Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a part time (3 days (22.5 hours) per week) band 3 health care support worker
to come and join our friendly team here in the Radiotherapy Department, based at the Worcestershire Oncology Department on the Worcestershire Royal Hospital site.
We are looking for a patient focused assistant with
excellent communication skills.
The successful post holder will be working alongside
radiographers, consultants and another health care support workers to ensure
the smooth running of the oncology clinics held within the Worcestershire
Oncology Department, as well as carrying out general clinical duties as
required by the radiotherapy department such as escorting patients to/from
clinic, you will also be required to take blood samples, urine analysis, carry
out simple dressings as well as some administration duties.
You will be required to work Monday, Thursday and Friday,
with some bank holiday working also required. The shifts you will be required to
work will depend on the working hours of the department and will vary between 8.00am
until 6.00pm.
Main duties of the job
The Health Care Support Worker is a member of the Radiotherapy team who implements prescribed care and/or undertakes some higher-level clinical activities as directed by a radiographer/ consultant. You will mainly be based in the oncology outpatient area within the oncology centre managing the smooth running of these clinics. The types of duties may include: helping people to mobilise, assisting patients with toileting, bed-making, generally assisting with patients' overall comfort, monitoring patients' conditions by taking temperatures, pulse, respirations and weight, chaperoning patients in clinic, taking patients blood, assisting clinicians and radiographers in the clinic setting and general duties as required by the radiotherapy department.
The main dimensions of the role are to:
- To support registered health care staff to deliver high quality, compassionate health care to patients in accordance with assessed needs and care plans.
- To support the clinical team with day to day supervision of junior staff and students.
- To have the ability to use your own initiative, independently and as part of a team, in order to accommodate changing demands on the wider clinical team.
- To support the department staff to provide a high quality service.
- To undertake a range of delegated clinical care duties, acting on own initiative where appropriate, supported by accessible supervision.
About us
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large
acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute
services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a
larger population in Herefordshire and beyond.
The Trust operates hospital-based services from
three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch and Worcester
Our workforce is more than 7,000 strong, and our
caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred
care. You could be one of them.
We are committed to recruiting the best people to
work with us. Our values, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our
everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do.
Being open and honest
Ensuring people feel cared for
Showing respect to everyone
We are committed to developing a culture of continuous improvement by embedding the principles of our Improvement System.
We are proud to have achieved Timewise
accreditation - this means we are committed to embedding flexible working
within our organisation as a flex positive employer.
DBS Checks and Costs
Any applicants who are offered posts requiring a
DBS check as part of their employment check will have the cost of this check
(at the current rate) deducted from their salary. Please see link in Supporting
Information section for more details on DBS checks and costs.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Duties:
Your delegated daily duties will be varied but may include:
Assist with the maintenance of patient hygiene, including washing bathing and mouth care.
- Assist with patients elimination needs, including recording outputs where appropriate and collecting and testing urine and stool samples.
- Supporting registered staff by undertaking delegated clinical tasks.
- Assisting with the recording and safe keeping of patients property/valuables.
- Moving and repositioning of patients.
- Dressing/undressing of patients.
- Making of occupied and unoccupied beds, tying up of dirty linen bags and despatching to laundry and replenishing of linen and stock cupboards.
- Cleaning and tidying examination rooms/clinic areas.
- Assist with patients mobilisation, ensuring safe environment and using appropriate techniques.
- Assist in the care of relatives and visitors.
- Chaperone professional staff where appropriate and accompany patients to other departments as necessary.
- Be involved in patient booking in/admission procedures by introducing patients to ward/department area as directed by registered nurse.
- Be adaptable and flexible to working in various areas of the department/ward as required.
- Assist the multi professional team to prepare and support patients undergoing treatment and/or investigation maintaining privacy and dignity at all times.
- Replenishing (including ordering of) stock / resus trollies.
- Carry out equipment checks on blood glucose monitoring device.
Communication and relationships
- The Healthcare Support Workers relationship with both staff and patients should be discreet, bearing in mind that all information regarding patients must be kept confidential.
- Report to the Radiographer in charge of the department matters of concern relating to patients and the department environment.
- Answering the telephone and referring to the appropriate person.
- Attend to department reports and meetings when appropriate.
- Be aware of the need to greet visitors to the department and ascertain the purpose of their visit.
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of health and safety at work in order to maintain a safe environment.
- Undertake duties outside your working area (e.g. delivery and collection) to assist in maintaining good communication.
- Participate in patient handovers.
- Follow Trust and national policies, participating in discussions on proposed changes to procedures as appropriate.
- To use a range of verbal and no-verbal communication strategies to support patients, including potential occasional exposure to patients exhibiting challenging or aggressive behaviour.
Clinical Support
- Assess patient condition through observations, test result, assess comfort of patient and instigate emergency procedures as indicated.
- Where training has been provided and competence assured, your delegated daily duties will be varied depending on area in which you are working. These may include (but are not restricted to):
- Taking and recording and monitoring of patient observations to include, blood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturations, temperature and respirations. This includes accurate calculation and recording of NEWS 2 (early warning score) and escalation to registered staff as indicated by score.
- Blood glucose monitoring.
- Support registered staff and the ward team in responding to emergency situations
- Measuring and recording of patient height and weight.
- Apply a simple range of dressings using both clean and aseptic techniques and taking of wound swabs as indicated.
