Healthcare Assistant - Band 3

Job description

Job responsibilities

As a Health Care Assistant (HCA) working within the Frailty Hospital at Home team, you will support the delivery of safe, effective, and compassionate care to patients in their own homes. Working under the guidance of a registered nurse or other registered healthcare professional, you will often work independently, attending scheduled home visits and contributing to the multidisciplinary teams assessment and treatment plans.

Your main duties will include:

Direct Patient Care

Deliver person-centred care as outlined in individualised care plans, ensuring dignity, safety, and respect for patient choice at all times.

Support patients with personal care needs including washing, dressing, toileting, continence care, and hygiene maintenance in the home environment.

Encourage and support patients in promoting independence and managing daily activities, with sensitivity to frailty, cognitive impairment, or chronic conditions.

Monitor and record patients vital signs (e.g. temperature, pulse, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and blood glucose levels) accurately, using mobile equipment provided.

Recognise signs of deterioration in a patients condition, promptly reporting concerns to the registered nurse or clinical lead, and initiating basic actions within scope of competence (e.g. repositioning, offering fluids).

Carry out delegated clinical tasks such as phlebotomy, ECG recording, wound care, pressure area care, and MRSA screening in line with training and local protocols.

Provide support for medication adherence, including prompting and basic observations of side effects or compliance, as directed by the registered clinician.

Communication and Collaboration

Build effective relationships with patients, families, and carers, ensuring they feel supported and informed throughout the care episode.

Gather collateral information from patients, relatives, carers, and community partners to support holistic assessments and care planning.

Liaise with members of the multidisciplinary team (e.g. nurses, therapists, GPs, social care) to support continuity of care and timely interventions.

Act as a point of contact during home visits, communicating clearly with the central Frailty Team and escalating concerns appropriately.

Organisational and Administrative Tasks

Plan and prioritise your daily visits and tasks according to patient needs and service demands, maintaining flexibility to respond to urgent situations when needed.

Maintain accurate, contemporaneous documentation of care delivered and patient progress using mobile digital systems or written records in line with organisational policy.

Support the team with administrative duties such as updating care records, completing referral forms, or inputting clinical data following home visits.

Professional Responsibilities

Work in line with Trust values, policies, and procedures, maintaining professionalism when representing the Hospital at Home service in the community.

Uphold infection prevention and control measures within the home setting, including hand hygiene, use of PPE, and safe handling of clinical waste.

Participate in regular supervision, team meetings, and training to maintain your competence and confidence in the role.

Take responsibility for your personal development, identifying training needs and engaging with opportunities to advance your skills in community-based care.

Work with sensitivity in patients' homes, respecting cultural, social, and environmental factors, and upholding patient confidentiality at all times

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Relevant NVQ Level 3 or equivalent relevant experience.
• Care Certificate or willingness to complete within first 6 months of commencement in post.
• GCSE equivalent in English and Mathematics.

Desirable

• Short courses relevant to undertake patient and clinical care duties.

Special Requirements

Essential

• Self-motivated and able to motivate others.
• Excellent communication & interpersonal
• skills.
• Reflective practitioner.
• Ability to work in a busy and varied work environment and respond to change

Desirable

• Be able to offer pastoral care to mentors and students when providing feedback on performance.

Experience

Essential

• Computer skills.
• Ability to learn new skills

Desirable

• Previous experience in caring for others.

Special Skills & Knowledge

Essential

• Good verbal and written command of
• English.
• Ability to act upon own initiative.
• Good communication skills.
• Able to work under some pressure.
• Ability to show leadership.
• Ability to plan own work.
• Ability to work calmly under pressure.
• Willing to take and record patient observations.

Desirable

• Knowledge of care and related procedures, clinical observations, relevant legislation.

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Good interpersonal skills.
• Able to engage and build effective relationships at all levels.
• Understanding of the role of HCSW.
• Able to work as part of a team.
• Knowledge and understanding of the need for confidentiality.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Address

University Hospital Of North Durham

North Road

Durham

DH1 5TW

Employer's website

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