Healthcare Assistant

Job description

Job responsibilities

Healthcare Assistants work as part of the wider health and social care team and have direct contact with patients, service users or clients providing high quality and compassionate care. Healthcare Assistants have a more in-depth understanding about factors that influence health and ill-health. Healthcare Assistants will work in a variety of services and will develop additional skills and knowledge based on the service area in which they work.

Healthcare Assistants work under the supervision of a Registered Practitioner in accordance with organisational policy, protocols and standard operating procedures. The Registered Practitioner remains accountable for the appropriate and effective delegation of activities and must ensure that the Healthcare Assistant has the competency, confidence and expertise to carry out such activities. Having accepted the activity, the Assistant Practitioner is accountable for their actions. In a situation where the Healthcare Assistant feels they do not have the necessary skills or ability then they must alert the registered practitioner immediately.

As an Healthcare Assistant you will have a basic understanding of:

the principles and philosophy of health and social care;

the physiology, organisation and function of the human body;

lifespan developments and healthcare needs;

research and development in the health and social care sector to inform and improve quality of care;

provision and promotion of holistic person centred care and support, duty of care and safeguarding of individuals;

the importance of the strategic environment in health and social care and the implications for the individual;

the importance of current evidence based practice within scope of the role.

Communication and Key Working Relationships

Patients, relatives, carers and the public

Community Teams

Mental Health Teams

Inpatient Wards

Therapists

Social Services

Care Agencies

Voluntary Sector

External relationships with other agencies and Acute NHS Trusts

Educational Establishments

Effective Communication

Ensures clear lines of communication and works collaboratively with all relevant health care professionals and agencies.

Demonstrates the ability to communicate complex sensitive information to a wide variety of professionals through a variety of methods including the use of interpersonal skills.

Ability to vary the style and level of communication with individuals in order to meet the differing levels of understanding.

Maintains good communication, liaison and working arrangements within the PCN and other organisations.

Planning and Organisation

Manages own work and case load and implements programmes of care in line with current evidence, taking action relative to an individuals health and care needs.

Analytics

Participates in providing regular data collection monitoring and evaluation reports to the trust and in line with local and national requirements.

Maintains accurate and up to date clinical records in line with PCN policy.

Responsibility for Patient / Client Care, Treatment & Therapy

Undertakes defined clinical interventions, including diagnostics as appropriately delegated by a Registered Practitioner.

Undertakes physiological observations as part of an assessment of an individual's healthcare status. Reports changes to the Registered Practitioner when the nature of the change falls outside of the agreed scope of role.

Uses and promotes a range of infection prevention and control techniques to prevent the spread of infection Health and safety: Promotes and maintains a safe and healthy working environment.

Identifies and manages risks, including assessment of moving and handling risk and understanding the nature of risk as it applies to the safeguarding of vulnerable individuals.

Understands medicines management in line within own role and in accordance with Trust policy.

Preserves confidentiality and be aware of the Data Protection Act, Access to Health record and Consent for Treatment Guidelines.

Through appraisal and personal development plan identify own personal training needs to meet both professional and organisational objectives.

Undertakes any necessary skills training, professional updates, and mandatory training as appropriate to the post and as directed.

Policy, Service, Research & Development Responsibility

Promotes and advocates Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).

Proactively makes recommendations to improve the quality of service delivery.

Maintains an awareness of current trends within the area of practice and within local and national guidance.

Keeps up to date with relevant NHS guidance and protocols.

Contribute to relevant projects in relation to service needs.

Adhere to the Code of Conduct for Health Care Support Workers.

Comply with all relevant Policies and Procedures in exercising the duties of the role.

Responsibility for Finance, Equipment & Other Resources

Has no direct responsibility for finance, equipment or other resources but is expected to maintain stock control and observe personal duty of care in relation to equipment used in own work.

Responsibility for Supervision, Leadership & Management

Promotes effective inter-professional and multi-disciplinary team working with peers, colleagues and staff from other agencies and provides appropriate leadership within the scope of the role.

