Job summary
We are significantly increasing the number of our staff across Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire. Even if you don't have the relevant healthcare experience but are passionate about it, we would love to hear from you!
If you have an aspiration of becoming a Healthcare Assistant ,and providing this vital palliative care to our patients , please get in touch!
We offer great training and support, with the opportunity for candidates to complete the Care certificate within the first 3 months of employment.
The Hospice at Home service cares for patients across Cambridgeshire who choose to remain in their own home in their last weeks of life. We are holistic in our approach and the care is tailored to each persons specific needs. The compassionate team of Nurses and Healthcare Assistants provide practical and holistic care supporting patients and their families in their homes.
Main duties of the job
You will assist in the delivery of nursing and specialist palliative care (end of life), ensuring the highest possible standards of care are received by patients and their carers, under the direction of a Registered Nurse and with the support of Band 3 Healthcare Assistants on a shift basis over 7 days.
Colleagues working within our Hospice at Home (HaH) team cover a wide geographical area, from Tydd St Giles in the North of the county down to Saffron Walden in the South, and everywhere in between. Although allocated to either the South team (Cambridge) or North team (Wisbech) base, colleagues work flexibly as one team in order to meet patient needs wherever they may be. For this reason, we are pleased to offer mileage expense rates in excess of HMRC. Whilst every effort is made to allocate patients close to where you live, this is not always possible we ask all of our colleagues to be flexible and attend patients wherever they are located.
The successful candidate will have the ability to demonstrate caring, understanding attitude, along with being able to empathise with the needs of the clients and the ability to work under pressure and in difficult/emotional situations.
Please note that the salary quoted is based on full time hours and needs to be pro-rata'd for part time posts. We regret that we are unable to negotiate salary above the maximum stated within the advert.
About us
Arthur Rank Hospice Charity has an outstanding reputation for excellence in palliative and end of life care. We support people in Cambridgeshire, who are living with life-limiting illnesses and advance conditions. Our positive and practical services deliver care, counselling and education, helping patients to live well and their families to live on.
We know we wouldn't be able to do any of this without our amazing staff, so we offer a range of benefits and the ability to retain membership of NHS Pension Scheme subject to qualifying criteria.
We are committed to inclusivity, respect, fairness, engagement and equality of opportunity for our patients and their families, our staff and trustees, our volunteers and our supporters.
We value the strength that comes with difference and the positive contribution that diversity brings to our community. Therefore, candidates with a disability that meet the minimum criteria will be guaranteed an interview. We are also working to increase diversity throughout the organisation and we particularly welcome applications from BAME people who are currently under-represented.
Arthur Rank Hospice Charity is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults who draw on care and support and expects all colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Purpose:
To work within a team to assist in the delivery of nursing and palliative care, ensuring the
highest standard of care are received by patients and their families in their own home.
Main Responsibilities:
Contribute to the delivery of a planned programme of care under the direction of the
Registered Nurse
To carry out tasks involving direct patient care and support to patients and families
To act within the limits of your competency and authority
Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by participating in the multi disciplinary team
working to support individuals in their own homes.
Promote the privacy, dignity and confidentiality of patients at all times.
Job Description and Person Specification Healthcare Assistant Band 2 November 2022 2
Clinical interventions:
Report general observations and feedback to the Registered Nurse both verbally and in
written formats on system one, including any significant changes in the patients condition
Undertake specific duties that contribute to the assessment of patients as requested by the
Registered Nurse
Seek appropriate advice and support from the Registered Nurse during occasions when
patients or their carers become distressed
Adhere to Arthur Rank Hospice Charity Infection Prevention and Control Policy
Maintain the dignity of the patient at all times whilst dealing with aspects of personal care
Communicate effectively with patients, carers, staff and other professionals. Use a variety of
verbal and non-verbal skills to overcome communication barriers presented by patients due
to their cognitive or impaired sensory deficits.
Support individuals and carers to cope with their emotional, psychological and spiritual
well-being
Maintain accurate patient records in accordance with the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity
Record Keeping policy
Plan with registered professionals activities, interventions or treatments to achieve
specified goals and care plans
Contribute to care planning by monitoring and evaluating therapeutic interventions within
an overall program of care
Help individuals to retain, regain and develop the skills to manage their lives and
environment including enabling individuals to use assistive technology
Work in collaboration with family/carers to enable them to support individuals
Extra skills that can be used within the community must be competency assessed yearly and
can only be carried out under the Arthur Rank Hospice Delegation Policy and under the
guidance of a Registered Nurse, such as wound care.
Demonstrate the ability to use basic listening skills with patients and their relatives/carers
when appropriate
Under the guidance of a Registered Nurse, maximise physical comfort and well-being of
patients in terms of hygiene, mobility, toileting and nutritional needs
To exercise care and economy in the use of stores
Support volunteers, students and colleagues.
