Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Health Care Assistant - Emergency Department

The closing date is 02 July 2025

Job summary

If you have a caring and compassionate approach, and want to join a motivated, friendly and supportive team, we are keen to hear from you. We require staff who have a genuine interest in help caring for acutely unwell patients as part of a multi-disciplinary team as well as having excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Successful applicants will be supported through a supernumerary period and will become proficient in providing basic care as well as other day to day responsibilities.

Main duties of the job

We pride ourselves on delivering consistently high standards of care for patients and their families to ensure the very best outcomes.

Working closely with all members of the team to ensure competent safe delivering of care and achievement of specific role dependant duties that are within your scope of training and competence.

Communicate compassionately and effectively with patients and their families whilst maintaining confidentiality.

Being able to deliver personal care to patient's whilst maintaining their privacy and dignity and support with patient rehabilitation.

We pride ourselves in providing safe, clean and friendly care.

We pride ourselves on delivering consistently high standards of care for patients and their families to ensure the very best outcomes.

About us

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 9000 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.

We strongly believe that the communities we serve should all have access to Five Star Patient Care.

Our Services:

Acute Care

Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.

Primary Care

Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.

Community Services

Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation, freeing up space for more unwell patients. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.

Specialist Regional Services

We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.

Achievements:

  • Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
  • Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
  • National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme

Details

Date posted

19 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 2

Salary

£24,169 a year Per Annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

409-7090864

Job locations

Southport

Town Lane

Southport

PR8 6PN


Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Work as part of a team and duties will be delegated by the registered healthcare professional.
  • Act within the scope of your training and competence, knowing who to ask for help and support if you are notsure.
  • Work within agreed ways of working, following relevant Trust standards, policies and protocols.
  • Communicate compassionately and effectively with individuals and their families, carers and health carepractitioners using a range of techniques, maintaining confidentiality and using tact, empathy, persuasion andreassurance.
  • Observe, assess and respond to personal care patients needs appropriately, escalating concerns to nursingstaff, as required.
  • Organises self in general work tasks or when delivering patient care with supervision where needed fromSenior Health Care Assistant and/or nursing staff.
  • As directed, undertake personal care duties and support activities of daily living, e.g. mouth care, personalhygiene, and toileting needs, demonstrating person centred care.
  • Safely deliver care duties including manoeuvring of patient equipment (such as hoists and wheelchairs).
  • Under supervision of a registered healthcare practitioner, undertake delegated procedures within the limits ofrequired training and measured competence, where appropriate. For example, patient moving and handling,and providing personal care.
  • Support of patients feeding, diet and nutritional needs and accurately record patients nutritional intake andfluid intake and output, noticing and reporting changes to the nursing staff.
  • Ensure patient property is managed as per Trust policy.
  • Monitor levels of supplies and order supplies for the department as appropriate.
  • Demonstrates own duties to new starters, contributing to the learning environment.
  • To work in line with Trust policies and procedures
  • Contributes to maintaining a safe, healthy working environment.
  • Follow the principles for implementing a duty of care, always acting in the best interest of individuals to ensurethey do not come to harm.
  • Work in partnership with the individual, their carers/ families and the wider healthcare team.
  • Maintain and further develop your own skills and knowledge through development and learning activities;maintain evidence of your personal development and actively prepare for and participate in appraisal.
  • Participate in team handovers

Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Work as part of a team and duties will be delegated by the registered healthcare professional.
  • Act within the scope of your training and competence, knowing who to ask for help and support if you are notsure.
  • Work within agreed ways of working, following relevant Trust standards, policies and protocols.
  • Communicate compassionately and effectively with individuals and their families, carers and health carepractitioners using a range of techniques, maintaining confidentiality and using tact, empathy, persuasion andreassurance.
  • Observe, assess and respond to personal care patients needs appropriately, escalating concerns to nursingstaff, as required.
  • Organises self in general work tasks or when delivering patient care with supervision where needed fromSenior Health Care Assistant and/or nursing staff.
  • As directed, undertake personal care duties and support activities of daily living, e.g. mouth care, personalhygiene, and toileting needs, demonstrating person centred care.
  • Safely deliver care duties including manoeuvring of patient equipment (such as hoists and wheelchairs).
  • Under supervision of a registered healthcare practitioner, undertake delegated procedures within the limits ofrequired training and measured competence, where appropriate. For example, patient moving and handling,and providing personal care.
  • Support of patients feeding, diet and nutritional needs and accurately record patients nutritional intake andfluid intake and output, noticing and reporting changes to the nursing staff.
  • Ensure patient property is managed as per Trust policy.
  • Monitor levels of supplies and order supplies for the department as appropriate.
  • Demonstrates own duties to new starters, contributing to the learning environment.
  • To work in line with Trust policies and procedures
  • Contributes to maintaining a safe, healthy working environment.
  • Follow the principles for implementing a duty of care, always acting in the best interest of individuals to ensurethey do not come to harm.
  • Work in partnership with the individual, their carers/ families and the wider healthcare team.
  • Maintain and further develop your own skills and knowledge through development and learning activities;maintain evidence of your personal development and actively prepare for and participate in appraisal.
  • Participate in team handovers

