Healthcare Assistant

Job description

Job responsibilities

The Surgery @ Wheatbridge

Job Description

HEALTHCARE ASSISTANT

REPORTS TO: Nurse Manager

GP Partners

Practice Manager

HOURS: 37 hrs per week

SALARY negotiable dependent on experience

Job summary:

Working under the direct supervision of the practice nurses and strictly in accordance with specific practice guidelines and protocols, the healthcare assistant will run his/her own clinics to assist the practice clinical team in the provision and delivery of prescribed programmes of patient care.

Duties and responsibilities of the role:

Phlebotomy

24hr Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring

CVD Health Checks

Ear syringing

New patient health checks

ECG recording

Urinalysis

Chaperoning duties

Blood pressure/ pulse recording

B12, Flu, Pneumococcal vaccinations dependent on training

Weight management clinics

Spirometry

Sterilising, cleansing and maintenance of surgical equipment

Vaccine/cold chain storage, monitoring and recording

Clearing and re-stocking consulting rooms

Preparing and maintaining environments and equipment before, during and after patient care interventions, including assisting GPs during the performance of minor operations

Assisting in the assessment and surveillance of patients health and well-being

Undertaking specific clinical activities for named patients that have been delegated and taught specifically in relation to that individual

Assisting with recall

Helping to raise awareness of health and well-being and how it can be promoted

Assisting with the collection and collation of data on needs related to health and well-being

Other delegated duties considered appropriate to the post

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 is to 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

The post-holder will assist with a full range of promotion and management their own and others health and safety and infection control as defined in the practice Health & Safety policy, the practice Health & Safety manual, and the practice Infection Control policy and published procedures. This will include (but will not be limited to):

• Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines
• Awareness of national standards of infection control and cleanliness and regulatory / contractual / professional requirements, and good practice guidelines
• Responsible for the correct and safe management of the specimens process, including collection, labelling, handling, use of correct and clean containers, storage and transport arrangements
• Assist with the management and maintenance of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the practice, including provision, ordering, availability and ongoing correct usage by staff
• Assist the Infection Control Lead
• Active observation of current working practices across the practice in relation to infection control, cleanliness and related activities, ensuring that procedures are followed and weaknesses / training needs are identified, escalating issues as appropriate
• Assist with identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks across clinical and patient process
• Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills, and assist with the training of others across the full range of infection control and patient processes
• Assist with the monitoring practice facilities and equipment in relation to infection control, ensuring that provision of hand cleansing facilities, wipes etc are sufficient to ensure a good clinical working environment. Lack of facilities to be escalated as appropriate.
• Assist with the safe management of sharps procedures including training, use, storage and disposal
• Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy, clean and sterile, and safe way, free from hazards. Initiation of remedial / corrective action where needed or escalation to responsible management
• Actively identifying, reporting, and correction of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised
• Keeping own work areas and general / patient areas generally clean, sterile, identifying issues and hazards / risks in relation to other work areas within the practice, and assisting with the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness across the practice.
• Undertaking periodic infection control training
• Waste management including collection, handling, segregation, container management, storage and collection
• Spillage control procedures, management and training
• Decontamination control procedures, management and training, and equipment maintenance
• Maintenance of sterile environments
• Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

Equality and diversity

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

• Acting in a way that recognizes 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 that is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Personal/Professional development

The post-holder will participate in any training programme 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

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

Communication:

The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

• Communicate effectively with other team members
• Communicate effectively with patients and carers
• Recognize peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly

Contribution to the Implementation of Services:

The post-holder will:

• Apply practice policies, standards and guidance
• Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work
• Participate in audit where appropriate

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Experience within a health care setting

Desirable

• Experience in GP Practice

Special requirements of post

Essential

• Provide cover for absence of other HCA when required

Qualifications

Essential

• GCSE grade A to C or equivalent in English and Maths
• Care Certificate

Knowledge / Skills

Essential

• Ability to provide quality care
• Good interpersonal and communication skills
• Good organisational skills
• Good team working skills
• Effective time management skills
• Ability to work independently following verbal or written instructions
• Adaptable to change
• Computer literate
• Phlebotomy
• ECGs
• Blood Pressures
• 24hr BP checks

Desirable

• Basic IT Skills
• Knowledge in systmOne clinical systems
• Patient Health Checks
• Dressings/ simple woundcare
• Imms and vacs course
• Ear syringing
• Spirometry
• CVD health checks
• Health and safety awareness
• Awareness of Blood Borne Viruses

Qualities/Attributes

Essential

• An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality
• Able to work on own initiative
• Able to work under pressure and remain calm
• Flexible and adaptable
• Aware of own limitations
• Keen to develop

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

The Surgery @ Wheatbridge

Address

30 Wheatbridge Road

Chesterfield

Derbyshire

S40 2AB

Employer's website

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