Community Healthcare Assistant

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical

The post holder will:

1. Apply competency based treatment techniques/care to patients with specific conditions under the supervision of a qualified practitioner, following a prescribed treatment/care plan.
2. Plan and prioritise own visits to delegated patients, and ensure these are documented in personal work diary.
3. Ensure patient held records are completed for each visit, and that SystmOne inputting is completed on a daily basis
4. Make basic judgements on patients response to prescribed treatment/care plans, and report findings to a qualified practitioner.
5. Liaise with other health care professionals as required.
6. Overcome barriers to understanding, e.g. patients with hearing or cognitive impairment.
7. Communicate with patients/carers by exchanging factual information, reassurance, tact and empathy.
8. Establish and maintain appropriate working relationships with colleagues, patients, carers and other health care professionals.
9. Demonstrate dexterity and coordination when undertaking treatment of patients where accuracy is important, e.g. taking blood sugars, venepuncture, supervising transfers, and passive exercises.
10. Be responsible for ensuring equipment is used safely, following relevant training, and that it is maintained appropriately.
11. Contribute to the requisitioning of supplies and equipment through electronic ordering systems.
12. Work predominantly independently on specified tasks, with regular clinical support and supervision by a qualified practitioner.
13. Work with qualified practitioners with group work/clinics as required.
14. Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of consent, and gain consent, and gain consent as appropriate following organisational policies.
15. Share responsibility for maintaining store cupboards, pool cars, cleaning specialist equipment and general house keeping tasks.
16. Share responsibility of indirect patient contact tasks, such as, answering phones, arranging appointments, processing referrals and inputting activity data.
17. Undertake health promotion/education as required, e.g. smoking cessation, falls etc.
18. Will be exposed to bodily fluids, infected material, blood products on a daily basis, therefore must utilise universal precautions and adhere to infection control policies.
19. Demonstrate basic IT and standard keyboard skills.

Professional

The post holder will:

1. To be an active member of the in-service training programme by attendance at and participation in staff meetings, training sessions, courses and reflective practice.

2. To participate in the staff appraisal scheme as an appraisee, maintaining a dynamic personal development plan.

3. To demonstrate an awareness of clinical governance and risk management and apply to work situations.

4. To provide peer support to other carers.

5. To develop competencies to enhance practice and ability to meet needs of patients and the service.

Communication

1. To establish and maintain therapeutic relationships with patients and carers, incorporating motivation, encouragement and confidence building.
2. To demonstrate an ability to communicate with patients/carers with complex needs, using clear and effective verbal/non-verbal communication.
3. To gather and collate information to enable co-ordinator to plan interventions/liaison with others.
4. To provide direct feedback to professionals as appropriate, and in a clear and concise way.
5. To contribute to accurate and timely patient records, including data collection.
6. To communicate and share information with DNs, GPs and SWs as necessary.
7. Be able to communicate effectively with patients/relatives with communication difficulties i.e. deafness, blindness, learning difficulties.
8. To provide feedback to co-ordinator in a clear and concise way

Organisational

The post holder will:

1. Undertake mandatory training as required.

2. Participate in a Personal Development Review process.

3. Undertake Personal Development Plans for other staff members.

4. Take part in clinical supervision as per Trust Policy.

5. Follow Trust policies, and local procedures.

6. Ensure absence reporting is undertaken as determined by Team Leader and Trust Policy.

7. Contribute to clinical audit as required.

8. Complete the staff survey as required.

9. Complete risk assessments and incident forms as required

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• NVQ 2 in health and social care or equivalent

Desirable

• NVQ 3 in care

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working with the general public
• Experience of working within a Healthcare setting
• Evidence of on-going learning

Desirable

• Experience of working in people's homes
• Experience of working with people at the End of life

Skills, Abilities and Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of additional specialist areas through in-house training & short courses
• Highly Motivated
• Good communication skills

Desirable

• Knowledge of multi-disciplinary team roles
• Experience of working in a community setting

Communication

Essential

• Tact and Diplomacy
• Empathy and Sensitive
• Ability to use own initiative
• Able to communicate effectively using the English language in both verbal and written forms

Other

Essential

• Be able to kneel, bend & stoop, and work in cramped environments
• Able to manoeuvre patients using handling aids
• Able to manoeuvre limbs of around 5-6kg
• Must have a full UK driving license and have access to a vehicle
• Professional appearance
• Able to communicate effectively in written and verbal English Language

Personal and People Development

Essential

• Ability to manage stressful situations
• A team player
• Awareness of own limitations
• Good organisational skills
• Open to change and development
• Able to identify with the Trust's commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults
• Able to show initiative
• Able to work alone
• Assertive
• Good listening skills

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

Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust

Address

Diss Health Centre

Diss

IP22 4WG

Employer's website

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