Guy’s and St Thomas’ is among the UK’s busiest and most successful NHS foundation trusts. We provide a full range of hospital and community services for people in south London and as well as specialist care for patients from further afield including cancer, renal, orthopaedic, respiratory and cardiovascular services. Guy’s is home to the largest dental school in Europe and a £160 million Cancer Centre opened in 2016. As part of our commitment to provide care closer to home, in 2017 we also opened a cancer centre and a kidney treatment centre at Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup. St Thomas’ has one of the largest critical care units in the UK and one of the busiest emergency departments in London. It is also home to Evelina London Children’s Hospital. Evelina London cares for local children in Lambeth and Southwark and provides specialist services across south east England including cardiac, renal and critical care services. We lead a number of specialist service networks aiming to ensure children are treated locally where possible, but have access to specialist expertise when they need it. Our community services include health visiting, school nursing and support for families of children with long-term conditions. Our adult community services teams deliver care at the heart of the local communities we serve, working in partnership with GPs, local authorities and other healthcare and voluntary sector organisations. Working with our partners in Lambeth and Southwark, we are focusing on new ways of working to improve care for local patients. In February 2021 the Royal Brompton and Harefield joined Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, bringing together world-leading expertise in the care and research of heart and lung disease. Our merger provides a once in a generation opportunity to build a lasting, world-renowned heart and lung centre, providing the highest quality care for patients and conducting world-leading research. We have a reputation for clinical excellence and high quality teaching and research. We are part of King’s Health Partners, one of eight accredited UK academic health sciences centres. In partnership with King’s College London we have dedicated clinical research facilities including an MHRA accredited Phase I clinical trials unit. Patients are at the heart of everything we do and we pride ourselves on ensuring the best possible patient experience as well as safe, high quality care. We are proud to have one of the lowest mortality rates in the NHS. Following a comprehensive Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in 2019 we maintained our overall rating of ‘good’. Our adult community services achieved a rating of ‘outstanding’. The commitment of our 23,500 staff is key to our success. We are one of the largest local employers and we aim to develop and support all our staff so they are able to deliver high quality, safe and efficient care. The 2019 NHS staff survey results show that we have one of the most engaged and motivated workforces in the NHS. We know this has a positive impact on the care provided to our patients. We have one of the most ambitious capital investment programmes anywhere in the NHS. Job overview An exciting and rewarding opportunity has arisen for a Patient Navigator to join the Neurofibromatosis (NF) Services at Guy’s Hospital, one of the leading centre for specialist care in the UK. This role presents an exceptional chance to work within a highly specialized, patient-centred service, supporting individuals and families affected by Neurofibromatosis. The Patient Navigator will play a crucial role in facilitating and coordinating patient care within the Neurofibromatosis pathway. This includes providing guidance, education, and administrative support to patients, their families, and the broader multidisciplinary team. The post holder will work under the direct or indirect supervision of the Service Manager for Neurosciences, ensuring that all patients receive high-quality, timely, and efficient care. This role is essential in ensuring that patients referred to the highly specialized Neurofibromatosis department at Guy’s Hospital receive comprehensive and compassionate support. As the service continues to evolve, the role of the Patient Navigator will develop to meet the changing needs of the patients, requiring flexibility, adaptability, and a proactive approach. Main duties of the job The Patient Navigator plays a crucial role in guiding and supporting patients with Neurofibromatosis (NF) and their families. They serve as a primary contact, providing education on NF, treatment options, and available support services while offering emotional reassurance. They coordinate patient care by liaising with referring clinicians, managing patient pathways, and ensuring timely appointments, all while meeting national healthcare targets. Collaboration is key, as the Navigator works with multidisciplinary teams, including Consultants, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Psychologists, and Social Workers, to ensure a holistic approach to care. They assist in MDT meetings and coordinate with partner organizations for seamless patient transitions. Acting as patient advocates, they identify service gaps, contribute to quality improvements, and support the implementation of new protocols. Additionally, they facilitate education and training, developing materials and conducting sessions to ensure patients, families, and staff stay informed about NF care and management. Working for our organisation The Trust Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital Foundation Trust is one of the largest in the NHS. A full range of services is provided to the local population and patients from further afield. St Thomas’ Hospital is located on the south bank of the river Thames opposite the Houses of Parliament. Guy’s Hospital is adjacent to London Bridge. Both hospitals have excellent