Health Care Assistant

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Summary

To support the practice nursing and administrative teams in the delivery of clinical and administrative services, working as part of the practice multi-disciplinary team, delivering care within their scope of practice to the entitled patient population.

The Healthcare Assistant will deliver and assist clinical staff in the provision of treatment, preventative care, health promotion and patient education while also supporting the administrative team on an as-required basis.

Working under the direct supervision of the Senior Practice Nurses and strictly in accordance with specific practice guidelines and protocols, the Healthcare Assistant will assist the practice clinical team in the provision and delivery of prescribed programmes of patient care.

Duties and Responsibilities

BP checks

Urinalysis

Phlebotomy

Chaperoning duties

Processing and management of laboratory samples requested by GPs/Nurses

Cleaning and maintenance of surgical equipment

Vaccine/cold chain storage, monitoring and recording

Surgical equipment and vaccine re-stocking and stock rotation

Clearing and re-stocking consulting rooms

Assisting in the assessment and surveillance of patients health and well-being

Helping to raise awareness of health and well-being and how it can be promoted

Assisting with the collection and collation of data on needs related to health and well-being

Helping with the management of both clinical and confidential waste within the practice

The post requires home visits for phlebotomy and BP on occasion, and movement between our three sites, therefore own transport will be required.

Participate in practice audit as directed by the audit lead

Participate in local initiatives to enhance service delivery and patient care.

Confidentiality

In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately

In the performance of the duties outlined in this Job Description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential

Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.

Health & Safety

The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the practice Health & Safety Policy, to include:

Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines

Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks

Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills

Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards

Reporting potential risks identified.

Equality and Diversity

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation

Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues

Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Personal/Professional Development

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, such training to include:

Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development

Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.

Quality

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will:

Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk

Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision

Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance

Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs

Effectively manage own time, workload and resources.

Communication

The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

Communicate effectively with other team members

Communicate effectively with patients and carers

Recognize peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.

Contribution to the Implementation of Services

The post-holder will:

Apply practice policies, standards and guidance

Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work

Participate in audit where appropriate.

Safeguarding

All staff have a responsibility to:

Know how to act should they recognise potential indicators of abuse or neglect

Understand the organisations and local safeguarding policies and procedures

Partake in meetings and case conferences when requested regarding safeguarding matters

Attend and/or complete regular training commensurate with their role in accordance with their individual terms of reference and practice policy

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and Mathematics at Grade C/4 or above
• A caring, compassionate approach with a genuine commitment to providing high-quality, patient-centred care.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to interact effectively and respectfully with patients, carers, and colleagues.
• Ability to work well as part of a multidisciplinary team as well as independently when required.
• Willingness to undertake training and develop new clinical skills relevant to the role.
• Good organisational skills and the ability to manage time effectively in a busy environment.
• Ability to maintain patient confidentiality..
• A flexible and adaptable approach to work, with the ability to respond positively to changing priorities.
• Basic IT skills, with the ability to accurately record information in electronic patient records.
• Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion, treating all patients with dignity and respect.
• Understanding of, or willingness to learn about, infection prevention and control, health and safety, and safeguarding principles.

Desirable

• Previous experience working as a Healthcare Assistant, Clinical Support Worker, or in a similar patient-facing role.
• Experience working within a GP practice, primary care, or other healthcare setting.
• Ability to undertake routine clinical procedures such as phlebotomy, blood pressure monitoring, ECGs, or wound care (or evidence of relevant training).
• NVQ/QCF Level 2 or 3 in Health and Social Care, or willingness to work towards a relevant qualification.
• Experience of working with electronic patient record systems (e.g. SystmOne).
• Knowledge of long-term condition management and health promotion activities.
• Understanding of infection prevention and control, cold chain management, and clinical stock management.
• Experience working within NHS policies, procedures, and governance frameworks.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

Oulton Medical Centre

Address

Oulton Medical Centre

Quarry Hill

Oulton

Leeds

LS26 8SZ

Employer's website

https://oultonmedicalcentre.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)