner services to help all patients access the same healthcare opportunities, via different methods. The main area we are working on is increasing life expectancy by targeting 'Cancer Screening'. Evidence suggests, the earlier cancer is diagnosed, the greater the chance of survival.

About us

We are a single-handed GP surgery based within Stanhope Parade Health Centre, South Shields (opposite Chichester metro station). We serve a population of around 2900 patients.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Summary

You will coordinate and deliver activities thatsupport early diagnosis of will deliver key cancer-relatedhealth messages through a variety of methods, using evidence-based approachesto reach target willwork with and support cancerscreening teams to both identify and breakdown barriers to timely presentation.

Primary Responsibilities

The following are the core responsibilities of the HealthInequalities Link Worker. There may be on occasion, a requirement to carry outother tasks; this will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffinglevels:

You will;

- activate people to seek cancer screening / interventionearlier

- develop awareness of signs and symptoms ofcancer

- engage the hard to reach communities

- localise National cancer campaigns and makerelevant to our population

- work with the Primary Care Network CancerCare Coordinators

- work with and support the Cancer ScreeningProgrammes teams

Targeted / SpecificResponsibilities

- Target interventionstoward the most deprived communities and other communities and geographies ofhealth inequality including ethnically diverse communities, those in digitalpoverty, with a learning disability or autism, and areas with lower healthliteracy

- Targetinterventions toward younger people with the dual objective of increasing theirown awareness of signs and symptoms of cancer and encouraging them to presentfor cancer screening but also look to them to be vectors of communication totheir older family members/ workmates or wider community

- Support the delivery of the Targeted Lung Health Check (TLHC)programme across South Tyneside & Sunderland, maximisinguptake amongst harder to reach groups, patients from our most deprivedcommunities and supporting current smokers to stop smoking

- Support specific local campaigns identifiedby National Cancer Alliance, this will include work on Lung and Head and Neck cancer awareness

- Supportcontinued uptake of Faecal Immunochemical Testing (FIT), reinforcing theimportance of patients completing the FIT test if allocated one in Primary Care

- Support and promote uptake of the threecancer screening programmes and contribute to the following new initiatives inscreening where appropriate to the populations targeted:

- Support the increase in uptake of breastscreening in ethnically diverse populations (intersectionality withdeprivation)

- Support the development of new interventionsand information resources to target more high risk communities

- Work with breast screening providers toinfluence them to adapt their offer to these women to be more culturally aware.

- Support those new to bowel screening (menunder 60) to be more willing to take up the offer of screening (specificallytargeting men in quartiles 4/5) using behavioural science principles

- Support the increase in update of cervicalscreening in younger women, ethnically diverse populations and in deprivedcommunities

- Support the increase of Smoking Cessationwith local pharmacies to help reduce the smoking population within SouthTyneside

- Support our linked Social Prescribing LinkWorkers to help reduce obesity which will reduce the risk of cancer in laterlife

Generic Responsibilites

All staff at West View Surgery have a duty toconform to the following:

Equality, Diversity &Inclusion

A good attitude and positive action towardsED&I creates an environment where all individuals are able to achieve theirfull potential. Creating such an environment is important for three reasons: itimproves operational effectiveness, it is morally the right thing to do, and itis required by law.

Patients and their families have the right to betreated fairly and be routinely involved in decisions about their treatment andcare. They can expect to be treated with dignity and respect and will not bediscriminated against on any grounds including age, disability, genderreassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race,religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Patients have a responsibilityto treat other patients and our staff with dignity and respect.

Staff have the right to be treated fairly inrecruitment and career progression. Staff can expect to work in an environmentwhere diversity is valued, and equality of opportunity is promoted. Staff willnot be discriminated against on any grounds including age, disability, genderreassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race,religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Staff have a responsibility toensure that you treat our patients and their colleagues with dignity and respect.

Safety, Health, Environment andFire (SHEF)

This practice is committed to supporting andpromoting opportunities to for staff to maintain their health, well-being andsafety. You have a duty to take reasonable care of health and safety at workfor you, your team and others, and to cooperate with employers to ensurecompliance with health and safety requirements. All personnel are to complywith the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Environmental Protection Act 1990,Environment Act 1995, Fire Precautions (workplace) Regulations 1999 and other statutorylegislation.

Confidentiality

This practice is committed to maintaining anoutstanding confidential service. Patients entrust and permit us to collect andretain sensitive information relating to their health and other matters,pertaining to their care. They do so in confidence and have a right to expectall staff will respect their privacy and maintain confidentiality at all times.It is essential that if, the legal requirements are to be met and the trust ofour patients is to be retained that all staff protect patient information andprovide a confidential service.

Quality & ContinuousImprovement (CI)

To preserve and improve the quality of our output,all personnel are required to think not only of what they do, but how theyachieve it. By continually re-examining our processes, we will be able todevelop and improve the overall effectiveness of the way we work. Theresponsibility for this rests with everyone working within the practice to lookfor opportunities to improve quality and share good practice.

This practice continually strives to improve workprocesses which deliver health care with improved results across all areas ofour service provision. We promote a culture of continuous improvement, whereeveryone counts and staff are permitted to make suggestions and contributionsto improve our service delivery and enhance patient care.

Induction Training

On arrival at the practice all personnel are tocomplete a practice induction programme; this is managed by the PracticeManager.

Learning and Development

The effective use of training and development isfundamental in ensuring that all staff are equipped with the appropriateskills, knowledge, attitude, and competences to perform their role. All staffwill be required to partake and complete mandatory training as directed by thetraining coordinator, as well as participating in the practice training will also be permitted (subject to approval) toundertake external training courses which will enhance their knowledge andskills, progress their career and ultimately, enable them to improve processesand service delivery.

Collaborative Working

All staff are to recognise the significance ofcollaborative working. Teamwork is essential in multidisciplinary environments.Effective communication is essential, and all staff must ensure theycommunicate in a manner which enables the sharing of information in anappropriate manner.

Service Delivery

Staff at West View Surgery must adhere to theinformation contained with practice policies and regional directives, ensuringprotocols are adhered to at all will be given detailedinformation during the induction process regarding policy andprocedure.

Security

The security of the practice is the responsibilityof all personnel. Staff must ensure they remain vigilant at all times andreport any suspicious activity immediately to their line manager. Under nocircumstances are staff to share the codes for the door locks to anyone and areto ensure that restricted areas remain effectively secured.

Professional Conduct

At West View Surgery, staff are required to dressappropriately for their role. Administrative staff will be provided with auniform whilst clinical staff must dress in accordance with their role.

Leave

All personnel are entitled to take leave and shouldbe encouraged to take all of their leave entitlement.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

- Educated to GCSE level or equivalent - GCSE Mathematics & English (C or above)

Desirable

- Health Care related qualification

Experience

Essential

- Experience of working with the general public - Experience of administrative duties - Experience of working in a health care setting - EMIS (Web) user skills - Excellent communication skills (written and oral) - Strong IT skills - Clear, polite telephone manner - Competent in the use of Office and Outlook - Effective time management (Planning & Organising) - Ability to work as a team member and autonomously - Good interpersonal skills - Problem solving & analytical skills - Ability to follow policy and procedure - Polite and confident - Flexible and cooperative - Motivated - Forward thinker - High levels of integrity and loyalty - Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations - Ability to work under pressure

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