South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

Healthcare Assistant

The closing date is 18 July 2025

Job summary

We are looking for a highly enthusiastic individual to work with the Hospital Elder Life Practitioners within our trust. The post offers a challenging opportunity to gain knowledge of delirium and dementia. We are searching for a new band 2/3 who is a dynamic and passionate individual committed to high quality patient care within the hospital setting. The Healthcare Assistant will provide therapies and support to cognitively frail patients across the trust. These therapies will be conducted both with the Alexandra Centre at Sunderland and also within the ward environment at both South Tyneside and Sunderland. These therapies will aid in improving patients experience reducing incidence of delirium, reducing falls, providing and enhanced level of care for patients and improving orientation. The team provide multi-component therapies within the inpatient setting in order to reach these goals and will act as shining examples of the quality care we provide to this patient group.

Main duties of the job

The main duties of the job will be to provide multicomponent therapies to cognitively frail patients. These therapies include:

Provide enhanced 1:1 care for patients who have an ongoing delirium or dementia. Ensuring that appropriate stimulation, engagement, reorientation and meeting dietary and fluid intake requirements.

Assisting with diet and fluid support for patients around the trust. This will include activities such as assisting with mealtimes, feeding assistance and ensuring appropriate prompting, documentation and encouragement of dietary and fluid intake.

Carrying out life story session and engaging in reminiscence work within our patient group, including life story work and music therapy where appropriate in the Alexandra centre.

Facilitating crafts and themed sessions both on wards and within the Alexandra Centre.

Ensuring patients mobility needs are met and contributing to the PJ Paralysis initiative by ensure patients are as mobile as possible during their inpatient stay.

Providing appropriate personal care to maintain patient privacy and dignity at all times.

You will be required to develop the necessary skills to support our patients. This will involve training sessions and support by the practitioners within the team.

For informal enquiries please contact: Andrea Lawson on andrea.lawson2@nhs.net or Sarah Houston sarah.houston5@nhs.net or telephone 01915699766.

About us

Please help us by adding your telephone number to your application form this will allow us to contact you quickly if required.

One Team One Trust - There are many reasons to work at our Trust. From our commitment to putting people first to our accessible services and award winning teams. We have a passion for research, innovation and tackling inequalities. We are committed to respect, fairness and civility and promote a compassionate, caring and positive culture / working environment.

We welcome all applications irrespective of peoples race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups. Looking after our workforces health and wellbeing is a priority for STSFT. We also provide access to high quality education, training, career progression and support. Flexible working is supported via the Trust's Flexible Working Policy.

The Trust employs around 8,600 people and provides a range of hospital services to a local community of around 430,000 residents. We also provide a range of more specialised services outside this area, in some cases to a population as great as 860,000. We offer our staff outstanding benefits - Fitness Centre (SRH), libraries at both hospital sites, chaplaincy support and access to a Childcare Co-ordinator to help staff with childcare arrangements. The Trust will not accept applications which are found to be AI generated.

Date posted

04 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 2

Salary

£24,169 to £25,674 a year Pending Pay Award 25/26 £24,465 to £26,598

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

C9155-MDNM-0725-10

Job locations

Sunderland Royal Hospital

Kayll Road

Sunderland

SR4 7TP

South Tyneside Nhs Foundation Trust

Harton Lane

South Shields

Tyne And Wear

NE34 0PL

Job description

Job responsibilities

PLEASE REFER TO THE ATTACHED JOB DESCRIPTION FOR FULL DUTIES OF THE ROLE.

To assist the registered practitioner or other healthcare practitioners in providing high quality compassionate patient care and assistance to patients / relatives and their carers appropriate to their needs.

Maintain patients privacy and dignity at all times

Responsible for carrying out tasks as delegated by the registered practitioner who has overall accountability for delegating care.

Continue to develop and maintain competences to support high quality safe care

Be an effective part of the multi disciplinary team contributing to the departmental objectives

You will be expected to contribute to house keeping and other ward duties as required e.g. general tidiness, pre-determined stock levels are met and clinical equipment is clean, working and stored correctly. Assist with admin & clerical duties as required.

To comply with the Trusts vision, values, behavioural compact, as well as policies and procedures.

Job description

Job responsibilities

PLEASE REFER TO THE ATTACHED JOB DESCRIPTION FOR FULL DUTIES OF THE ROLE.

Maintain patients privacy and dignity at all times

Responsible for carrying out tasks as delegated by the registered practitioner who has overall accountability for delegating care.

Continue to develop and maintain competences to support high quality safe care

Be an effective part of the multi disciplinary team contributing to the departmental objectives

To comply with the Trusts vision, values, behavioural compact, as well as policies and procedures.

Person Specification

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

Ability to communicate messages and instructions accurately to colleagues, both verbally and in writing.
Demonstrate good customer care skills and the ability to communicate effectively with the patients, carers and visitors.
Presents self as courteous, respectful and helpful
Basic keyboard and IT skills.
Willingness to complete Competency Based Assessments and a Portfolio of evidence, in order to achieve the Care Certificate and any other training related to this role.
Work effectively under direct supervision as part of a multi-disciplinary team

Experience

Essential

Substantive customer services experience.
Or
Experience of working in a caring role (paid or unpaid)

Physical Skills

Essential

Ability to assist patients to move, as per Trust Moving and Handling Policy

Qualifications

Essential

Maths and English at level 1 or above (GCSE A E or equivalent).

Desirable

NVQ Level 2 qualification in health and social care / customer care or equivalent in any subject

Person Specification

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

Ability to communicate messages and instructions accurately to colleagues, both verbally and in writing.
Demonstrate good customer care skills and the ability to communicate effectively with the patients, carers and visitors.
Presents self as courteous, respectful and helpful
Basic keyboard and IT skills.
Willingness to complete Competency Based Assessments and a Portfolio of evidence, in order to achieve the Care Certificate and any other training related to this role.
Work effectively under direct supervision as part of a multi-disciplinary team

Experience

Essential

Substantive customer services experience.
Or
Experience of working in a caring role (paid or unpaid)

Physical Skills

Essential

Ability to assist patients to move, as per Trust Moving and Handling Policy

Qualifications

Essential

Maths and English at level 1 or above (GCSE A E or equivalent).

Desirable

NVQ Level 2 qualification in health and social care / customer care or equivalent in any subject

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.