Health Care Assistant - HCA

Job summary

The Role

This is a dynamic, handson role where youll work both in clinics and out in the community, helping to deliver prevention and earlyintervention services to people who may not routinely access primary care.

Youll support:

NHS Health Checks and Lung Cancer Screening pathways

Talk Wellbeing outreach in community settings

Clinical tasks including phlebotomy, ECGs, and observations

Healthy lifestyle conversations using MECC principlesSignposting to smoking cessation, wellbeing, and community service

Signposting to smoking cessation, wellbeing, and community service

About You

Youre friendly, motivated, and confident engaging with diverse communities, with a real interest in prevention and reducing health inequalities.

Essential

Strong communication and interpersonal skills

Flexible approach to working across different setting

Understanding of confidentiality and professional boundaries

Desirable

NVQ Level 1 & 2 / Care CertificatePhlebotomy competency

Phlebotomy competency

- Experience in prevention, screening, or outreach

- EMIS Web experience

- Full UK driving licence

What We Offer

- Training and development within a progressive organisation

- Supportive clinical supervision and a collaborative team culture

- The opportunity to make a real, visible difference across Herefordshire

Main duties of the job

The role supports early intervention, disease prevention, and improved access to care, contributing to Taurus Healthcares commitment to delivering the right care, at the right time.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Work always within own competence, confidence, and scope of practice.

Work always within own competence, confidence, and scope of practice.

Follow guidance, organisational policies, and agreed clinical pathways.

Seek supervision and clinical advice from a Practice Nurse, ACP, or GP when required.

Accurately and clearly document consultations and interventions within patients record (EMIS Web).

Maintain patient confidentiality in line with information governance

Diagnostic Testing and Monitoring

Undertake agreed clinical activities in line with training and protocols:

NHS Health Checks and targeted community health checks

Blood pressure, pulse rate and rhythm measurements

Respiratory rate

Height, weight, waist circumference and Body Mass Index (BMI)

Cholesterol fingerprick testing

Phlebotomy, ECGs & Urinalysis and preparation of specimens

Health Promotion and Patient Support

Provide clear healthy lifestyle advice and health education appropriate to the individual.

Early application is strongly encouraged, as applications will be reviewed on a weekly basis and the advert will close once sufficient suitable candidates have been appointed.

About us

Taurus Healthcare was established in 2012, as the provider arm of the GP Federation serving 185,000 patients in Herefordshire. Founded and owned by the partners of the entire Herefordshire Primary Care community, Taurus is focused on providing excellent out of hospital services for patients. Our ethos is to provide high quality and cost-effective health outcomes that are delivered as close as possible to the patients home, whilst ensuring that patients who do require in hospital services are seen as quickly and effectively as possible.

Taurus Healthcare offer many employee benefits, such as:

Access to a generous NHS pension scheme with 23.78% employer contribution.

• 33 to 38 days annual leave entitlement, including bank holidays, depending on service (pro rata for part-time staff).
• Access to an extensive Employee Benefits Programme (Vivup) offering:

o 24/7 access to counselling services

o Salary sacrifice scheme for cars and bikes

o Access to a wide range of discounts from national retailers

• Access to the Blue Light extensive discount scheme.

Due to current licence limitations, visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Applicants must already hold the right to work in the UK

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early, therefore if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

This role must not be advertised or represented by third parties without written authorisation.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose

The Health Care Assistant (HCA) supports both urgent/extended access clinical services and planned prevention programmes, playing a key role in improving population health outcomes.

Under the supervision of registered clinicians, the HCA contributes to:

• The delivery of safe, effective clinical care in clinical settings; and
• The delivery of preventative services, including NHS Health Checks and Lung Cancer Screening, supporting early detection, risk reduction and health behaviour change.

The role requires flexibility, strong communication skills, and a commitment to delivering patientcentred care across weekdays, evenings, weekends and bank holidays.

Key Responsibilities

1. Clinical Care Enhanced Access & Preventative Services

• Work within personal competence and scope of practice, escalating concerns appropriately
• Support clinicians with assessment and monitoring of patients
• Undertake:
• Phlebotomy
• ECGs (with escalation for clinical review in line with guidance)
• Urinalysis and specimen preparation for pathology
• Record physiological observations including:
• Blood pressure
• Pulse rate and rhythm
• Respiratory rate
• Temperature
• Height, weight, waist circumference and BMI
• Undertake simple wound care and dressings in line with guidelines
• Recognise wounds not responding to treatment and escalate concerns promptly
• Act as a chaperone when required
• Recognise and respond to urgent or emergency situations (e.g. anaphylaxis, cardiac arrest), summoning immediate assistance

*A full Job Description & Person Specification is attached to this advert*

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• NVQ Level 1 & 2 in Health and Social Care or Care Certificate

Experience

Desirable

• Experience of NHS Health Checks and/or screening programmes.
• Phlebotomy competency.
• Experience of EMIS Web.

Other Requirements

Essential

• Excellent communication skills -verbal and written.
• Ability to work flexibly across enhanced access and prevention services.
• Ability to manage competing priorities.
• Understanding of confidentiality and professional boundaries.
• Confidence working within a multidisciplinary team.

Additional information

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).