Health Care Assistant

Job description

Job responsibilities

Responsibilities for patient care

Provision of a phlebotomy service

To ensure test samples are appropriately labelled and packaged for transportation to the

laboratory.

To carry out health screening and measurements, including: blood pressure; weight, height

and body mass index; urinalysis; pulse rate and rhythm; ECG; glucose tolerance test; and

peak flow readings.

To carry out patient health checks, including health screening and measurements, and

recording previous medical history, family history and current medications.

To provide education and health promotion to patients as appropriate.

To act as a chaperone for other clinicians.

To collect lifestyle data from patients, including smoking status, alcohol consumption and

exercise.

To refer the patient to another clinician when appropriate.

To report any observed changes in the patients condition or behaviour, or any other cause

for concern, to an appropriate clinician.

Assisting the clinical staff where appropriate.

Support and monitor patients during nebulisation therapy.

To maintain accurate and contemporaneous records to relevant professional

standards/guidelines.

Responsibilities for patient care

To be qualified to NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care or equivalent.

Assist GPs carrying out minor surgery procedures.

To carry out additional health screening and measurements, including spirometry.

Have a basic understanding of long term conditions including diagnostic interventions,

treatments and the principles of care and self-management.

Provide a service to promote healthy lifestyles, including for patients with long term

conditions, smoking cessation, alcohol use and weight management.

Provide education, support and encouragement to patients to self-manage their conditions,

including teaching inhaler technique.

To administer the influenza and pneumococcal vaccines, on the instruction of a regulated

professional.

Respond appropriately in the rare event of an adverse reaction to vaccination, including

maintaining skills in basic life support.

To initiate nebulisation therapy.

To offer screening for blood borne viruses (e.g. HIV and Hepatitis) including pre-test

counselling.

To develop new skills and expand the healthcare assistant service, as appropriate to the

level of the post.

Administrative responsibilities

Maintaining stock control of clinical supplies.

Re-stocking of clinical areas with clinical supplies and appropriate literature and forms.

Arranging the calibration and maintenance of equipment and keeping relevant records.

Supporting the delivery of standards and targets, including contacting patients (by telephone

or letter) to provide information and invite them to attend for appointments as appropriate,

e.g. annual influenza vaccinations, childhood immunisations, cervical screening.

Plan, develop and implement health promotion activities in the waiting room, e.g. smoking,

exercise and diet.

Organise the provision of patient information leaflets, as requested.

Communications and relationships.

Demonstrate sensitive communication styles to ensure patients are fully informed and

consent to treatment.

Communicate effectively with other members of the Primary Health Care Team (e.g. GPs,

Practice Nurses, District Nurses).

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

methods of communication.

Provide and receive sensitive information.

To understand and follow the requirements of confidentiality (including the Data Protection

Act and practice policy) and the Freedom of Information Act and to refer on any queries as

appropriate.

Participation in practice meetings as appropriate.

Team working

Understand own role and scope in the organisation.

Work as an effective and responsible team member, supporting others.

Ensure clear understanding and utilisation of referral mechanisms within the practice.

Accept delegation from other nurses, prioritise own workload and ensure effective time management strategies are embedded in own practice.

Participate in team activities that create opportunities to improve patient care.

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, Surgery staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the Surgery 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 Surgery may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the Surgery policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.

Health & Safety:

The post holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the Surgery Health & Safety Policy, to include:

Using personal security systems within the workplace according to Surgery guidelines.

Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks.

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.

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 recognises the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with Surgery procedures and policies, Surgery Values 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.

Personal/Professional Development:

The post holder will participate in any training and development programme implemented by the Surgery as part of this employment, 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 Surgery, 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 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.

Contribution to the Implementation of Services:

The post holder will:

Apply Surgery policies, standards and protocols.

Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work.

Participate in audit where appropriate.

Position may include other duties as determined by SCMG.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Phlebotomy

Desirable

• ECG, BP, some vaccinations, B12 and other injections, along with basic wound care.

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

South Coast Medical Practice

Address

Denmark Road Medical Centre

37 Denmark Road

Bournemouth

BH9 1PB

Employer's website

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