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Completion of Trust Care Certificate within 4 months of appointment
  • Basic literacy and numeracy skills

Desirable

  • NVQ level 2 Health and Social Care or equivalent
  • Care Certificate (equivalent to level 1)

Knowledge and experience

Essential

  • Knowledge of personal care and related procedures
  • Experience of working in a team

Desirable

  • Experience of working in a patient care/health related role

Skills

Essential

  • Ability to communicate effectively in both verbal and written formats
  • Good interpersonal skills
  • Able to work within a team
  • Able to accept direction and guidance
  • Aware of own limitations
  • Flexible in working hours
  • Able to prioritise own workload and manage time effectively
  • Flexible, adaptable and responsive to change
  • Reliable and professional
  • Ability to cope in stressful and challenging situations
  • Inclusive and non-judgmental
  • Punctual, motivated and committed
  • Effective role model demonstrating Trust values
  • Basic IT skills

Desirable

  • Previous experience of working in the care setting

Other

Essential

  • Frequent, moderate effort for several short periods during the shift such as manual handling patients to supporting patients personal care
  • Occasional requirement for concentration, with few competing demands for attention.
  • Aware that developing resilience to distressing situations is necessary without losing the ability to care compassionately.
  • Aware of the process for accessing staff health and wellbeing support
  • Occasional exposure to distressing situations which may care of chronic health conditions, patient end of life care/ care after death.
  • Able to carry out direct personal care as required on ward or department.
  • Frequent exposure to blood or body fluids.
  • Occasional exposure to patients with challenging behaviours
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Completion of Trust Care Certificate within 4 months of appointment
  • Basic literacy and numeracy skills

Desirable

  • NVQ level 2 Health and Social Care or equivalent
  • Care Certificate (equivalent to level 1)

Knowledge and experience

Essential

  • Knowledge of personal care and related procedures
  • Experience of working in a team

Desirable

  • Experience of working in a patient care/health related role

Skills

Essential

  • Ability to communicate effectively in both verbal and written formats
  • Good interpersonal skills
  • Able to work within a team
  • Able to accept direction and guidance
  • Aware of own limitations
  • Flexible in working hours
  • Able to prioritise own workload and manage time effectively
  • Flexible, adaptable and responsive to change
  • Reliable and professional
  • Ability to cope in stressful and challenging situations
  • Inclusive and non-judgmental
  • Punctual, motivated and committed
  • Effective role model demonstrating Trust values
  • Basic IT skills

Desirable

  • Previous experience of working in the care setting

Other

Essential

  • Frequent, moderate effort for several short periods during the shift such as manual handling patients to supporting patients personal care
  • Occasional requirement for concentration, with few competing demands for attention.
  • Aware that developing resilience to distressing situations is necessary without losing the ability to care compassionately.
  • Aware of the process for accessing staff health and wellbeing support
  • Occasional exposure to distressing situations which may care of chronic health conditions, patient end of life care/ care after death.
  • Able to carry out direct personal care as required on ward or department.
  • Frequent exposure to blood or body fluids.
  • Occasional exposure to patients with challenging behaviours

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

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Address

Southport

Town Lane

Southport

PR8 6PN


Employer's website

https://www.merseywestlancs.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Address

Southport

Town Lane

Southport

PR8 6PN


Employer's website

https://www.merseywestlancs.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Senior Sister

Claire Fyles

claire.fyles@merseywestlancs.nhs.uk

01704547471

Details

Date posted

19 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 2

Salary

£24,169 a year Per Annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

409-7090864

Job locations

Southport

Town Lane

Southport

PR8 6PN


Supporting documents

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