Our team ensures that patients are tracked through their pathway, we monitor and escalate with core services such as Radiology, Pathology, Chemotherapy, Booking and Waiting List staff so excellent interpersonal and communication skills will be vital. The Cancer Pathway Navigator will work across Durham and Darlington with Radiology, Endoscopy, Cancer Pathway Coordinators and members of multi-disciplinary teams in primary and secondary care and third sector organisations, including working closely with the Cancer Services Improvement Manager. It will be an essential component of the job to form close working relationships with the medical, nursing and allied health professionals from all of the Trust cancer multidisciplinary teams across sites and within Primary Care. The Cancer Pathway Navigator will provide a point of contact to GPs and patients/carers advising and updating on patient pathway status with the specific aim of minimising any delays throughout each patient journey.
Within the Trust, they are also point of access to receive notification of new, suspicious or recurrent cancers which are identified following diagnostics and an essential element of the role is to ensure the Cancer Pathway Coordinators and the relevant MDT are alerted and relevant appointments are secured. A key aspect of the role is to liaise with the patient or their carer to provide detail of next appointments and arrange any necessary tests prior to imaging. They will act as patient advocate to enable timely access to cancer services, and will also follow up with the patient should they fail to attend. In addition they will signpost patients to relevant support within primary and secondary care.
The Cancer Pathway Navigator will also have delegated line management responsibility for the Cancer Pathway Coordinators, delivering 1-1s, Appraisals and management of annual leave. They will work closely with them to ensure the Cancer Wait Times targets are maintained and tracking procedures are followed and delays are escalated. They will have delegated responsibility for Cancer Wait Time validation in readiness for monthly deadlines and uploads.