- Collect blood samples (peripheral or venous) as directed by a registered nurse, ensuring its safe storage, transport or disposal as appropriate.
- Collection of sputum samples.
- Undertake an associate link/link nurse role where appropriate.
- Recording actions accurately and contemporaneously in relevant IT systems
Cleaning
- Maintain tidiness and cleanliness of areas and equipment as instructed.
- Clerical duties
- Undertake a range of clerical duties service, this may involve:
- Reception/telephone duties
- Basic computer skills
- Assist in the preparation of medical and nursing notes for clinics
- Assist booking co-ordinator as required
- Take responsibility for confidential waste collection within the radiotherapy treatment area
Education
- To engage in and complete relevant short courses to support patient care and clinical duties. This should include the completion the National Care Certificate and any other internal development opportunities.
- To support other Health Care Support Workers and junior staff through mentorship and local induction.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Duties:
Your delegated daily duties will be varied but may include:
Assist with the maintenance of patient hygiene, including washing bathing and mouth care.
- Assist with patients elimination needs, including recording outputs where appropriate and collecting and testing urine and stool samples.
- Supporting registered staff by undertaking delegated clinical tasks.
- Assisting with the recording and safe keeping of patients property/valuables.
- Moving and repositioning of patients.
- Dressing/undressing of patients.
- Making of occupied and unoccupied beds, tying up of dirty linen bags and despatching to laundry and replenishing of linen and stock cupboards.
- Cleaning and tidying examination rooms/clinic areas.
- Assist with patients mobilisation, ensuring safe environment and using appropriate techniques.
- Assist in the care of relatives and visitors.
- Chaperone professional staff where appropriate and accompany patients to other departments as necessary.
- Be involved in patient booking in/admission procedures by introducing patients to ward/department area as directed by registered nurse.
- Be adaptable and flexible to working in various areas of the department/ward as required.
- Assist the multi professional team to prepare and support patients undergoing treatment and/or investigation maintaining privacy and dignity at all times.
- Replenishing (including ordering of) stock / resus trollies.
- Carry out equipment checks on blood glucose monitoring device.
Communication and relationships
- The Healthcare Support Workers relationship with both staff and patients should be discreet, bearing in mind that all information regarding patients must be kept confidential.
- Report to the Radiographer in charge of the department matters of concern relating to patients and the department environment.
- Answering the telephone and referring to the appropriate person.
- Attend to department reports and meetings when appropriate.
- Be aware of the need to greet visitors to the department and ascertain the purpose of their visit.
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of health and safety at work in order to maintain a safe environment.
- Undertake duties outside your working area (e.g. delivery and collection) to assist in maintaining good communication.
- Participate in patient handovers.
- Follow Trust and national policies, participating in discussions on proposed changes to procedures as appropriate.
- To use a range of verbal and no-verbal communication strategies to support patients, including potential occasional exposure to patients exhibiting challenging or aggressive behaviour.
Clinical Support
- Assess patient condition through observations, test result, assess comfort of patient and instigate emergency procedures as indicated.
- Where training has been provided and competence assured, your delegated daily duties will be varied depending on area in which you are working. These may include (but are not restricted to):
- Taking and recording and monitoring of patient observations to include, blood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturations, temperature and respirations. This includes accurate calculation and recording of NEWS 2 (early warning score) and escalation to registered staff as indicated by score.
- Blood glucose monitoring.
- Support registered staff and the ward team in responding to emergency situations
- Measuring and recording of patient height and weight.
- Apply a simple range of dressings using both clean and aseptic techniques and taking of wound swabs as indicated.
- Collect blood samples (peripheral or venous) as directed by a registered nurse, ensuring its safe storage, transport or disposal as appropriate.
- Collection of sputum samples.
- Undertake an associate link/link nurse role where appropriate.
- Recording actions accurately and contemporaneously in relevant IT systems
Cleaning
- Maintain tidiness and cleanliness of areas and equipment as instructed.
- Clerical duties
- Undertake a range of clerical duties service, this may involve:
- Reception/telephone duties
- Basic computer skills
- Assist in the preparation of medical and nursing notes for clinics
- Assist booking co-ordinator as required
- Take responsibility for confidential waste collection within the radiotherapy treatment area
Education
- To engage in and complete relevant short courses to support patient care and clinical duties. This should include the completion the National Care Certificate and any other internal development opportunities.
- To support other Health Care Support Workers and junior staff through mentorship and local induction.
Person Specification
Personal qualities
Essential
- Demonstrates a caring and compassionate approach
- Able to prioritise own workload
- Good organisational skills
Qualifications
Essential
- GCSE grade A to C in English and Maths
- NVQ level 2 in health and social care
Desirable
- NVQ level 3
- Venepuncture qualification
Experience
Essential
- Previous experience working as a healthcare assistant
Desirable
- Experience of working in an oncology setting
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Good verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to use technology (or willingness to learn)
Desirable
- Awareness of principles of oncology / radiotherapy
Person Specification
Personal qualities
Essential
- Demonstrates a caring and compassionate approach
- Able to prioritise own workload
- Good organisational skills
Qualifications
Essential
- GCSE grade A to C in English and Maths
- NVQ level 2 in health and social care
Desirable
- NVQ level 3
- Venepuncture qualification
Experience
Essential
- Previous experience working as a healthcare assistant
Desirable
- Experience of working in an oncology setting
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Good verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to use technology (or willingness to learn)
Desirable
- Awareness of principles of oncology / radiotherapy
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.
