GP Surgery Healthcare Assistant

Job description

Job responsibilities

HOURS:up to15 hours per week Wednesday to Friday.

WAGE DEPENDANT ON ABILITY & EXPERIENCE

Willington Surgery is with a capitation of 10'500 people. The total team is 33 which clinically we have 5 GP Partners plus salaried Gp and loucm Gps, Lead Practice Nurse, plus 3 other highly skilled nurses, an HCA, and a Phlebotomist.

We are looking for an additional experienced HCA to join our practice as one of our current team is retiring, ideally someone who has a team mentality and would have the ability to have some flexibility in hours if required.

Job summary

To join our experienced nursing and HCA team and provide and maintain a high standard of care for patients as well as providing assistance to the doctors and other members of the primary healthcare team. The duties will include all tasks normally undertaken by an experienced HCA and in addition any roles agreed between the nurse and the doctors as appropriate, having regard to current training.

Not all responsibilities are required to gain this position as training will be given, but a willingness to learn is required.

Working Knowldge of Systmone

Blood pressure (both 24 hour and onsite)

Pulse rate and rhythm

Temperature checks

Height and weight - body mass index

Visual acuity

Venepuncture (aiming to 5 minute appointments)

ECG

Administer some injections within skill set / training levels including B12, Influenza, Pneumonia and Shingles vaccines

Ear Syringe

Dressings (when nurse plan is in place)

Urine assessments

Suture Removal

Spirometry initiation (possibly Feno in the future)

Foot Checks

Understanding of long-term condition bloods

NHS Health Checks

Stock control support

Prepare and maintain environments and equipment before, during and after patient care interventions

Assist in raising awareness of health and well-being, and how it can be promoted through NHS health checks

Give accurate and appropriate information to patients and groups within own competence

Take on with the support of a GP learning disability reviews physical health checks

Support and monitor patients during nebulisation therapy

Communicate effectively with other team members

Communicate effectively with patients and carers, recognising their needs for alternative methods of communication

Essential requirements

• Basic literacy and numeracy skills
• Basic computer experience
• To have undertaken a NVQ or an equivalent HCA qualification
• NVQ level 3
• Working knowledge of Systmone CRM
• Mandatory Training as required

Knowledge and skills

• Demonstrates a basic understanding of the needs of the patient and the role of the HCA
• Willing to develop clinical skills and competency relevant to the role e.g. Wound Dressing / Ear Syring skills

• Understands issues regarding accountability and delegation

Experience

• Experience in Primary Care setting (beneficial)
• Have worked as a HCA previously

Personal qualities

• Demonstrates motivation, reliability and commitment to team working and the development of others
• Flexible, reliable and responsive to change
• Demonstrates an ability to value the opinions of others
• Willingness to undergo education/ training for both practice and service needs
• Willingness to work towards professional and performance objectives (appraisal)
• To have a self-led mentality
• To be solution driven

Physical skills

• Manual dexterity and manipulation skills
• Ability to handle simple medical equipment e.g. ECG machine
• Ability to assist others with the delivery of care e.g. assisting in minor surgery
• Fitness to do the job within manual-handing policy

Mental and emotional effort

• Concentration required daily, e.g. Ability to deal with occasional exposure to distressing circumstances or emotional events
• Ability to cope with occasional exposure to aggressive behaviour
• Ability to work with competing priorities
• Ability to deal tactfully and empathetically with distressed or anxious patients and carers

Working conditions

• Personal physical contact with patients
• Ability to work with high patient turnover and a pressurised environment on a daily basis
• Ability to work on own in clinical room

Communication and verbal skills

• Able to communicate routine information that requires tact and persuasive skills, or where there may be barriers to understanding
• Ability to communicate effectively via telephone or group discussion
• Good interpersonal skills

Responsibility for financial and physical resources

• Participate in the care of equipment
• Undertake stock control

Other requirement

• Must either be Hepatitis B immune or be willing to undergo an immunisation course

