Job summary
As a Specialist Health Care Assistant, your role involves conducting physical health assessments for individuals with identified mental health needs. You will collaborate with various healthcare providers, primary care teams, families, and carers to ensure that the physical health requirements of patients with mental health conditions are addressed effectively. Your responsibilities will include supporting patients in accessing other relevant services, participating in service user reviews, and promoting good health practices. You will also play a crucial role in reaching out to patients who may struggle with engagement and targeting vulnerable and hard-to-reach. Additionally, there may be a component of the role dedicated to conducting physical health checks for patients with eating disorders, particularly those who are stable and engaged in their treatment.
Main duties of the job
The job duties involve a variety of tasks aimed at supporting the health and well-being of patients within a mental health service. These tasks include conducting phlebotomy, ECG recording, blood pressure monitoring, pulse and temperature measurement, skin review, and testing of proximal muscle strength. Additionally, the role includes non-clinical responsibilities such as raising awareness of health promotion, assisting with screening services, supporting long-term condition checks and medication reviews, and identifying early signs of relapse or changes in social care needs. The role requires maintaining accurate records, adhering to professional standards and ethics, staying updated on relevant guidelines and legislation, participating in training and appraisal processes, and collaborating within a team-based care approach.
About us
Greater Peterborough Network is a fast growing and ambitious at scale primary care provider. We work closely with our 26 member GP Practices in our area to support our 280,000 patients. We are a dynamic and responsive team who pride ourselves on our can do attitude. We embrace and encourage flexible working and good work life balance. We are very excited to be advertising this role as the successful candidate will be joining us a time of significant growth with a number of exciting projects lined up for 2023.
Job description
Job responsibilities
As a Specialist Healthcare Assistant, your role involves conducting physical health assessments for individuals with identified mental health needs. You will collaborate with various healthcare providers, primary care teams, families, and carers to ensure that the physical health requirements of patients with mental health conditions are addressed effectively. Your responsibilities will include supporting patients in accessing other relevant services, participating in service user reviews, and promoting good health practices. You will also play a crucial role in reaching out to patients who may struggle with engagement and targeting vulnerable and hard-to-reach cohorts. Additionally, there may be a component of the role dedicated to conducting physical health checks for patients with eating disorders, particularly those who are stable and engaged in their treatment.
Clinical Procedures:
- Perform clinical procedures such as phlebotomy, ECG recording, blood pressure monitoring (including weighing, lying, and standing), pulse and temperature assessment, skin review, and testing of proximal muscle strength.
Patient Health Assessment and Monitoring:
- Assist in assessing and monitoring patients' physical health and wellbeing.
- Support access to screening services, long-term condition checks, and medication reviews according to protocols.
- Identify early signs of relapse or changes in health status and alert the appropriate staff involved in the individual's care.
- Recognise shifts in social care needs or increased risk factors and communicate with relevant professionals.
Collaboration and Communication:
- Work closely with primary care and specialist/community mental health services to ensure coordinated and comprehensive care.
Non-Clinical Responsibilities:
- Raise awareness about health and wellbeing promotion strategies.
- Participate in clinical and social care governance care group forums.
- Stay updated on relevant NICE/local guidelines and quality standards.
- Adhere to NHS Code of Conduct, professional standards, and local/national practice guidelines.
- Maintain accurate and timely records of each patient interaction using the designated clinical database.
Other Duties:
- Participate in essential training, including eating disorder medical monitoring training.
- Adhere to GPN policies, procedures, and guidelines, including Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety, and Confidentiality of Information.
- Stay informed about legislation, national/local policies, and issues related to the specific client group and mental health.
- Engage in GPN's annual Appraisal process.
- Attend relevant mandatory training sessions.
Job description
Job responsibilities
As a Specialist Healthcare Assistant, your role involves conducting physical health assessments for individuals with identified mental health needs. You will collaborate with various healthcare providers, primary care teams, families, and carers to ensure that the physical health requirements of patients with mental health conditions are addressed effectively. Your responsibilities will include supporting patients in accessing other relevant services, participating in service user reviews, and promoting good health practices. You will also play a crucial role in reaching out to patients who may struggle with engagement and targeting vulnerable and hard-to-reach cohorts. Additionally, there may be a component of the role dedicated to conducting physical health checks for patients with eating disorders, particularly those who are stable and engaged in their treatment.
Clinical Procedures:
- Perform clinical procedures such as phlebotomy, ECG recording, blood pressure monitoring (including weighing, lying, and standing), pulse and temperature assessment, skin review, and testing of proximal muscle strength.
Patient Health Assessment and Monitoring:
- Assist in assessing and monitoring patients' physical health and wellbeing.
- Support access to screening services, long-term condition checks, and medication reviews according to protocols.
- Identify early signs of relapse or changes in health status and alert the appropriate staff involved in the individual's care.
- Recognise shifts in social care needs or increased risk factors and communicate with relevant professionals.
Collaboration and Communication:
- Work closely with primary care and specialist/community mental health services to ensure coordinated and comprehensive care.
Non-Clinical Responsibilities:
- Raise awareness about health and wellbeing promotion strategies.
- Participate in clinical and social care governance care group forums.
- Stay updated on relevant NICE/local guidelines and quality standards.
- Adhere to NHS Code of Conduct, professional standards, and local/national practice guidelines.
- Maintain accurate and timely records of each patient interaction using the designated clinical database.
Other Duties:
- Participate in essential training, including eating disorder medical monitoring training.
- Adhere to GPN policies, procedures, and guidelines, including Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety, and Confidentiality of Information.
- Stay informed about legislation, national/local policies, and issues related to the specific client group and mental health.
- Engage in GPN's annual Appraisal process.
- Attend relevant mandatory training sessions.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Healthcare: 1 year (required)
- Full UK Driving License
Desirable
- Relevant healthcare qualification (e.g., healthcare assistant, phlebotomist).
- Previous experience in conducting physical health assessments.
- Familiarity with mental health services and patient needs.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team.
- Proficiency in record-keeping and database management.
- Experience of working with Mental Health .
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Healthcare: 1 year (required)
- Full UK Driving License
Desirable
- Relevant healthcare qualification (e.g., healthcare assistant, phlebotomist).
- Previous experience in conducting physical health assessments.
- Familiarity with mental health services and patient needs.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team.
- Proficiency in record-keeping and database management.
- Experience of working with Mental Health .
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.
