Job summary An opportunity has arisen to join the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) and Bereavement Team at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust. The PALS and Bereavement Team is part of the Patient Safety and Clinical Assurance department and supports The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust in delivering a high-quality service. This is a unique and rewarding opportunity to make a meaningful difference to patients and their families during some of their most difficult times. Direct experience of NHS concerns/complaints handling and/or bereavement experience is advantageous and an understanding and experience of working with cancer patients would also be beneficial. The successful candidate will be proactive, work using their own initiative and be able to demonstrate an ability to communicate with a wide range of people in challenging circumstances.The post holder will provide a public-facing service and will contribute to an efficient, compassionate, professional and comprehensive service for patients, relatives, carers and staff. The post holder will also work to ensure that the processes following the death of a patient are completed respectfully, correctly and in a timely manner. This will involve acting as a point of contact and source of advice for relatives of deceased patients, healthcare professionals, the coroner's office, registration services and providing support to the Medical Examiner Office. Main duties of the job The post holder will play a key role in the provision of the Trust-wide Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS). They will contribute to an efficient, compassionate, professional and comprehensive service for patients, relatives, carers and staff. The post holder will also work to ensure that the processes following the death of a patient are completed respectfully, correctly and in a timely manner. This will involve acting as a point of contact and source of advice for relatives of deceased patients, healthcare professionals, coroner and registration services and providing support to the Medical Examiner Office. About us The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is a world-leading cancer centre. Our role is to offer our patients the best cancer care available anywhere in the world, and to continue to make a global contribution to finding better ways of diagnosing and treating cancer. We employ over 4,500 staff in a diverse range of careers including nursing, medical, science, radiography, pharmacy, occupational therapy, finance and administrative services. We have two hospitals - one in Chelsea, London, and one in Sutton, Surrey - as well as a Medical Daycare Unit in Kingston Hospital. At The Royal Marsden, we deal with cancer every day, so we understand how valuable life is. When people entrust their lives to us, they have the right to demand the very best. That's why the pursuit of excellence lies at the heart of everything we do. At the heart of the hospital is our dedicated team. We offer a stimulating and dynamic working environment, a wide range of staff benefits, learning and development opportunities and clear career pathways. There are opportunities to work flexibly across a range of areas and specialities and we welcome flexible working requests from point of hire to support employees work life balance. We are looking for employees who aspire to excellence, share our values and can play a crucial role in our on-going achievements. Date posted 06 January 2025 Pay scheme Agenda for change Band Band 6 Salary £42,939 to £50,697 a year per annum Contract Permanent Working pattern Full-time Reference number 282-OD078 Job locations The Royal Marsden Sutton Downs Road Sutton SM2 5PT Job description Job responsibilities For further information on this role, please see the attached detailed Job Description and Person Specification. Assess patients and others who access the service to determine their needs Handle and process concerns, including complex cases Communicate with patients, relatives and/or carers in a polite, sympathetic and empathetic way, giving reassurances that all enquiries will be handled in confidence Provide a confidential service for people who wish to discuss aspects of their illness or their treatment, and where appropriate support them in the decision-making process. Handle and deal with contentious issues that may arise from handling some concerns Respond to matters of concern which patients/carers may wish to raise and to act as a facilitator, providing advice, support and direction, ensuring that issues are resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible Ensure that patient/carer views are recorded and forwarded to senior management as appropriate Job description Job responsibilities For further information on this role, please see the attached detailed Job Description and Person Specification. Assess patients and others who access the service to determine their needs Handle and process concerns, including complex cases Communicate with patients, relatives and/or carers in a polite, sympathetic and empathetic way, giving reassurances that all enquiries will be handled in confidence Provide a confidential service for people who wish to discuss aspects of their illness or their treatment, and where appropriate support them in the decision-making process. Handle and deal with contentious issues that may arise from handling some concerns Respond to matters of concern which patients/carers may wish to raise and to act as a facilitator, providing advice, support and direction, ensuring that issues are resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible Ensure that patient/carer views are