Palliative Care Team assistant

Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

Information:

This job is now closed

Job summary

The post holder will be responsible for directly supporting the Hospice at Home team in Gateshead with administrative and co-ordination of services and schedules.

They will provide vital administrative support to the team which will provide domiciliary care to patients at the end of life who wish to be cared for at home. The team will work in partnership with other community teams, local authorities, other health care providers, GP practices and the acute Trust.

The post holder will work with the Band 6 Macmillan Nurse Coordinator to ensure, that the day to day co-ordination and administrative support is delivered in a timely and professional manner.

The post holder will play a key role in co-ordination, and planning and will be required to provide a comprehensive administrative service across a range of activities with focus on handling patient and their families, telephone calls and using IT systems to schedule community visits for the team of Support Workers. They will work with minimal supervision, demonstrating the ability to use initiative, prioritising their own workload and communicating in an effective manner.

Main duties of the job

Support and assist the Nurse Coordinator to successfully deliver all activities relating to the day to day business of the team. This will include the planning of home visits for a team of Band 3 support workers.

Responsible for the development and delivery of high quality administration processes to aid the delivery of safe and effective clinical services in a community setting

Respond to external and internal telephone enquiries and take appropriate action as a result of the enquiry.

Exercise excellent communication skills with a wide range of stakeholders.

Respond and manage any e-mail queries and requests for meetings on behalf of the team.

Maintain the diary of the Nurse Coordinator and any other designated team member

Scheduling appointments and resolving conflicting diary appointments.

Daily use of Emis Community module

Dealing with and collating data.

Contribute to preparation and development of multiple reports of varying content, including the development of the suite of documents required to embed robust processes and any business cases to support the team.

Work with limited supervision using own initiative.

Be aware of the priorities and needs of the team and assisting in achieving all deadlines.

Maintain a courteous helpful attitude and respect confidentiality.

About us

Based in the North East of England we provide a range of hospital and community health services from our leading facilities, including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Blaydon urgent care centre and Bensham Hospital, all within Gateshead.

Established in 2005, we were one of the first foundation trusts in the country and since then have consistently achieved the highest levels of care for patients.

We now employ around 4,800 staff and currently provide 444 hospital beds across the Gateshead region.

Our values should be the 'golden thread' which runs through everything we do - they are the core of who we are. Our five values can easily be remembered by the simple acronymICORE; Innovation, Care, Openness, Respect, Engagement.

We have a number of staff networks including the BAME network, D-Ability network, LGBTQ+ Network and the Women's Network, to challenge us and help us to constantly improve. Our armed forces network is one of our emerging networks.

The health and wellbeing of our staff is one of our highest priorities, and we offer a range of support and initiatives as part of our 'Balance' programme balancegateshead.com to cater for our diverse workforce, so that your individual needs can be supported, allowing you a happy and healthy working experience with us.

Date posted

20 November 2023

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£22,816 to £24,336 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

297-5556906-B

Job locations

Bensham General Hospital

Fontwell Drive

Gateshead

NE8 4YL


Job description

Job responsibilities

Values and Behaviours:

The post holder is required to promote the Trusts core values of care, quality, respect, leadership and achievement by adherence to the behavioural competencies and expectations.

The post holder will support the six principles of end of life care.

Commit to developing self and others

Employees are expected to be aware of and carry out their duties in accordance with the Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Policy, Dignity at Work Policy and Privacy, Dignity and Respect Policy.

All employees are required to promote high quality care and good health and wellbeing through the enduring values described by the Department of Health: The 6Cs care, compassion, competence, communication, courage and commitment.

Planning and Organisational Skills:

To plan and schedule home visits for the team on a daily basis. If necessary re schedule visits at short notice. Diary management and meeting organisation and co-ordination will be a weekly occurrence.

Physical Skills (manual dexterity)

Daily use of a keyboard and VDU requiring long periods of concentration

Occasional transportation and movement of a laptop and projector weighing approx. 3Kgs to support the Hospice at Home team to present and facilitate meetings.

Accurate record keeping including medical terminology.

Communications and Relationships:

The post holder will be required to provide and receive complex clinical information and data and effectively communicate and distribute information relating to the day to day engagement of the Hospice at Home team with communication to a number of key stakeholders:

  • Patients, carers and families
  • The whole multi-disciplinary team
  • Other Community teams
  • Other Trust Staff
  • General Practice Staff
  • Senior Managers within the Business unit
  • Local Authority staff
  • CBC Health staff
  • Other Key Administrators

Information Resources

  • To ensure that appropriate information and data gathering systems are in place to allow the provision of information to support operational day to day running of a community based team.
  • Abides by Caldicott Principles
  • Has awareness of Information Governance
  • Respects confidentiality
  • Will handle sensitive and confidential information on a daily basis
  • Will use an electronic clinical system on a daily basis

Research & Development:

  • Collects audit data within the team and compiles reports to support the team
  • Supports others to deliver an audit program in line with local and national requirements.

Mental Effort:

  • The post holder will be required to deal with more than one task at the same time often requiring urgent responses and conflicting priorities
  • The post holder will spend a significant amount of time using a VDU, sitting at a desk and will require periods of concentration a number of times throughout the day.

Emotional Effort:

  • Regular exposure to distressing and emotional circumstances when managing patients and their family issues relating to a range of circumstances conflict / emotional and distressing personal circumstances
  • Listening to patient complaints/concerns/incidents as a first point of call
  • Concentration to take clinical information and direct the call appropriately

Job description

Job responsibilities

Values and Behaviours:

The post holder is required to promote the Trusts core values of care, quality, respect, leadership and achievement by adherence to the behavioural competencies and expectations.

