Health Care Assistant

Job responsibilities

Provide advice and instruction to patients to explain any procedures being undertaken.

Understand the principles of data protection and patient confidentiality and the policies and procedures surrounding them.

Attend and participate in staff meetings.

Basic understanding of IT and ability to use e-mail and willingness to undertake training for any systems used to collect and manage patient data.

Communicate with practice staff and GPs regarding results and collection of specimens.

Refer patient queries to the nursing staff in a timely fashion.

Provide understanding and support to patients having difficulty coping with their condition.

To be supportive and communicative with patients & colleagues.

To ensure at all times patients are treated with care and compassion.

Report any change or deviation from planned care package to nursing staff.

Recognise change in patients need and with instruction adapt care package accordingly.

Recognise abnormal results following monitoring and inform nursing staff.

Undertake the delivery of patient care packages under the supervision of nursing staff.

Manage and prioritise workload.

To liaise with other health professionals, social services, GPs, hospital staff and other agencies involved in the care of each patient as required.

To accurately take and record telephone messages as required, including supporting the screening and prioritisation of referrals according to local guidelines.

Undertake set nursing procedures following training and assessment e.g. phlebotomy, blood pressure monitoring, blood glucose monitoring, preparing patients as necessary prior to procedure, using aseptic technique.

Driving skills, including in icy and snowy conditions.

To acquire core skills in nursing care and nursing techniques.

To provide general office duties i.e.: filing, photocopying as required.

Be able to implement packages of care, therapy or treatment prescribed by qualified members of the team. This will initially be done with supervision from a qualified member of the team.

Support patients in achieving goals set in care packages.

Undertake personal and social care as required to support people to remain at home.

Deliver prescribed medication to patients, operating within set protocols.

To provide reassurance & psychological support to patients in an acute phase of illness which may involve short episodes of intensive input to prevent hospital admission.

To maintain a neat and tidy appearance and professional approach to work, patients, their families & other colleagues.

To act in a manner that is in line with Trust Values at all times.

Ensure all electronic and paper based records are kept up to date and filed appropriately.

To maintain accurate and comprehensive records, recording and providing statistical information by means of computer and other methods.

To supply information to the client where appropriate using computer database and written materials.

To monitor stock in partnership with the nursing team.

Qualifications and Training

Essential

• Good standard of spoken & written English
• NVQ in Health studied to Level 3 or willingness to work towards

Desirable

• Admin/clerical training

Experience

Essential

• Minimum 1 year experience working as HCA or equivalent
• Experience of working with the public
• Previous experience of working in a team

Desirable

• Phlebotomy experience

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Basic IT skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Accurate and methodical approach to work
• Ability to work without direct supervision
• Ability to cope with challenging behaviour
• Willingness to learn new skills

Desirable

• Presentation skills

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults

Essential

• Ability to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults
• Demonstrates understanding of safeguarding issues
• Appreciates the significance of safeguarding and interprets this accurately for all individual children and young people/vulnerable adults whatever their life circumstances
• Has a good understanding of the Safeguarding agenda
• Can demonstrate an ability to contribute towards a safe environment
• Is up-to-date with legislation and current events
• Can demonstrate how s/he has promoted 'best practice'
• Shows a personal commitment to safeguarding children

Working within Professional Boundaries

Essential

• Accepts responsibility and accountability for own work and can define the responsibilities of others
• Recognises the limits of own authority within the role
• Seeks and uses professional support appropriately
• Understands the principle of confidentiality
• Demonstrates professional curiosity

Emotional Awareness

Essential

• Aware of the range of emotions in self and others
• Demonstrates empathy for the concerns of others
• Listens to and understands directly and indirectly expressed feelings
• Encourages others to express themselves openly
• Manages strong emotions and responds constructively to the source of problems
• Shows respect for others' feelings, views and circumstances
• In highly stressful situations keeps own feelings in check, takes constructive action and calms others down
• Has a range of mechanisms for dealing with stress, can recognise when to use them and does so
• Listens to personal comments without becoming defensive

Self-awareness

Essential

• Has a balanced understanding of self and others
• Has a realistic knowledge of personal strengths and areas for development
• Can demonstrate flexibility of approach
• Shows a realistic appreciation of the challenges of working with children and young people/vulnerable adults

Other

Essential

• Ability to travel across the County sometimes at short notice
• Satisfactory DBS
• Flexibility to work over seven days per week, to support the delivery of a 24hr service

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).