recorded and forwarded to senior management as appropriate Person Specification Qualifications Essential Degree in a relevant subject or evidence of equivalent study or equivalent experience Evidence of recent professional development Desirable Relevant health professional qualification, e.g. Registered Nurse, Allied Health Professional Communication skills training Experience Essential Experience working in situations where individuals may express high emotions or distress Experience of dealing with concerns and facilitating resolution/solutions Experience of producing written material (including reports and presentations) to a high standard Desirable NHS experience Experience of working in a PALS/bereavement environment or equivalent Recent experience of working in cancer or palliative care An understanding of Patient Safety and Risk Management systems Knowledge Essential Willingness to work within a team Knowledge of health and cancer services Understanding of the wider issues in relation to cancer treatment for people affected by cancer Awareness of equal access and cultural issues Excellent communication skills, verbal and nonverbal Listening skills with the ability to interpret individual needs Ability to communicate assertively with the wider professional team within the hospital and community Interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate with professionals, patients, carers and the public in a non-prescriptive, facilitative manner Ability to confidently communicate with those who exhibit challenging behaviour or show distress Ability to cope with complexity and uncertainty and find appropriate solutions within a given time frame Ability to respond compassionately to bereaved individuals and friends / relatives of dying patients. Sensitivity to issues relating to bereavement. Willingness to lead meetings with relatives/friends after a patient's death and provide appropriate information and support Ability to maintain accurate records and produce data as requested Ability to assess information and come to balanced conclusions Competent in Microsoft Packages (particularly Microsoft Word and Excel) Ability to work autonomously Desirable Knowledge of the special requirements of various faith groups and respect for equality and diversity issues relating to the formalities following a death To have an understanding of medical terminology that enables informed discussions about causes / circumstances of death with the bereaved, clinicians, coroner and registration staff. Knowledge of the statutory process around death certification and legal frameworks and how the medical examiner system operates Person Specification Qualifications Essential Degree in a relevant subject or evidence of equivalent study or equivalent experience Evidence of recent professional development Desirable Relevant health professional qualification, e.g. Registered Nurse, Allied Health Professional Communication skills training Experience Essential Experience working in situations where individuals may express high emotions or distress Experience of dealing with concerns and facilitating resolution/solutions Experience of producing written material (including reports and presentations) to a high standard Desirable NHS experience Experience of working in a PALS/bereavement environment or equivalent Recent experience of working in cancer or palliative care An understanding of Patient Safety and Risk Management systems Knowledge Essential Willingness to work within a team Knowledge of health and cancer services Understanding of the wider issues in relation to cancer treatment for people affected by cancer Awareness of equal access and cultural issues Excellent communication skills, verbal and nonverbal Listening skills with the ability to interpret individual needs Ability to communicate assertively with the wider professional team within the hospital and community Interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate with professionals, patients, carers and the public in a non-prescriptive, facilitative manner Ability to confidently communicate with those who exhibit challenging behaviour or show distress Ability to cope with complexity and uncertainty and find appropriate solutions within a given time frame Ability to respond compassionately to bereaved individuals and friends / relatives of dying patients. Sensitivity to issues relating to bereavement. Willingness to lead meetings with relatives/friends after a patient's death and provide appropriate information and support Ability to maintain accurate records and produce data as requested Ability to assess information and come to balanced conclusions Competent in Microsoft Packages (particularly Microsoft Word and Excel) Ability to work autonomously Desirable Knowledge of the special requirements of various faith groups and respect for equality and diversity issues relating to the formalities following a death To have an understanding of medical terminology that enables informed discussions about causes / circumstances of death with the bereaved, clinicians, coroner and registration staff. Knowledge of the statutory process around death certification and legal frameworks and how the medical examiner system operates Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions. UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). Additional information Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions. UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). Employer details Employer name The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust Address The Royal Marsden Sutton Downs Road Sutton SM2 5PT Employer's website https://www.royalmarsden.nhs.uk/working-royal-marsden (Opens in a new tab)