The post holder will support the six principles of end of life care.

Commit to developing self and others

Employees are expected to be aware of and carry out their duties in accordance with the Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Policy, Dignity at Work Policy and Privacy, Dignity and Respect Policy.

All employees are required to promote high quality care and good health and wellbeing through the enduring values described by the Department of Health: The 6Cs care, compassion, competence, communication, courage and commitment.

Planning and Organisational Skills:

To plan and schedule home visits for the team on a daily basis. If necessary re schedule visits at short notice. Diary management and meeting organisation and co-ordination will be a weekly occurrence.

Physical Skills (manual dexterity)

Daily use of a keyboard and VDU requiring long periods of concentration

Occasional transportation and movement of a laptop and projector weighing approx. 3Kgs to support the Hospice at Home team to present and facilitate meetings.

Accurate record keeping including medical terminology.

Communications and Relationships:

The post holder will be required to provide and receive complex clinical information and data and effectively communicate and distribute information relating to the day to day engagement of the Hospice at Home team with communication to a number of key stakeholders:

  • Patients, carers and families
  • The whole multi-disciplinary team
  • Other Community teams
  • Other Trust Staff
  • General Practice Staff
  • Senior Managers within the Business unit
  • Local Authority staff
  • CBC Health staff
  • Other Key Administrators

Information Resources

  • To ensure that appropriate information and data gathering systems are in place to allow the provision of information to support operational day to day running of a community based team.
  • Abides by Caldicott Principles
  • Has awareness of Information Governance
  • Respects confidentiality
  • Will handle sensitive and confidential information on a daily basis
  • Will use an electronic clinical system on a daily basis

Research & Development:

  • Collects audit data within the team and compiles reports to support the team
  • Supports others to deliver an audit program in line with local and national requirements.

Mental Effort:

  • The post holder will be required to deal with more than one task at the same time often requiring urgent responses and conflicting priorities
  • The post holder will spend a significant amount of time using a VDU, sitting at a desk and will require periods of concentration a number of times throughout the day.

Emotional Effort:

  • Regular exposure to distressing and emotional circumstances when managing patients and their family issues relating to a range of circumstances conflict / emotional and distressing personal circumstances
  • Listening to patient complaints/concerns/incidents as a first point of call
  • Concentration to take clinical information and direct the call appropriately

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Minimum 4 GCSE's or equivalent inc Maths & English Language
  • NVQ L3 in Business Administration (or equivalent knowledge & experience)
  • Keyboarding/typing qualification equivalent to RSA3/OCR Advanced text/word processing or typing skills to a high standard
  • Knowledge of computer packages eg Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, Powerpoint

Skills & Knowledge

Essential

  • Working knowledge of Data Protection and Caldicott principles
  • Ability to prioritise workload
  • Ability to work on own initiative and without supervision
  • Ability to compose and correct correspondence
  • Ability to communicate effectively, either verbally or electronically with a wide range of professionals, wider stakeholders and members of the public
  • Daily requirement to answer the telephone to receive complex clinical information and communicate this accurately and effectively

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working independently
  • Experience of working to tight deadlines
  • Experience of working in sensitive situations
  • Ability to act independently, decisively and effectively within the team
  • Experience of working in a Healthcare environment

Desirable

  • Experience of supporting a senior management/leader or a team of people
  • Experience of working in community healthcare systems
  • Requirement to use computer/VDU for multiple purposes on daily basis
  • Frequent periods of concentration when collecting information, developing plans, writing reports and detailed scheduling in a climate with many competing priorities
  • Requirement to handle files, projectors reference information and laptop computers on a regular basis (e.g. carrying of laptop computer and/or projection equipment to set up meetings for presentation purposes)
  • Have a flexible approach to work in a community setting
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Minimum 4 GCSE's or equivalent inc Maths & English Language
  • NVQ L3 in Business Administration (or equivalent knowledge & experience)
  • Keyboarding/typing qualification equivalent to RSA3/OCR Advanced text/word processing or typing skills to a high standard
  • Knowledge of computer packages eg Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, Powerpoint

Skills & Knowledge

Essential

  • Working knowledge of Data Protection and Caldicott principles
  • Ability to prioritise workload
  • Ability to work on own initiative and without supervision
  • Ability to compose and correct correspondence
  • Ability to communicate effectively, either verbally or electronically with a wide range of professionals, wider stakeholders and members of the public
  • Daily requirement to answer the telephone to receive complex clinical information and communicate this accurately and effectively

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working independently
  • Experience of working to tight deadlines
  • Experience of working in sensitive situations
  • Ability to act independently, decisively and effectively within the team
  • Experience of working in a Healthcare environment

Desirable

  • Experience of supporting a senior management/leader or a team of people
  • Experience of working in community healthcare systems
  • Requirement to use computer/VDU for multiple purposes on daily basis
  • Frequent periods of concentration when collecting information, developing plans, writing reports and detailed scheduling in a climate with many competing priorities
  • Requirement to handle files, projectors reference information and laptop computers on a regular basis (e.g. carrying of laptop computer and/or projection equipment to set up meetings for presentation purposes)
  • Have a flexible approach to work in a community setting

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Bensham General Hospital

Fontwell Drive

Gateshead

NE8 4YL


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Bensham General Hospital

Fontwell Drive

Gateshead

NE8 4YL


Employer's website

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

For questions about the job, contact:

Team Secretary

Angela Rooney

angela.rooney2@nhs.net

01912834586

Date posted

20 November 2023

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£22,816 to £24,336 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

297-5556906-B

Job locations

Bensham General Hospital

Fontwell Drive

Gateshead

NE8 4YL


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)