Special feature of the job
The service provides care 7 days a week across Cambridgeshire and clinical staff are
rostered to provide this coverage. Whilst the rosters are created 5- 8 weeks in advance,
there may be exceptional circumstances in which the job holder will need to be flexible to
change a scheduled rota at short notice in times of clinical staffing crisis.
Job Description and Person Specification Healthcare Assistant Band 2 November 2022 3
Personal Development
Develop your own knowledge and practice and reflect on and evaluate your own values,
priorities, interests and effectiveness. Monitor your own work practice.
With the support of the team leader take responsibility for attending clinical supervision
and staff de briefing sessions.
All staff are encouraged to contribute to identifying and meeting their own job-related
development needs. This will be achieved through a variety of processes including 1-21s
with line managers or senior colleagues, annual appraisal and development reviews.
All employees are subject to an annual appraisal and to maximise the benefit from this
process the employee must engage in the review and agree with their Line Manager
organisational, team and personal objectives
Each employee must co-operate and attend all appropriate mandatory and statutory
training as required by the organisation.
Health and Safety
Attends statutory training with respect to moving and handling, fire safety and basic life
support
Reports any defect in equipment immediately to the person with overall responsibility at
that time.
Undertake dynamic risk assessments
Under the direction of the Registered Nurse, play a specific role in maintaining a safe
environment for patients, staff and families
Ensure your own actions reduce risks to health and safety. Minimise the risk of spreading
infection by cleaning, disinfection and storing care equipment. Ensure your actions
contribute to a positive and safe working culture.
Protect individuals from abuse
Support the safeguarding of individuals
Key working relationships
Patients and families providing personal care to patients and emotional/spiritual support
and guidance to patients and families
Colleagues working with all members of the MDT to plan and deliver specialist care and
escalating information or concerns about patients to the Registered Nurse
Other agencies sharing information regarding patient care needs to relevant agencies
Job Description and Person Specification Healthcare Assistant Band 2 November 2022 4
Scope
Decision making level
Decisions on planned patient care to be made within own
limitations and competencies
Work under supervision of Registered Nurse and band 3
HCA
Financial resources
Economy of resource use
Information and material
resources Informing Registered Nurses of stock required
Maintaining patient documentation on SystemOne
People management N/A
General
At all times uphold the Charitys values, and demonstrate behaviours consistent with these:
o Compassion
o Caring
o Excellent
o Community
At all times carry out duties in accordance with Charity policies and procedures, including but
not limited to, confidentiality, equal opportunities and dignity at work.
Be aware of the responsibilities of all employees to maintain a safe and healthy environment
for patients, visitors, customers, staff and volunteers.
Act as an ambassador for the charity and encourage others to do the same.
Be comfortable and confident with difference and actively promote equality and inclusion.
Aware of owns wellbeing, seek and access support when needed.
Enable an inclusive and supportive environment for our volunteers.
Contribute to the support and development of new colleagues.
Contribute to ongoing service improvement and development.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exemptions) Order 1975, and
such will be necessary for a submission for disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and
Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions. Arthur Rank Hospice Charity is
committed to the fair treatment of all colleagues in line with its equal opportunities policy
statement on the recruitment of ex-offenders.
This job description is not intended to be exhaustive and will be reviewed periodically to ensure
that the needs of the service are being met
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Purpose:
To work within a team to assist in the delivery of nursing and palliative care, ensuring the
highest standard of care are received by patients and their families in their own home.
Main Responsibilities:
Contribute to the delivery of a planned programme of care under the direction of the
Registered Nurse
To carry out tasks involving direct patient care and support to patients and families
To act within the limits of your competency and authority
Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by participating in the multi disciplinary team
working to support individuals in their own homes.
Promote the privacy, dignity and confidentiality of patients at all times.
Job Description and Person Specification Healthcare Assistant Band 2 November 2022 2
Clinical interventions:
Report general observations and feedback to the Registered Nurse both verbally and in
written formats on system one, including any significant changes in the patients condition
Undertake specific duties that contribute to the assessment of patients as requested by the
Registered Nurse
Seek appropriate advice and support from the Registered Nurse during occasions when
patients or their carers become distressed
Adhere to Arthur Rank Hospice Charity Infection Prevention and Control Policy
Maintain the dignity of the patient at all times whilst dealing with aspects of personal care
Communicate effectively with patients, carers, staff and other professionals. Use a variety of
verbal and non-verbal skills to overcome communication barriers presented by patients due
to their cognitive or impaired sensory deficits.
