At Beatson Cancer Charity we support and enhance the treatment, care and wellbeing of current, former and future
cancer patients and their families. We work in partnership with the NHS, The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer
Centre (BWoSCC) and all related facilities. We also offer the wider community a unique opportunity to contribute
to the advancement of cancer care.
Our Specialist Health and Work Service (SHAWS) supports people who are affected by cancer, and their families, to
plan for and manage the impact cancer can have on their employment. Our team of Specialist Practitioners provide
advice and support across a range of issues such as return to work planning, reasonable adjustments and making
decisions about the future as well as self-management techniques designed to enhance an individual’s coping
strategies.
Role Purpose
The SHAWS Practitioner will work as part of a small team managing their own client caseload and delivering group
self-management workshops. Based on the Biopsychosocial model, this requires triaging, assessing, and providing
ongoing support to patients, carers and employers. In addition, they will contribute to the development and
promotion of the service as a specialist resource across professional and community settings.
Key Responsibilities
- Responsible for triage and assessment of new referrals based on a biopsychosocial model.
- Support planning and provision of ongoing support/coaching utilising validated assessment tools as part of
support.
- Monitor progress during the course of SHAWS and wider multi-disciplinary care provision.
- Undertake risk assessments and risk management for individual clients and refer on as appropriate in response to
client need.
- Manage emotional/distressing conversations sensitively and compassionately.
- Devise and deliver SHAWS Workshop programme, in conjunction with SHAWS colleagues and colleagues across wider Care
Services.
- Devise and develop employer sessions based on our ‘We’re with you at work’ toolkit.
- Contribute to on-going service evaluation and development via reflective practice, case review, evaluation
framework and relevant audit.
- Maintain professional requirements and responsibilities in regard to supervision and professional development.
Essential Candidate Criteria
- Educated to a degree level or equivalent within a relevant field (Health, Psychology, AHP, Nursing, Social
Sciences, Education).
- Awareness of key health and work legislation e.g. The Equality Act 2010.
- Experience of working with people in a healthcare, community or social work setting.
- Experience of working autonomously to assess, devise and deliver a personalised support plan.
- Understanding of psychological risk and levels of psychological support.
- Experience and strong understanding of validated assessment tools and their use in planning and delivering
support.
- Understand the principles of psycho-educational approaches.
Person Specification
- Skilled and experienced practitioner.
- Strong assessment and support planning skills.
- Sound understanding of evaluation and research.
- Enhanced communication skills.
- Ability to remain calm and professional in challenging situations/conflicts.
- Excellent organisational and time management skills.
- Ability to work flexibly and in partnership with a wide range of stakeholders.
- Self-motivated with an ability to inspire and motivate others.