Job responsibilities
JOB DESCRIPTION HEALTHCARE ASSISTANT
RESPONSIBLE TO
The HCA is responsible in the first instance to the Practice Nurses and thereafter to the Lead Practice Nurse and then to the Partners.
PURPOSE OF THE JOB
The purpose of the post is to support the nurse and doctor teams by undertaking patient care tasks, clinical support tasks, infection control tasks, restocking and stock rotation.
SCOPE OF THE JOB
The HCA will perform tasks prescribed and delegated by the clinical team, working to agreed protocols and within defined competencies.
KEY RELATONSHIPS/CONTACTS
Internal:
- Lead Practice Nurse
- Practice Nursing Team
- GPs
- Doctors in Training
- Practice Manager/Office Manager
- Reception and Administration Team
- Secretarial Team
External:
- Patients, carers and relatives
- Practice suppliers (equipment, supplies and services)
The HCA will be responsible to the Lead Nurse on clinical matters and to the Practice Manager on non-clinical matters.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Patient care
- New patient health checks and NHS health checks
- Venepuncture
- Urine testing/analysis
- Blood pressure measurement/monitoring
- ECG
- Height, weight measurement
- Ear syringing
- Lifestyle advice
- Spirometry monitoring
- Chaperoning
- Diabetic foot checks
- Simple wound care
- Contraception
With nurse support, assist with setting up for:
- Minor surgery procedures including joint injections
- Dressings
- IUD insertion and removal
- Implanon insertion and removal
On the basis of a Patient Specific Direction and with signed authorisation:
- Shingles immunisation
- Flu immunisation
- Pneumococcal immunisation
- Vitamin B injections
The HCA will refer to a supervising member of the clinical team if deviation from the protocol is required, if unsure in any way, or where clinical judgement is required before proceeding.
Record keeping and administration
- Make accurate and contemporaneous records of all patient encounters in accordance with practice records guidelines.
- Contribute to nursing team record keeping (clinical, administrative, Health and Safety related records).
- Maintain skills in using patient appointment system.
Maintaining a safe clinical environment
GeneralThe HCA will be aware of and comply with the practices Health and Safety Policy. This will include:
- Minimising risk to self and others in the workplace.
- Identifying and reporting hazards/risks and contributing to control measures.
- Adhering to all relevant policies including infection control, cold chain
- Contributing to keeping the working area and patient areas tidy and free from hazards.
- Using protective equipment and clothing provided and in accordance with the practices policy.
- Handling specimens and clinical waste/sharps in accordance with practice policy.
- Applying correctly spill control and decontamination policies
- Ensuring sufficient supplies of all cleansing and infection control materials.
- Attending regular health and safety training.
Specific
- Record fridge temperatures, clean fridges, promptly report temperature variations from standard.
- Prepare clinical areas between patients in accordance with infection control procedures including cleaning surfaces and equipment
- Dispose of all clinical waste/sharps in accordance with practices infection control protocol.
- Clean/maintain all equipment in accordance with infection control and equipment maintenance policies.
- Take action to manage spills or decontaminate affected areas.
Supplies management
- Check stock in all clinical rooms.
- Order replacement stock and restock clinical rooms.
- Maintain accurate stock records, including liaison with Practice Manager by providing order confirmations for invoice checking.
- Order most economic supplies available and use with economy.
- Order and maintain stock of health information leaflets and keep displays up to date.
Equipment maintenance and calibration
- Contribute to care and maintenance of equipment.
- Organise repair and regular maintenance and calibration of equipment, including equipment maintenance/checking/calibration log.
Communication
- Advise patients of the HCA role, its extent and limits.
- Advise patients appropriately and refer on if they require the services of a nurse, GP or other clinical team member.
- Communicate patient registration and clinical details to trained staff for further care and when concerns, questions or uncertainty of any kind arise.
- Communicate effectively, promptly and appropriately with patients and team members.
- Modify method of communication with patients to suit the situation, recognise problems/barriers and seek help at an early stage when they arise.
Personal development
The HCA will:
- Undertake training needed to ensure competencies for delivering all responsibilities.
- Attend and contribute to in-house training events.
- Take responsibility for own development including staff appraisals, giving and receiving feedback, performance management with the support and supervision of qualified staff.
- Undertake regular mandatory training (child protection, vulnerable adults, basic life support, moving and handling etc).
Confidentiality
In the course of their duties, the HCA will have access to confidential information relating to patients, their carers and relatives and colleagues within and outside the practice. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business. All such information from any source whatsoever will be treated as strictly confidential.
Information relating to patients, their carers and relatives and colleagues within and outside the practice and in relation to the practice as a business will only be shared in accordance with the practices Confidentiality Policy, the General Data Protection Regulation and the Freedom of Information Act and in such a way that personal and sensitive patient-identifiable data is protected
Equality and Diversity
The HCA will comply with the practices Equality and Diversity Policy, including:
- Recognising the rights of patients, carers, relatives and colleagues and respecting their needs, beliefs, privacy and dignity
- Not discriminating against patients, carers, relatives or colleagues on the grounds of any of the protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010 (or its amendments or later legislation
Other Duties
HCAs may, from time to time, be asked to undertake other reasonable duties, with appropriate training. It is important that all members of staff are prepared to undertake additional or relinquish current duties to maintain service delivery to patients. It is expected that requests from the Partners/Management Team/Lead Practice Nurse will not be unreasonably refused.
