Health Care Support Worker

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key responsibilities

1. Check patient identification and confirm details with the patient.
2. Take physiological measurements from patients including blood pressure, pulse rate and rhythm, temperature, pulse oximetry, height and weight (body mass index), visual acuity (if applicable), urinalysis in accordance with training and procedures
3. Provide wound care in accordance with training and procedures
4. Prepare and maintain environments and equipment before, during and after patient interventions
5. Give accurate and appropriate information to patients within own competence understanding role boundaries and limitations
6. Provide lifestyle advice and health promotion to patients in accordance with training
7. Ensure that anomalies are reported to a senior member of the clinical team in accordance with clinical pathways
8. Act as a chaperone where requested in accordance to local policy
9. Notify a GP/Lead Nurse/ANP of any significant patient issues
10. Ensure full and accurate recording in the patients computerised records
11. Carry out administrative tasks for example, but not limited to, call and recall activities and stock takes as directed by senior members of the service
12. Strict adherence to infection control in accordance with local and national policies and procedures
13. To continue with professional development by attending training and development activities and participate meetings as required
14. Ensure the dignity of the patient is maintained at all times, particularly when undertaking dressings, chaperoning or helping patients with personal tasks
15. Participate in regular appraisals
16. Have understanding of blood glucose measurements, have training to use the machine and have the knowledge to recognise any abnormal results and when and to whom they should report their findings to.

Data Protection, Confidentiality and Information Governance

• An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality
• Ensure all patient related information is treated sensitively and adhere to the principals of confidentiality at all times
• Work in accordance to relevant data protection legislation
• Work in accordance to Information Governance policies and procedures

Digital

• Adhere to practice policies and protocols relating to I.T
• Ensuring personal passwords for computer are safe
• Adhere to practice policies relating to social media
• Checking patients details when conducting digital consultations ensuring you are speaking to the patient and not a third party
• Adhering to policies and procedures when conducting digital consultations

Health & Safety

Assist in promoting and maintaining own and others health, safety and security as defined in the practice Health & Safety Policy to include:

1. Responsible for the correct and safe management of the specimens process including collection, labelling, handling, use of correct and clean containers, storage and transport arrangements
2. Assist in promoting and maintaining own and others health, safety and security as defined in the practice policies
3. Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines
4. Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks
5. Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards
6. Reporting potential risks identified
7. Understand and apply the principles of the cold chain
8. Ensure safe storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs within the area of responsibility
9. Know the general principles of first aid and resuscitation to be able to undertake initial actions as appropriate
10. Be aware of statutory child health procedures
11. It will be the post holders responsibility to assess the effort and environment of the task being undertaken for example: If the post holder is undertaking a leg ulcer clinic they will need to assess what is manageable for them, with bending to get to the legs, lifting legs, etc. The post holder will work in accordance with the organisations manual handling policy.
12. Ensure appropriate training regarding the safe use of medicines, disposal of medicines and some of the common medicines that the role will come across within their day to day duties. If unsure about a medicine to seek further advice, support and information from a senior colleague.

Recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and strive to:

1. Communicate effectively with primary care team members
2. Communicate effectively with patients and carers
3. Act as an advocate when representing patients
4. Ensure good working relationships and communication with all staff
5. Demonstrate sensitive communication styles to ensure patients are fully informed and consent to treatment
6. Communicate effectively with patients and carers, recognising the need for alternative methods of communication to overcome different levels of understanding, cultural background and preferred ways of communicating and responding accordingly
7. Anticipate barriers to communication and take action to improve communication
8. Ensure clear, concise accurate and legible records
9. The post holder will play a pivotal role in primary prevention as health educators promoting lifestyle advice, facilitating health access for diverse groups and putting in place reasonable adjustments, from longer appointment times to organising interpreters

Strive to maintain quality within the service, including:

1. Apply local policies, standards and guidance
2. Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work
3. Participate in audit where appropriate
4. Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk
5. Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision
6. 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
7. Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patient needs
8. Effectively manage own time, workload and resources
9. Participate in the maintenance of quality governance systems and processes across the practice
10. Evaluate the patients response to health care provision and the effectiveness of care
11. Support and participate in shared learning across the service
12. Participate in the management and review of patient complaints, and identify learning from clinical incidents and near-miss events using a structured framework (eg root-cause analysis)
13. Understand and apply legal policy that supports the identification of vulnerable and abused children and adults, being aware of statutory child/vulnerable adult health procedure and local guidance

Participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, such training to include:

1. Participate in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development
2. Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work
3. Assess own learning needs and undertake learning as appropriate using reflective practice
4. Make effective use of learning opportunities within and outside the workplace, evaluating their effectiveness and feeding back relevant information
5. Ensure continual professional development is undertaken and evidence maintained
6. Ensure a copy of all continual professional development certificates are sent to HR

Support the equality, diversity and rights of the patient, carers and colleagues, to include:

1. Acting in a way that recognises the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies and current legislation
2. Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues
3. Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings, priorities and rights
4. Support people who need assistance in exercising their rights by being their advocate
5. Act as a role model in the observance of equality and diversity good practice
6. Accept the rights of individuals to choose their care providers, participate in care and refuse care
7. Undertakes appropriate training that recognises equality and diversity within the workplace
8. Undertakes appropriate training that recognises the patient as an individual

The Job Description will be subject to periodic review and amendment in consultation with the post-holder.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• GCSE grade A to C in English and Maths

Desirable

• Qualified to NVQ level 3

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working within a nursing team
• Experience of dealing with vulnerable patients
• Experience of taking Physiological Measurements, such as Blood Pressure, Pulse, BMI

Desirable

• Experience of Wound Care
• Experience of working in a GP practice

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

South Doc Services

Address

Selly Oak Health Centre

15 Katie Road

Birmingham

B29 6JG

Employer's website

http://southdocservices.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)