St Clare Hospice

Bank Health Care Assistant - Hospice at home

The closing date is 17 August 2025

Job summary

Location:Based at St Clare Hospice, Hastingwood, Essex delivering care in the community across West Essex

Salary:£12.60 per hour

Hours:Bank

Please note St Clare Hospice do not hold a Certificate of Sponsorship, we are therefore unable to sponsor visa applications.

Overview of role

Do you have experience working as a health care assistant? (HCA). We are currently looking to recruit a bank HCA, who has an interest in specialist palliative care, to join our Hospice at Home service. This is an exciting established service and involves close collaborative working with other healthcare professionals.

If you would you like to be part of a friendly and supportive team delivering excellent specialist palliative care to patients their families and carers, please read the job description (link below) for further details.

In return for your commitment, we offer a full induction into your role

Main duties of the job

Work as part of the Hospice at Home team: in the provision of a high standard of specialist individualised care for palliative patients and their families/carers. To include meeting their personal, physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual needs.

To have an understanding of and be able to work within the philosophy of palliative and end of life care.

To assist the Head of Community Service, Team Leaders, and members of other multi-professional teams in the provision of high standard specialist palliative care to patients with life-limiting conditions, their families and carers in their own homes.

To perform associated clinical and general duties ensuring a compassionate and professional service to our patients and their families in their own homes.

About us

St Clare Hospice is a charity providing specialist palliative care to improve the lives of people affected by a life-limiting illness in West Essex and the borders of East Hertfordshire. Our care helps patients, their families, and carers, to make the most of every moment together, no matter how long they have left to live. We support them at home and in the Hospice. With limited NHS funding, we need to raise more than 70% of our annual costs to provide our vital services; in 2024/2025 the running costs of our charity are expected to be £8.1 million. We therefore rely on our local community to help us raise money each year so we can continue being there for local families facing one of the most difficult journeys in life. The Hospice at Home team of Nurse Team Leaders and Health Care Assistants work closely with other health and social care providers in the community, to provide individualised care and support for people with life limiting conditions, their families and carers in their own home.

Date posted

12 August 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£12.60 an hour

Contract

Bank

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

B0175-25-0012

Job locations

Hastingwood Road

Hastingwood

Harlow

Essex

CM17 9JX

Job description

Job responsibilities

On completion of appropriate training, be responsible for the delivery of agreed care for patients in their own homes. Ensuring that all personal care and clinical. interventions are documented in accordance with St Clare policy. Adhere to Policies Bank HCA Hospice at Home and Procedures of St Clare in including those relating to Health and Safety, risk management and clinical activities.

Work closely with other members of the Hospice at Home Team in the provision of hands on personal care to patients with life limiting conditions or at the end of life.

To work autonomously in patients, own homes, respecting their environment and be able to identify any risks and report them to the Hospice at Home Team Leader.

Ensure infection control measures are considered in the home.

Respond flexibly and promptly to requests which may involve last minute changes to planned work, as advised and requested by the Hospice at home Team leader or other Senior Clinician.

To be aware of the changing needs of patients and their carers identified in the initial assessment, and to provide holistic palliative care in accordance with the care plan.

Report promptly to the Hospice at Home Team Leader any changes in the condition of individual patients.

To communicate effectively with patients and their carers, supporting them in the expression of emotional distress and ensuring that they have access to the information they need. As part of routine practice, continually assess patients physical comfort and condition and report on where there are changes or concerns.

Help provide support and comfort to bereaved relatives/friends/carers.

Participate in verbal and written reports. Maintain good communication with colleagues as appropriate and to report back to hospice and community colleagues. To maintain accurate records.

To ensure that equipment used is properly cleaned and maintained and that you are competent in its use.

Refer patients to volunteer support workers where appropriate carrying out risk assessments of the home prior to referral.

Support and direct a group of volunteers with guidance from the Hospice at home Team Leader.

To work as a member of the multi-professional team, respecting the skills and knowledge of all its members.

Maintain personal and professional development by attending relevant study sessions. To complete all mandatory training, and eLearning modules.

Take an active part in group supervision and reflection sessions, maintaining self and peer group support, acknowledge the challenges of working in the environment of end of-life care.

At all times maintain confidentiality with regard to patients, relatives/ carers and other staff, abiding by St Clare Hospice policies and procedures.

To report accidents/incidents/potential risks to Hospice at Home Team Leader immediately.

At all times act as an ambassador for St Clare Hospice to patients, relatives, colleagues and members of the public.

Be willing to work in other clinical areas within the Hospice organisation as appropriate and requested by a senior clinician, or Line Manager.