Healthcare Support Worker - Sexual Health

Job summary

We are looking for an enthusiastic, dynamic, motivated and flexible Healthcare Support Worker to join our integrated sexual health service. We provide screening and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, HIV care and contraception to a diverse population of clients.

In return you will become a valued member of a team known for its innovation and high standard of care. You will be supported to complete in house training by a line manager and HCSW 'mentor'. You will have regular one to one meetings and appraisals to monitor your progress and development needs. In addition, the service offers regular education sessions and clinical supervision.

For this post, you will need to be able to travel between sites.

The successful candidate may have some previous experience working as a Healthcare Support Worker or in a sexual health environment but this is not essential. People skills and a willingness to learn are paramount.

You will be expected to work in sexual health clinics across North Hampshire, this will include supporting an outreach clinic in HMP Winchester on a fortnightly basis. On occasion, and dependent on the needs of the service, we may ask you to support other clinics across our Hampshire sites.

Multiple vacancies working across North Hampshire.

Main duties of the job

• Collect and process a variety of specimens.
• Perform venepuncture
• Undertake basic observations of patients, including blood pressure.
• Manage asymptomatic patients.
• Telephone assessments for Vasectomy Clinics
• Able to assist the Clinician during IUD fittings and vasectomy operations
• Processes routine samples by labelling, recording, and storing appropriately
• Performs light microscopy for sexually transmitted infections
• Maintains stock levels and orders stock as necessary
• Travels to spoke clinics or other locations within Sexual Health
• Administrative duties as required, including preparing Vasectomy notes and reception tasks
• Develop rapport with patients and treat all patients, carers and staff with dignity and respect
• Frequently use interpersonal and communication skills to de-escalate and reduce aggressive behaviour if encountered from patients and carers
• Implement agreed standards of care provision in line with local Ward/Unit/community and Trust policies, Adhere to all Trust Policies and Procedures
• Be aware of own limitations, seek support when the need arises, maintain professional boundaries at all times
• Acts as patients chaperone, when required, for doctors and nurses during examinations and procedures providing privacy and dignity
• Observes patients right to confidentiality specifically in relation to contraception & sexual health
• Aware of the specific confidentiality rights of patients aged under 18, attending the service

About us

Make a difference with us

If you are looking for somewhere you can make a real difference and are passionate about keeping people safe, well and out of hospital, a career with us may be just what you're looking for. At Solent NHS Trust, we strive to make a difference to the health and wellbeing of our communities.

We are proud to be an organisation which is focused on our people and we welcome people who share our values to come and work with us.

To deliver great care that is safe, simple and easy to access

To be a caring, flexible and supportive place to work

To deliver the best value for money

Our shared values support the development of a strong working culture. They breathe life into our organisation -- guiding and inspiring all of our actions and decisions. They enable us to be better at what we do and create a great place for our staff to work, whilst ensuring we provide the highest quality of care to our patients.

In creating our values, we spent time listening to our employees and members. Based on what people told us, we created our HEART values to reflect the deep belief that we are caring organisation at the centre of our community: Honesty, Everyone counts, Accountable, Respectful, Teamwork.

We are an accredited Real Living Wage employer.

We encourage and support our staff to be vaccinated as this remains the best line of defence against Covid-19.