Support individuals and carers to cope with their emotional, psychological and spiritual
well-being
Maintain accurate patient records in accordance with the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity
Record Keeping policy
Plan with registered professionals activities, interventions or treatments to achieve
specified goals and care plans
Contribute to care planning by monitoring and evaluating therapeutic interventions within
an overall program of care
Help individuals to retain, regain and develop the skills to manage their lives and
environment including enabling individuals to use assistive technology
Work in collaboration with family/carers to enable them to support individuals
Extra skills that can be used within the community must be competency assessed yearly and
can only be carried out under the Arthur Rank Hospice Delegation Policy and under the
guidance of a Registered Nurse, such as wound care.
Demonstrate the ability to use basic listening skills with patients and their relatives/carers
when appropriate
Under the guidance of a Registered Nurse, maximise physical comfort and well-being of
patients in terms of hygiene, mobility, toileting and nutritional needs
To exercise care and economy in the use of stores
Support volunteers, students and colleagues.
Special feature of the job
The service provides care 7 days a week across Cambridgeshire and clinical staff are
rostered to provide this coverage. Whilst the rosters are created 5- 8 weeks in advance,
there may be exceptional circumstances in which the job holder will need to be flexible to
change a scheduled rota at short notice in times of clinical staffing crisis.
Job Description and Person Specification Healthcare Assistant Band 2 November 2022 3
Personal Development
Develop your own knowledge and practice and reflect on and evaluate your own values,
priorities, interests and effectiveness. Monitor your own work practice.
With the support of the team leader take responsibility for attending clinical supervision
and staff de briefing sessions.
All staff are encouraged to contribute to identifying and meeting their own job-related
development needs. This will be achieved through a variety of processes including 1-21s
with line managers or senior colleagues, annual appraisal and development reviews.
All employees are subject to an annual appraisal and to maximise the benefit from this
process the employee must engage in the review and agree with their Line Manager
organisational, team and personal objectives
Each employee must co-operate and attend all appropriate mandatory and statutory
training as required by the organisation.
Health and Safety
Attends statutory training with respect to moving and handling, fire safety and basic life
support
Reports any defect in equipment immediately to the person with overall responsibility at
that time.
Undertake dynamic risk assessments
Under the direction of the Registered Nurse, play a specific role in maintaining a safe
environment for patients, staff and families
Ensure your own actions reduce risks to health and safety. Minimise the risk of spreading
infection by cleaning, disinfection and storing care equipment. Ensure your actions
contribute to a positive and safe working culture.
Protect individuals from abuse
Support the safeguarding of individuals
Key working relationships
Patients and families providing personal care to patients and emotional/spiritual support
and guidance to patients and families
Colleagues working with all members of the MDT to plan and deliver specialist care and
escalating information or concerns about patients to the Registered Nurse
Other agencies sharing information regarding patient care needs to relevant agencies
Job Description and Person Specification Healthcare Assistant Band 2 November 2022 4
Scope
Decision making level
Decisions on planned patient care to be made within own
limitations and competencies
Work under supervision of Registered Nurse and band 3
HCA
Financial resources
Economy of resource use
Information and material
resources Informing Registered Nurses of stock required
Maintaining patient documentation on SystemOne
People management N/A
General
At all times uphold the Charitys values, and demonstrate behaviours consistent with these:
o Compassion
o Caring
o Excellent
o Community
At all times carry out duties in accordance with Charity policies and procedures, including but
not limited to, confidentiality, equal opportunities and dignity at work.
Be aware of the responsibilities of all employees to maintain a safe and healthy environment
for patients, visitors, customers, staff and volunteers.
Act as an ambassador for the charity and encourage others to do the same.
Be comfortable and confident with difference and actively promote equality and inclusion.
Aware of owns wellbeing, seek and access support when needed.
Enable an inclusive and supportive environment for our volunteers.
Contribute to the support and development of new colleagues.
Contribute to ongoing service improvement and development.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exemptions) Order 1975, and
such will be necessary for a submission for disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and
Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions. Arthur Rank Hospice Charity is
committed to the fair treatment of all colleagues in line with its equal opportunities policy
statement on the recruitment of ex-offenders.
This job description is not intended to be exhaustive and will be reviewed periodically to ensure
that the needs of the service are being met
Person Specification
Skills / ability / knowledge
Essential
- Ability to demonstrate caring, understanding attitude and empathy
- Ability to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing
- Basic IT skills
Other
Essential
- Interest in the provision of palliative care (end of life)
- Clean UK driving licence
- Access to own car
Qualifications
Essential
Person Specification
Skills / ability / knowledge
Essential
- Ability to demonstrate caring, understanding attitude and empathy
- Ability to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing
- Basic IT skills
Other
Essential
- Interest in the provision of palliative care (end of life)
- Clean UK driving licence
- Access to own car
Qualifications
Essential
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.
