Job responsibilities
HEART OF KENT HOSPICE
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Description: Healthcare Assistant
Reports
To: Head of Hospice Community Team
Accountable
To: Patient Services
Director
Responsible for:
Participating as one of the multidisciplinary specialist
palliative care team in the provision of the highest standard of holistic care
for hospice patients in the community and outpatient settings.
Main
Responsibilities
Working
under the direction of the Head of Hospice Community Service practice at a Healthcare Assistant level in the community and
outpatient settings. Providing holistic patient and carer assessment, advice,
and support across a range of mediums including telephone and face-to-face.
1.2 Support the Hospice Community Service in
the provision of externally contracted services e.g. Dementia Helpline Service.
1.3 To demonstrate and
promote patient centred care and ensuring privacy and dignity is practiced at
all times.
1.4 To work closely with
the multidisciplinary team, creating a collegiate approach to patient care
communicating effectively with patients, loved ones, internal and external
colleagues.
1.5 To maintain personal
approach to patients, relatives and carers ensuring their physical, social, psychological,
and spiritual needs are met.
1.6 To demonstrate a
commitment to evidence-based practice and clinical excellence, including the
use and reporting of outcome measures.
1.7 Work with the Hospice
Community Service to provide support for patient and carers through Hospice Hub
outpatient model.
1.8 Communicate relevant
information about service users relevant MDT members, including any changes in
condition.
1.9 Understand the concept
of loss and be able to contribute to supporting relatives and carers.
1.10 Maintain a respectful,
non-judgmental, and caring attitudes towards all those who use the service and
their loved ones and carers.
1.11 Undertake routine
interventions/investigations as delegated, the following is an example and not
exhaustive:
Urine
collection and testing
Simple
dressings
Stoma
care
Testing
and recording of blood sugars
Taking
and recording of temperature, pulse, respiration and blood pressure
Venepuncture
Supervise
patients taking oral drugs - in line with local operating guidelines - and
administer inhalers, nebulisers and creams under the direct supervision of a
registered nurse or Dr in with hospice drug policy
Report
on and participate in risk assessments as required
1.12 Carry out cleaing of equipment as necessary and report any
defects in equipment to your line manager.
1.13 Support the team of administration
and clinical volunteers, in practice and learning, reporting back as required
to the Head of Department.
2. Professional
Competence
2.1 To
ensure that you do not perform any delegated duty for which you do not possess
the necessary knowledge, skill or experience.
2.2 Keep up
to date with current legislation, professional practice issues and relevant
developments in palliative care and rehabilitation as appropriate to the role.
2.3 To identify
personal development and training needs through clinical supervision and the
performance review and appraisal process and undertake relevant training as
appropriate.
2.4 Undertake
relevant competency development
3. Education,
Training and Research
3.1 Support junior colleagues and volunteers in their development.
3.2 To
participate in the Hospice performance review and appraisal process which is known
as Your Snapshot. Attend all statutory
and mandatory training and ensure that colleagues and volunteers undertake
appropriate induction and training.
Undertake training and development as identified through individual
performance reviews.
3.3 To
assist as appropriate in the delivery of training sessions. This may include both external and in-house
training.
3.4 To participate in research, audit projects as appropriate.
3.5 To
carry out outcome measures, patient questionnaires and patient surveys as
directed by the Head of Hospice Community Service
4. Management
4.1 To attend meetings pertinent to organisational and
professional responsibilities.
4.2 Ensure
the economic use of resources, assisting in the ordering of supplies and
maintenance of appropriate stock levels.
4.3 Undertake clerical duties as appropriate.
4.4 Provide
equality for all patients by practicing and promoting non-discriminatory and
inclusive practice and contribute to the protection of individuals from abuse.
5. Communication
5.1 To promote close harmonious working
relationships and good communication links with colleagues and volunteers at
all levels throughout the Hospice and the wider community.
5.2 To maintain full, accurate and
confidential patient/client records, both in computer and written form, in
accordance with mandatory legal requirements and the Hospice standards for
documentation.
6. Clinical
Governance
6.1 To take personal responsibility for risk
management in your work and to review practices and learn from experience.
6.2 To
support the Hospices Clinical Governance programme.
6.3 To participate in the development, review
and audit of quality standards and contribute to the process of continuous
quality improvement throughout the Hospice.
6.4 To comply with the Hospices policy and
procedure in handling any complaints, adverse comments or affirmations.
6.5 To maintain accurate up-to-date
statistics as required in both written and electronic formats.
6.6 To
develop and maintain evidence-based practice.
6.7 To be aware of and comply with relevant
Hospice policies and procedures and participate in their review and development
as appropriate.
6.8 To
participate and support strategic service reviews.
7. Health and Safety
7.1 To take reasonable care of the health and
safety of yourself and others that may be affected by what you do while at
work, and to co-operate in the implementation of the Hospices Health and
Safety Policy.
8. General
8.1 To conduct yourself at all times in a
manner befitting the post and the professional dignity of the Hospice.
8.2 To act as an ambassador for Heart of Kent
Hospice in order to raise the profile of the organisation at a local, regional
and national level as required.
8.3 To work as a member of the Hospice to
foster the teams mission statement and strategic goals.
8.4 To commit to our culture framework to
ensure the best possible experience for our patients, their loved ones, our
supporters and our local community.
8.5 To participate in the production of
promotional material and support fundraising, volunteer events as appropriate.
8.6 To maintain an appropriate standard of
confidentiality. Any disclosure of
confidential information - including personal information kept on computer or
other media - made unlawfully outside the proper course of duty will be treated
as a serious disciplinary offence.
8.7 Champion best practice in Equality and
Diversity and Inclusion in everything we do.
8.8 Where reasonable, with prior request from
Head of Hospice Community Service, support service delivery across all of its
standard operational hours i.e. 08.30am - 17.30pm, Monday to Sunday.
8.9 To carry out such other duties which may
reasonably be requested.
This job description is a broad reflection of
the current duties. It may be amended
and developed in the light of experience and will be the focus for objective setting
in an annual appraisal.
