Cancer Care Coordinators

Cancer Support Worker (CSW)

Clinical Trials Pharmacist

Cancer Support Worker (CSW)

Clinical Trials Pharmacist

A Cancer Care Coordinator is a very varied patient facing role based in primary care. They work closely with GPs and other colleagues to identify and manage patients who have a suspected or confirmed cancer, ensuring that appropriate support is made available to them and their families.

As a Cancer Care Coordinator you are most likely to:

Work in a GP practice supporting a group of practices within a Primary Care Network (PCN);
Speaking with patients who have been referred for investigations or been diagnosed with cancer;
Become a point of contact for patients with questions or worries;
Undertake cancer care reviews with patients;
Guide a patient through their cancer journey providing support, information and guidance;
Open doors to other services and information that may help your patients.

Entry Requirements

Cancer Care Coordinators require good literacy, numeracy and IT skills. Five GCSEs at grade A-C/9-4 including maths and English would be preferable but not always essential.

Experience of working in a healthcare setting with some patient contact, particularly in cancer care would be desirable.

Training Routes

Cancer Care Coordinators bring a wealth of experience from many different backgrounds. Some will progress from other administrative roles within the NHS or cancer service, others will have health care experience.

Key Skills

You will:

Be an excellent communicator able to work closely with patients and colleagues;
Have excellent organisational abilities;
Be able to manage your priorities and be flexible in your approach;
Be able to show empathy;

Pay and benefits

Cancer Care Coordinators are paid on the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay system at a Band 4.

Career Development

There are many different directions that a Cancer Care Coordinator may choose to develop their career;

You may be able to progress to a senior/lead care coordinator role with experience;
You could look at other patient facing roles within primary care such as a Health and Wellbeing Coach or Social Prescriber;
You could move into an alternative supportive role with a different focus such as a Cancer Support Worker or Pathway Navigator in secondary care;
You may opt to follow an administrative pathway moving away from direct patient care, this could lead to roles such as an operations or management assistant
You may want to become a registered health care professional such as a nurse by undertaking a degree or degree apprenticeship.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Find out more about Cancer Care Coordinators in Wessex (Cancer Care Coordinators in Primary Care – Welcome to Wessex Cancer Alliance)

Hear about a day in the life of a Cancer Care Coordinator (A Day in the Life of a Cancer Care Coordinator – Sophie Lockwood’s Blog – Leeds GP Confederation