transport links. Organisational Values Our values help us to define and develop our culture, what we do and how we do it. It is important that you understand and reflect these values throughout your employment with the Trust. Our New Trust values: We are caring / Ambitious / Inclusive Our values and behaviours framework describes what it means for every one of us in the Trust to put our values into action. The framework can be found on our Trust careers pages. Detailed job description and main responsibilities Duties and Responsibilities The duties and responsibilities listed below are representative of the Patient Navigator role and its purpose within the service; they are not exhaustive, and the post holder may be required to undertake additional or alternative administrative and managerial duties and responsibilities commensurate with the level of the post, to support the smooth running of the department. Coordinate care for patients/parents/carers referred to the Neurofibromatosis service, acting as a liaison between patients and diagnostic services including Radiology, Genetics, Pathology, Oncology, and other relevant services. Provide a single point of contact for patients/parents/carers. Coordinate outpatient consultant-led clinics for both adult and paediatric services, liaising with Evelina Children’s Hospital. Organize face-to-face appointments for patients with complex results. Coordinate and provide administrative support for Neurofibromatosis MDT meetings, including Craniofacial, Neurosurgical, NF2, Paediatric, and MEK Inhibitor MDTs. Assist in the transfer of patients for diagnostics and/or treatment from referring trusts and Evelina Children’s Hospital. Monitor and escalate delays in appointments, diagnostics, and reporting times to ensure compliance with Faster Diagnosis Standards. Conduct data analysis and validation in relation to RTT, waiting lists, and NHS reporting requirements. Maintain accurate and secure patient records, handling confidential information in compliance with Trust policies. Act as a key contact for patient enquiries and liaise with General Practitioners and other Trusts regarding patient care. Ensure smooth communication and coordination within the multidisciplinary team, providing administrative support as required. Assist in policy development and review of Standard Operating Procedures. Manage and support administrative staff in their day-to-day responsibilities, ensuring adherence to Trust policies. Undertake any other administrative tasks to support high-quality patient care and service delivery. Person specification Education Essential criteria Educated to degree level or equivalent experience Desirable criteria Evidence of continuing professional development Previous Experience Essential criteria Experience of multi-professional working Practical problem-solving skills Evidence of good communication skills with both patients and clinicians Experience working in a patient facing role Experience of inputting and interpreting data Ability to show empathy & understand the difficulties faced by people diagnosed with cancer Skills/Knowledge/Ability Essential criteria Strong IT skills, particularly with relation to Microsoft Office packages, e.g. Word, Outlook and Excel Excellent organisational skills, with a demonstrable ability to manage and prioritise workload and work methodically, efficiently and accurately to meet tight deadlines Ability to deal with difficult service users and challenging Excellent interpersonal, presentation and written communication skills Motivation – driven by a genuine desire and concern for the quality and appropriateness of patient services Ability to work on own initiative and with minimal supervision Ability to work within a team and develop good working relationships with colleagues at all levels Strong sense of personal and team accountability, with a clear understanding of the boundaries relating to delegated authority Guy’s and St Thomas’ celebrates, respects and values the diversity of its staff and patients. We review our policies, procedures and practices to ensure that all employees, patients and carers are treated equitable according to their needs. We are actively committed to ensuring that no one who applies for a job, works or study’s at the Trust, or accesses our services is discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, religion or belief, age, gender identity , gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity/paternity, or marital/civil partnership. Applications are welcomed from applicants with a disability. We can make reasonable adjustments and offer support and advice in a variety of ways throughout the application process. Equality of opportunity is our policy. As an organisation we are committed to developing our services in ways that best suit the needs of our patients. This means that some staff groups will increasingly be asked to work a more flexible shift pattern so that we can offer services in the evenings or at weekends. Flexible working We are committed to supporting all employees to achieve a healthy work life balance and to work in a way that is best for them and our patients. We will consider all requests to work flexibly, taking in to account the individual’s personal circumstances as well the needs of the service. We encourage all prospective applicants to discuss their individual circumstances with the recruiting manager as part of the on-boarding process. Your e-mail address is important to us - We communicate to all job applicants via the e-mail address which has been provided on the application form. Please ensure that you check your e-mail on a regular basis. Please apply for this post by clicking "Apply Online Now." Applicant requirements The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions. Further details / informal visits contact Name Becky Meehan Job title Service Manager - Neurosciences Email address [email protected]