Personal and people development

• Take responsibility for own developmental learning and performance, including participating in supervision
• Take responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal development
• Work with management on any new training requirements
• To recognise and understand the roles and responsibilities of individuals working in the primary health care team
• Be aware of the legal issues pertinent to the role of a basic HCA

Health, safety and security

• Use the personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines
• Identify the risks involved in work activities and undertake them in a way that manages the risks
• Use appropriate infection control procedures and maintain work areas in each clinical room so that they are clean, safe and free from hazards reporting of any potential risks identified, including:
• hand washing
• universal hygiene procedures
• collection and handling of laboratory specimens
• segregation and disposal of waste materials
• decontamination of instruments and clinical equipment
• reporting and treatment of sharps injuries
• dealing with blood and body fluid spillages
• Assist patients and colleagues in adopting sound infection control measures
• Understand and apply the principles of the cold chain
• Ensure safe storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs within area of responsibility
• Know the general principles of first aid and resuscitation to be able to undertake initial actions as appropriate
• Be aware of statutory child health procedures and statutory local guidance and referral criteria
• Know the health and safety policies and procedures within the workplace, including fire procedures, maintaining documentation, monitoring and maintaining of equipment and furniture within your area of responsibility
• Use the computer monitor safely
• Be able to identify the risks to health of microbiological and chemical hazards within the working environment according to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health

Service improvement

• Be aware of and, if appropriate, assist in current clinical audit
• Work with colleagues in the team on the development of current and new services and other initiatives
• Deal with requests from patients and clinical staff for health information leaflets

Quality

• Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk in the care of patients
• Ensure own actions are consistent with clinical governance systems
• Practice in accordance with agreed standards of care
• Enable patients to access appropriate professionals in the team
• Ensure stock items under your control are ordered and available in the treatment and consulting rooms
• Know how clinical governance affects the HCA role and bring to the attention of more senior staff any specific risk situation
• Know the practice's policies, especially the whistle-blowing policy, available in the practice staff handbook
• Be able to manage your own time effectively

Equality and diversity

• Act in ways that recognise the importance of people's rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with procedures
• Respect the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients and carers
• Understand basic legal and communication issues regarding child abuse, family violence, vulnerable adults, substance abuse and addictive behaviour
• Act as a chaperone

Information processes

• Record information and activities undertaken with patients and carers in an accurate and timely fashion using manual or computer systems as appropriate
• Maintain confidentiality or information relating to patients, relatives, staff and the practice
• Take the necessary precautions when transmitting information
• Work under GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Person Specification

Personal qualities

Essential

• Demonstrates motivation, reliability and commitment to team working and the development of others
• Flexible, reliable and responsive to change
• Demonstrates an ability to value the opinions of others
• Willingness to undergo education/ training for both practice and service needs
• Willingness to work towards professional and performance objectives (appraisal)
• Manual dexterity and manipulation skills
• Ability to handle simple medical equipment e.g. ECG machine
• Ability to assist others with the delivery of care e.g. assisting in minor surgery
• Fitness to do the job within manual-handing policy
• Concentration required daily, e.g. Ability to deal with occasional exposure to distressing circumstances or emotional events
• Ability to cope with occasional exposure to aggressive behaviour
• Ability to work with competing priorities
• Ability to deal tactfully and empathetically with distressed or anxious patients and carers

Desirable

• Self-led thinking
• Person driven

Qualifications

Essential

• Basic literacy and numeracy skills
• Basic computer experience
• To have undertaken a NVQ or an equivalent HCA qualification
• NVQ level 3
• Systemone knowldge

Desirable

• Mandatory Training as required
• Ability to do all role descriptions

Experience

Essential

• Demonstrates a basic understanding of the needs of the patient and the role of the HCA
• Willing to develop clinical skills and competency relevant to the role e.g. Wound Dressing skills
• Has customer care experience
• Experience in Primary Care setting

Desirable

• Understands issues regarding accountability and delegation
• Have worked as a HCA previously

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

Willington Surgery

Address

Kingfisher Lane

Willington

Derby

DE65 6QT

Employer's website

https://www.willingtonsurgery.co.uk (Opens in a new tab)