About Citizens Advice BANES

Citizens Advice Bath and North East Somerset is an independent local charity providing information and advice to residents of the BANES council area. We aim to empower people to resolve their problems and change their lives for the better. We help people overcome their problems and campaign on big issues when their voices need to be heard. We value diversity, champion equality, and challenge discrimination and harassment. We’re here for everyone in the Bath and NE Somerset area and we work in partnership with other local services to provide the best possible advice and information to meet the needs of residents.

Macmillan Linkworker Project

We are very excited to be able to launch a new and innovative three-year project funded by Macmillan Cancer Support providing assistance to members of our community and their families who need a little bit of extra help with their day to day lives as they and their families live with their cancer.

Working alongside the Cancer Information and Support Centre at the RUH, GP surgeries across the region, Dorothy House Hospice Care, our existing Health and Wellbeing Benefits Team (also funded by Macmillan) and other partners this new team will help clients with all the small things in life that suddenly become big things as a result of living with cancer.

Linkworker Role Purpose

To provide the link for patients and their families living with a cancer diagnosis between their clinical support (Royal United Hospital (RUH), Dorothy House, GP’s surgeries and other clinical partners) and other organisations offering nonclinical support in the wider community.

Main areas of responsibility

• Conduct accurate holistic needs assessments with clients and complete and discuss options and courses of action with clients as a result
• Liaise closely with stakeholders including Cancer Information Centre staff at the Royal United Hospital, Dorothy House etc.
• Identify and signpost clients to appropriate organisations
• Keep up to date confidential records using CA systems
• Manage your own workload and ensure you are able to meet deadlines.
• Train and mentor volunteers to support clients
• Keep up to date with relevant legal and policy changes and welfare reforms.
• Identify and discuss any training needs at supervision and yearly appraisal with line manager.
• Assist clients with issues related to their cancer diagnosis where they are an integral part of their case and refer to other advisers or specialist agencies as appropriate
• Ensure that all casework meets current quality standards.
• Maintain case records for the purpose of continuity of casework, information retrieval, statistical monitoring and report preparation
• Ensure that all work conforms to the organisations systems and procedures and funder requirements

The successful applicants may be asked to work across all our sites at Bath as well as at Midsomer Norton & Keynsham and surrounding areas as needed. Some home working is also an option with this role. You must have access to a car and a full driving licence for this role as it will involve travel to support clients in their own homes or at outreach centres.

Please note successful candidates will be required to subject to an enhanced DBS check.

We value diversity and promote equality and would welcome suitably qualified people with disabilities and minority ethnic applicants as these groups are under-represented in our workforce.

For further information on how to apply and for full role descriptions, please visit our website or contact richard.yates@cab-banes.org with any queries.