Job responsibilities
Job Description: Health Care Assistant
Line Managers: Practice Nurse Team
Leader clinically
ActingManager - Administratively
Purpose: To assist the clinical team in the service delivery and management
of patients.
Overview of responsibilities
Establish
and maintain communication with a range of people on a range of matters in
a form that is appropriate to them and the situation.
Monitor
and maintain health, safety and security of self and others.
Contribute
to the improvement of services.
Maintain
quality in own work and encourage others to do the same.
Support
equality and value diversity, identifying when own or others behavior
undermines equality and diversity.
Plan,
develop, implement and assess approaches to promote health and well-being
Recognise and
report situations where there might be a need for protection
Cleaning of rooms and equipment in line with IP&C guidelines
Stock ordering
Equipment auditing and arranging maintenance.
Specific Responsibilities and Clinical
Skills
Undertake
record and follow guidelines for the tasks for which you have received
appropriate training.
Urinalysis and preparation of specimens for investigation by the
pathology laboratory.
Measuring and recording:-
blood pressure
pulse rate and rhythm
temperature
height and weight body
mass index
peak flow and its calculation
ECGs
Blood glucose monitoring.
Venepuncture.
Inhaler techniques.
Prepare and maintain environments and equipment before, during and
after patient care interventions.
Ensure GPs
rooms and clinical treatment rooms are clean and well stocked.
Undertake dressing procedures following local recommendations,
complying with infection control principles and practice.
Perform spirometry on patients after full training and assessment
of competence.
Give accurate and appropriate information to patients and groups
within own competence.
Support clinicians in providing minor surgery.
Plan, develop and implement ways of raising and promoting awareness
of health and well-being, keeping records of what has been done.
Provide support and encouragement to patients to self-manage their
conditions as appropriate.
Maintain the notice board in the waiting room
and promote good health with educational material.
Administer influenza, pneumococcal and Vitamin B12 vaccinations
Remove sutures and
clips.
Smoking cessation.
Pre diabetic reviews.
Undertake foot checks for people with diabetes.
Assist Consultants in clinics.
Act as a
chaperone, when requested.
Record information and activities undertaken
with patients and carers in an accurate and timely fashion using manual or
computer systems and Read codes.
Maintain stock levels for clinical and vaccine
supplies
Maintain the stock room in an orderly manner
Order stock for clinical supplies, vaccines,
equipment and other necessary items as requested
Cleaning
of rooms and equipment in line with Practice IP&C guidelines and other
adhoc cleaning in line with Practice IP&C as needed and directed
Auditing, checking and Maintaining clinician
equipment boxes and the surgery Emergency Box and associated equipment
Confidentiality
In the course of seeking treatment,
patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in
relation to their health and other matters.
They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will
respect their privacy and act appropriately.
In the performance of the duties
outlined in this Job Description, the post-holder may have access to
confidential information relating to patients and their carers, Practice staff
and other healthcare workers. They may
also have access to information relating to the Practice as a business
organisation. All such information from any source must be regarded as
strictly confidential
Information relating to patients,
carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the Practice
may only be divulged to authorised persons, in accordance with the Practice
policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of
personal and sensitive data
Health, Safety and Security
The post-holder will assist in
promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as
defined in the Practice Health & Safety Policy, to include:-
Using
personal security systems within the workplace according to Practice
guidelines.
Identifying the risks involved in
work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those
risks.
Be able to identify the risks of health of
microbiological and chemical hazards within the working environment
according to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health.
Making effective use of training to
update knowledge and skills.
Using appropriate infection control
procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from
hazards.
Reporting potential risks identified.
Understand 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,
statutory local guidance and referral criteria.
Communication
The post-holder should recognise the importance of
effective communication within the team and will strive to:-
Communicate
effectively with other team members.
Communicate
effectively with patients and carers.
Recognise
peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond
accordingly.
Personal/Professional Development
The post-holder will participate in any training
program implemented by the Practice as part of this employment, such training
to include:-
Participation
in an annual individual performance review, including taking
responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or
professional development.
Taking
responsibility for own development, learning and performance and
demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar
work.
Demonstrate
skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.
Quality
The post-holder will strive to maintain quality
within the Practice, and will:
Alert other team members to issues of quality and
risk.
Assess own performance and take accountability for
own actions, either directly or under supervision.
Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by
reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve
and enhance the teams performance.
Work effectively with individuals in other agencies
to meet patients needs.
Effectively manage own time, workload and
resources.
Equality and Diversity
The post-holder will support
the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to
include:-
Acting a way that recognises the importance of
peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with Practice
procedures and policies, and current legislation.
Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs
of patients, carers and colleagues.
Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of
the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings
priorities and rights.
N.B. This job
description is a reflection of the current position and the post holder should
expect that it may be subject to variation from time to time.