Healthcare Assistant

Job description

Job responsibilities

Department Objectives

1. To offer a real choice about place of care and place of death for more people in Cannock, Stafford and surrounding areas who are in the terminal phase of their illnesses.

2. The service is to support the Primary Healthcare Team in the delivery of its services to people with terminal illnesses.

3. The service is to offer any necessary support to people to enable them to remain in their own homes, but it will not offer care that requires a registered nurse.

4. It will both maintain people in their own homes, when otherwise an institutional admission would be required, and will facilitate the early discharge of people from hospital and hospice.

To support a patients wish to be cared for in their home environment at the end of their life.

Specific Objectives

To provide individualised care, to the patient in their home setting and to provide support to their family and/or informal carers.

To provide personalised care to the patient and their family and/or informal carers

To provide personal care to the patient whilst maintaining their privacy and dignity e.g. washing and dressing, care after death.

To provide pressure area care to the patient e.g. change of position, minor dressing changes

To provide practical support to the family e.g. shopping, light cleaning, bed making

To provide emotional support to the patient, his/her family and/or informal carers e.g. pre bereavement and at time of death

To provide respite sits, including: days sits and overnight sits to allow their family member or informal carer to have a break or some rest.

To provide accurate information to the patient, his/her family and/or informal carers

To assist with the patients nutritional and hydration needs e.g. prepare light meals, assist with feeding and drinking

To assist with the patients elimination needs e.g. empty catheter and/or stoma bags

To assist in the management of the patients physical symptoms e.g. observe and monitor a syringe driver, provide simple massage

To monitor and observe for changes in the patients condition and symptoms and notify the district nurse accordingly

Accurately record all care given in the patients notes and for urgent matters report directly to the district nurse via a mobile telephone.

To carry out access visits to new patients and assessments for care planning

To support the on call co-ordinator with the co-ordination of the service at the week ends on a rotational basis.

The post holder is expected to be:

o Approachable

o Trustworthy

o Motivated to deliver high quality care

o Supportive to the patient, their family/informal carers and colleagues

o Self starter

o Able to work on their own or as part of a team

o Flexible in their approach to meet service needs

o Non-judgemental and sensitive to the patients culture, sexuality, religious beliefs

At all times the post holder will adhere to the organisations policies and procedures

Act at all times in a manner which will prevent/control infection

The post holder will at all times act in a manner to foster public trust and confidence

The post holder will take an active part in their annual appraisal to foster their personal and professional development

Report any accidents, incidents or complaints in a timely manner and in accordance with the organisations procedures

Take all measures to ensure the safety and welfare of all patients and staff, having due regard to the Health and Safety at Work Act

Attend mandatory updates as required

Actively seek support when needed and contribute to providing support for others when needed

Attend debriefing sessions as required

Attend team meetings

The post holder will use resources economically and efficiently

Maintain patient and familys/informal carers confidentiality at all times

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• NVQ 2 or 3 in care

Desirable

• NVQ 2 or 3 in care

Experience

Essential

• 2 years experience in a healthcare setting
• Specialist palliative care experience
• Community working experience

Desirable

• Team Player
• Simple massage
• Good communication skills both written and verbal
• Flexible attitude
• Calm under pressure

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

Katharine House Hospice

Address

Weston Road

Stafford

ST16 3SB

Employer's website

https://www.khhospice.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)