Participates in the induction of new staff and contribute to staff orientation programmes.

Allocates work to and support the development of others and supervise, teach, mentor and assess other staff as required.

Information Resources & Administrative Duties

The post holder will be required to have excellent IT skills.

Any Other Specific Tasks Required

The post holder may be regularly exposed to a variety of hazards depending on the area of work.

The post holder must work within the organisations manual handling policy. Physical activity will be required for short periods of time in any span of duty.

The post holder may be required to support anxious or distressed patients and relatives and may be subject to challenging behaviour.

Awareness and management of environmental risks when working with individuals

Review of this Job Description

This job description is intended as an outline indicator of general areas of the activity and will be amended in the light of changing service needs. This job description is to be reviewed in conjunction with the post holder on an annual basis.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• QUALIFICATIONS & TRAINING
• Evidence of Qualifications required
• Level 2 English and Maths - (equivalent to GCSE grade C or above).
• Demonstrates meeting the standards of the Care Certificate.
• An accredited level 5 vocational qualification such as a Foundation Degree or other Level 5 Diploma in Healthcare.
• KNOWLEDGE
• Relevant knowledge of physiology, psychology, organisation and function of the human body.
• Understanding of :
• research and development in the health and social care sector to inform and improve quality of care;
• provision and promotion of holistic person centred care and support;
• duty of care;
• safeguarding of individuals.
• Importance of current evidence based practice within scope of the role.
• Competency in the range of essential clinical interventions identified in Appendix 1

Desirable

• Phlebotomy
• ECG
• ECG Holter
• Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring
• Spirometry
• FeNO
• Height and Weight Monitoring

Supporting Behaviours

Essential

• To carry out this role successfully the post holder needs to be fully aware of and adhere to Trust values/standards and reflect these as their behaviours:
• Outstanding Care:
• We treat everyone with dignity, kindness and respect.
• We involve patients, relatives, carers and colleagues in decision-making.
• I ensure that my actions contribute to outstanding care regardless of my role.
• I admit mistakes, apologise and learn from them.
• I champion the health, safety and wellbeing of patients, relatives, carers and colleagues.
• I speak up when others cannot.
• Listening and Leading:
• I lead with empathy, taking responsibility for how my emotions and actions affect others.
• I inspire others to embrace change, encouraging them to see their part in the bigger picture.
• I strive to be the best I can be.
• I value the opinions and contributions of colleagues, patients and others.
• I encourage innovation and am open to new ideas.
• I listen with interest and take action if I am able.
• Working Together:
• I collaborate with others to achieve shared goals.
• I communicate clearly and appropriately.
• We work together to overcome challenges.
• I ask for help and always assist those in need.
• I thank colleagues for their contributions and celebrate shared successes.
• I use resources effectively, treating every £ as if it were my own.

Experience

Essential

• Substantial proven experience in health care.
• Supervision of others.
• Competency in the range of developmental competencies identified in Appendix 1
• COMMUNICATION SKILLS
• Evidence of a good standard of Literacy / English language skills
• Analytical & Judgement Skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Mentoring/coaching skills.
• PLANNING & ORGANISING SKILLS
• Excellent written skills.
• Excellent IT skills
• OTHER
• Willingness to use technology to improve standards of care and support to our patients
• Ability to work flexibly.
• Team player.
• Ability to work alone.
• Honest and reliable.
• Caring and compassionate.
• Conscientious.
• Committed to continuous improvement.
• Committed to treating individuals with dignity, respecting beliefs, culture, values and preferences.
• Demonstrate courage to challenge areas of concern and work to best practice.
• Demonstrate discretion
• Approachable, supportive and flexible.
• Motivated.
• Willingness to travel across the PCN if required

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

Tone Valley Primary Care Network

Address

Taunton Vale Healthcare

Lisieux Way

Taunton

Somerset

TA12LB