Healthcare Assistant

Job description

Job responsibilities

Overall aims:

To assist with and participate in the delivery of care and the provision of a range of activities to children, young people and adults with life shortening conditions and complex health needs at the Hospice and occasionally in the community.

To work under the guidance of a Registered Nurse and provide support to their professional role and function.

To provide and maintain a safe and homely environment for the children, young people and adults who access the service and their families or carers while they are visiting or staying in the Hospice.

Key areas which would include but not limited to:

Provision of Care

Assist in maintaining and developing high standards of patient care by care in line with agreed care plans and wider policies and protocols, and in a way which always maintains privacy and dignity.

Act as a second checker for controlled medication.

Develop effective clinical skills in key areas such as PEG feeding, skin integrity, stoma care, care of tracheostomy.

Undertake regular checks in order to ensure that clinical equipment is in good working order, reporting any defects.

Demonstrate knowledge of food hygiene and ensure compliance with food hygiene standards.

Develop, where appropriate, additional skills to enhance the patient care experience, such as art therapy, complimentary therapy, spiritual care awareness.

Ensure professional skills remain updated and relevant, undertaking mandatory training for the role, identifying own professional development needs and working with manager to support these through appropriate objectives and training plans.

Communication and Relationships

Use relevant communication skills to ensure that information is shared in timely and appropriate way, including but not limited to:

o Supporting distressed patients or relatives, managing conversations sensitively.

o Communicating information on patient care and related matters to the nurse in charge or Team Lead in a timely and accurate manner.

o Report immediately any concerns regarding patient and family in accordance with safeguarding legislation and hospice policies and procedures.

Work within the multi-disciplinary team for the benefit of patients and their families, participating in meetings where appropriate.

Foster supportive relationships between staff and volunteers across the Hospice as a whole, and work to support with clinical volunteers, students and new starters as required.

Confidentiality and Record Keeping

Understand and apply the principles of the Data Protection Act 2018 to ensure the safeguarding of confidential patient and Hospice information.

Ensure that all documentation is completed in an accurate and timely manner and stored in accordance with data protection principles.

Report and record all accidents, incidents and complaints to Team Lead or nurse in charge.

Other

Demonstrate flexibility, willingness, and a can-do attitude to ensure that standards of care of maintained. This may include undertaking housekeeping, catering, ward clerk or reception duties, within remit of competence, as required.

Assist in managing resources economically within the hospice.

Notes:

This post is deemed to require an Enhanced Disclosure check via the Disclosure and Barring Service.

The range of duties and responsibilities outlined above are indicative only and are intended to give a broad flavour of the range and type of duties that will be allocated. They are subject to modification in the light of changing service demands and the development requirements of the post holder.

Some flexibility in the hours worked will be essential at times to meet demands placed on our service.

All employees are expected to act in accordance with the Hospice Values at all times caring, dignity, respect and professional.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Previous experience of working in a healthcare setting

Desirable

• Experience in palliative care or working with individuals with complex needs

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Effective communication skills both verbal and written
• Good awareness of own limitations and able to recognise the need to ask for assistance
• Ability to work unsupervised but also as part of a team
• Ability to work safely and in line with organisational policies as well as individual care plans
• Ability to treat all patients with dignity, respect and understanding, showing empathy and compassion
• Ability to promote a safe, healthy and therapeutic environment
• Approachable, professional and compassionate
• Ability to build beneficial working relationships with people at all levels
• Physical ability to work 12 hour shifts with sustained periods on feet and moving and handling of patients
• Commitment to individually developing skills and knowledge in relation to palliative care and personal and professional development

Knowledge

Desirable

• Knowledge of safeguarding legislation
• Understanding of the Data Protection Act 2018 and other relevant legislation

Qualifications

Essential

• NVQ level 2/3 or equivalent in Health & Social Care
• Care Certificate (or working towards qualification)

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

Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw Children's Hospice

Address

Eden Valley Hospice

Durdar Road

Carlisle

CA2 4SD

Employer's website

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