Senior Healthcare Assistant

Job description

Job responsibilities

Patient Care and Support

Work collaboratively with Registered Nurses and Registered Nurse Associates to plan and deliver quality, holistic nursing care.

Provide individualised, patient-centred personal care, responding appropriately to patient needs.

Undertake clinical observations (e.g. temperature, blood pressure, pulse, respirations), identify and report abnormalities promptly to a Registered Nurse or senior team member.

When working without direct supervision, ensure patient records are accurately maintained and promptly raise any concerns regarding changes in a patients condition.

Support patients dietary and hydration needs, assist with meal choices, feeding, and liaise with ward volunteers regarding nutritional intake.

Support safe use of mobility equipment e.g. walking frames and leg lifters, and assist patients with movement as needed.

Offer emotional support to patients and their carers during admission, when conveying difficult news, throughout end-of-life care, at the time of death, and during bereavement, escalating to Registered Nurses as needed.

Care for deceased patients according to Hospice policy, ensuring safe and timely handover to Funeral Directors.

Extended Clinical Tasks (Senior HCA Duties beyond standard HCA role)

Undertake extended Healthcare Assistant roles, when assessed as competent, under supervision of a qualified practitioner. Examples include:

Taking observations and reporting findings

Drug checking

Catheter care, bowel care, bladder washouts, removal of catheters

Phlebotomy and blood glucose sampling

Simple aseptic dressings

Support planning and updating of risk assessments and care plans under Registered Nurse supervision.

Complete medication competency during induction and attend annual training.

Supervision, Teaching, and Team Support

Under Nurse in Charge direction, supervise and support Healthcare Assistants.

Assist in induction, orientation, and teaching of students and Healthcare Assistants.

Actively participate in multidisciplinary meetings to ensure a holistic presentation of a patient needs.

Support team flexibility, including day and night shifts, according to patient dependency.

Administration, Documentation, and Communication

Maintain accurate and relevant patient records in SystmOne, documenting care delivery, referrals, and tasks, and promptly report any changes in patient health to a senior team member.

Assist in admission and discharge processes, including completing paperwork, coordinating transport, preparing discharge packs, and supporting patient understanding of discharge instructions.

Support referral processes and fast track applications, liaise with external services (e.g. district nurses, care homes), and maintain accurate communication records.

Maintain effective communication with patients and those closest to them in a way that respects their views, autonomy and culture.

Assist with audits under the direction of Registered Nurses.

Participate and contribute to Nutrition and Hydration, MDT and regular IPU team meetings.

Health, Safety, and Environment

Ensure clinical areas are well maintained and comply with health and safety regulations.

Ensure safe use and storage of equipment and materials.

Person Specification

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Motivation to develop knowledge and skills and to undertake
• self-development.
• Ability to use your own initiative, prioritise workload and respond to changing situations
• Demonstrates self-awareness and coping strategies when supporting patients and families through sensitive situations.
• Committed to inclusive, compassionate care, respecting diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and needs in line with palliative care principles.
• Access to own transport to get to and from hospice due to rural location.

Desirable

• Flexible and reliable, able to work day and night shifts according to patient dependency.

Qualifications

Essential

• Evidence of level 2 Apprenticeship or Diploma in a Health-related subject such as Care Certificate.

Desirable

• Willingness to study for NVQ Level 2 or 3 and/or undertake further education in palliative care / attend study days.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in a similar role as part of a multidisciplinary team in a healthcare setting.
• Understanding of the confidentiality of information about patients, staff and other health service business and requirements of the Data Protection Act (2018) and General Data Protection Regulation (2018).
• Understanding of the Code of Conduct for Health Care Support
• Workers and Adult Social Care Workers in England.

Knowledge and skills

Essential

• Confidence in use of IT and able to demonstrate good literacy and numeracy skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal
• skills and good command of spoken English (assessed at interview).

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

St Peter & St James Hospice

Address

North Common Road

North Chailey

Lewes

East Sussex

BN8 4ED

Employer's website

https://stpjhospice.org/ (Opens in a new tab)