Job summary
The Senior Health Care Support Worker is a key member of the Dougie Mac Community Team, supporting people with life-limiting illnesses. Working as part of a designated geographical team, the post holder supports Clinical Nurse Specialists in delivering holistic, person-centred palliative care across the community.
This role involves coordinating patient contact, providing non-complex telephone and face-to-face support, and contributing to the effective day-to-day running of the service. The successful candidate will be an experienced Health Care Support Worker with strong communication skills, the ability to work independently, and a compassionate approach to supporting patients and families at end of life.
Main duties of the job
The post holder supports the delivery of community palliative care by coordinating patient contact, managing clinical system tasks and providing non-complex telephone and face-to-face support to patients and families. They work closely with Clinical Nurse Specialists and the wider multidisciplinary team to ensure timely, well-coordinated care.
The role includes undertaking independent home visits for non-complex patients, escalating concerns appropriately, liaising with external healthcare professionals, supporting referrals and audits, and maintaining accurate clinical records. The Senior Health Care Support Worker contributes to a supportive team environment and upholds high standards of care, professionalism and confidentiality in line with organisational values.
About us
Dougie Mac provides compassionate care and support for adults, young adults, and children with life-limiting conditions across Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire. As a values-driven organisation, we strive to deliver high-quality, person-led, and inclusive care across our inpatient, community, and supportive care services. Following our merger with Approach Dementia Support and expansion into children and young adult services, Dougie Mac now supports more people than ever before across all age groups and diagnoses.
Our team is made up of dedicated, skilled professionals who are committed to delivering responsive and meaningful care in line with our hospice values. We offer a collaborative working environment with access to professional development, reflective practice, and staff wellbeing support.
Dougie Mac is proud to be a financially independent local charity, offering a competitive salary and benefits package including generous annual leave, contributory pension scheme, funded study opportunities, hospice-paid healthcare cash plan, and free on-site parking.
Job description
Job responsibilities
1.Take a central role in the day-to-day co-ordination of patient contact using our clinical noting system.
2.Monitor and co-ordinate the flow of emails and system tasks into the team.
3.To carry out noncomplex telephone contact with patients and families. This may include bereavement calls.
4.Support in monitoring the lone working within the team.
5.Assist the Clinical Nurse Specialists with joint visits as necessary and carry out independent home visits for noncomplex patients.
6.Liaise with external health care professionals, namely the GP and District Nurse Service.
7.Carry out internal and external referrals to support the delivery of holistic care for the patients.
8.Support with audit.
9.To observe and report any change in the patients condition to the appropriate Health Care Professional.
10.To work within the guidelines of the Dougie Mac Hospice policies and procedures.
11.To deliver patient support in accordance with the plan of care and ensure accurate and up to date documentation is maintained within the patient records.
12.Establish and maintain good relationships with the patient, carers and all health care professionals.
13.To identify personal training needs and attend relevant in-service education programmes.
14.To ensure patient confidentiality is always maintained and information obtained during the course of employment is not released to anyone other than those acting in an official capacity.
15.To work as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team, ensuring that the needs of patients and carers are identified within a holistic framework, fostering an interdisciplinary approach.
16.Attend mandatory training on principles and core elements of palliative care.
17.To recognise and manage the potentially distressing effects of working with terminal illness, maintaining personal resilience while accessing the support, guidance, and resources available through the hospice.
Job description
Job responsibilities
1.Take a central role in the day-to-day co-ordination of patient contact using our clinical noting system.
2.Monitor and co-ordinate the flow of emails and system tasks into the team.
3.To carry out noncomplex telephone contact with patients and families. This may include bereavement calls.
4.Support in monitoring the lone working within the team.
5.Assist the Clinical Nurse Specialists with joint visits as necessary and carry out independent home visits for noncomplex patients.
6.Liaise with external health care professionals, namely the GP and District Nurse Service.
7.Carry out internal and external referrals to support the delivery of holistic care for the patients.
8.Support with audit.
9.To observe and report any change in the patients condition to the appropriate Health Care Professional.
10.To work within the guidelines of the Dougie Mac Hospice policies and procedures.
11.To deliver patient support in accordance with the plan of care and ensure accurate and up to date documentation is maintained within the patient records.
12.Establish and maintain good relationships with the patient, carers and all health care professionals.
13.To identify personal training needs and attend relevant in-service education programmes.
14.To ensure patient confidentiality is always maintained and information obtained during the course of employment is not released to anyone other than those acting in an official capacity.
15.To work as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team, ensuring that the needs of patients and carers are identified within a holistic framework, fostering an interdisciplinary approach.
16.Attend mandatory training on principles and core elements of palliative care.
17.To recognise and manage the potentially distressing effects of working with terminal illness, maintaining personal resilience while accessing the support, guidance, and resources available through the hospice.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ/ QCF Level 2 IN Health and Social Care or equivalent (A)
- Valid Full Driving Licence with access to a suitable vehicle for business purposes (A)
Desirable
- NVQ/ QCF Level 3 in Health and Social Care (or willing to work towards) (A)
- Certificate in Palliative Care (Accredited post 2008) (A)
Experience
Essential
- Substantial experience as healthcare support worker (minimum 12 month) (A/I)
- Experience of working indirectly supervised (A/I)
- Experience of supporting patients/families at the end of life (I)
Desirable
- Palliative Care or other relevant healthcare experience (A/I)
- Community healthcare experience (A)
- Experience of supporting patients and families during uncertainty (I)
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Ability to carry out aspects of physical care as directed (A/I)
- Must have excellent communication skills both written and verbal (A/I)
- Ability to observe changes and escalate (I)
- Good organisational skills (A/I)
- Ability to record records electronically (A)
- IT skills including Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint) (A)
- Ability to establish and maintain good relationships with patients, carers and members of the multi-disciplinary team within the Hospice and with external agencies (A/I)
- Display a caring disposition (I)
Desirable
- Experience of conducting telephone reviews (A/I)
- To be agile and adaptable to change (A)
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ/ QCF Level 2 IN Health and Social Care or equivalent (A)
- Valid Full Driving Licence with access to a suitable vehicle for business purposes (A)
Desirable
- NVQ/ QCF Level 3 in Health and Social Care (or willing to work towards) (A)
- Certificate in Palliative Care (Accredited post 2008) (A)
Experience
Essential
- Substantial experience as healthcare support worker (minimum 12 month) (A/I)
- Experience of working indirectly supervised (A/I)
- Experience of supporting patients/families at the end of life (I)
Desirable
- Palliative Care or other relevant healthcare experience (A/I)
- Community healthcare experience (A)
- Experience of supporting patients and families during uncertainty (I)
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Ability to carry out aspects of physical care as directed (A/I)
- Must have excellent communication skills both written and verbal (A/I)
- Ability to observe changes and escalate (I)
- Good organisational skills (A/I)
- Ability to record records electronically (A)
- IT skills including Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint) (A)
- Ability to establish and maintain good relationships with patients, carers and members of the multi-disciplinary team within the Hospice and with external agencies (A/I)
- Display a caring disposition (I)
Desirable
- Experience of conducting telephone reviews (A/I)
- To be agile and adaptable to change (A)
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.
