Job responsibilities
JOB SUMMARY
Working under the direct supervision of the senior practice nurse 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
MAIN DUTIES OF THE ROLE
New patient health checks
ECG recording
Phlebotomy
Chaperoning duties
Processing and management of laboratory samples requested by GPs-nurses
Sterilising cleansing 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
Preparing and maintaining environments and equipment before during and after patient care interventions including assisting GPs during the performance of minor operations
Assisting in the assessment and surveillance of patients health and well-being
Undertaking specific clinical activities for named patients that have been delegated and taught specifically in relation to that individual
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
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 and Safety
The post-holder will implement and lead on a full range of promotion and management their own and others health and safety and infection control as defined in the practice Health and Safety policy the practice Health and Safety manual and the practice Infection Control policy and published procedures This will include but will not be limited to
Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines
Awareness of national standards of infection control and cleanliness and regulatory - contractual - professional requirements and good practice guidelines
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
Management and maintenance of Personal Protective Equipment PPE for the practice including provision ordering availability and ongoing correct usage by staff
Responsible for hand hygiene across the practice
Ownership of infection control and clinically based patient care protocols and implementation of those protocols across the practice
Active observation of current working practices across the practice in relation to infection control cleanliness and related activities ensuring that procedures are followed and weaknesses - training needs are identified escalating issues as appropriate
Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks across clinical and patient process
Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills and initiate and manage the training of others across the full range of infection control and patient processes
Monitoring practice facilities and equipment in relation to infection control ensuring that provision of hand cleansing facilities wipes etc are sufficient to ensure a good clinical working environment Lack of facilities to be escalated as appropriate
Safe management of sharps procedures including training use storage and disposal
Using appropriate infection control procedures maintaining work areas in a tidy clean and sterile and safe way free from hazards Initiation of remedial - corrective action where needed or escalation to responsible management
Actively identifying reporting and correction of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised
Keeping own work areas and general - patient areas generally clean sterile identifying issues and hazards - risks in relation to other work areas within the business and assuming responsibility in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness across the business in consultation where appropriate with other sector managers
Undertaking periodic infection control training minimum twice annually
Routine management of own team - team areas and maintenance of work space standards
Waste management including collection handling segregation container management storage and collection
Spillage control procedures management and training
Decontamination control procedures management and training and equipment maintenance
Maintenance of sterile environments
Demonstrate safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk
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 that 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
