Senior Healthcare Assistant

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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical:

1. Assists with the care of patients by:

- Under the delegation of the Registered Nurse undertake care delivery, record the patient interventions carried out utilising the patients nursing records. These records must be countersigned by the Registered Nurse who delegated the duties.

- Demonstrate respect for the individual patient, ensuring religious, cultural and social needs are considered at all times and acknowledge their individual rights.

- Where required, assist nursing staff if they are conducting procedures or investigations.

- Assisting patients in gaining access to, and in the use of, appropriate toilet facilities including catheter care, measuring and recording body waste/fluid balance accurately.

- Ensure patient's nutritional needs are met by assisting in the preparation of patients prior to meals and beverages, giving help and assistance in feeding/drinking as necessary. Record intake on food charts, where in place. Support nutritional monitoring by weighing patients.

- Assist, direct and escort patients/visitors where and when appropriate.

- Ensuring a clean and safe environment for patients and escalating any concerns.

- Fluid balance monitoring.

- Handling patient's personal possessions, ensuring money and valuables are kept securely.

- Speciating one-to-one as appropriate.

- Carrying out of cardio-pulmonary resuscitation as required.

2. Complete all appropriate documentation relevant to care provided and update patient's named nurse / shift coordinator where required.

3. Assist patients in maintaining their personal hygiene, grooming and dressing needs with specific concern for their religious, cultural and personal preference, ensuring privacy and dignity at all times.

4. Perform and record patient's vital signs as directed - temperature, blood pressure, respiration and pulse, oxygen saturations, modified early warning scores, height & weight, urine testing (including Midstream Specimen, 24Hr urine collection, etc.) - as per Trust policy, reporting results to the Registered Nurse on duty, or in their absence to a Medic.

5. Provide a clinical phlebotomy service demonstrating expertise according to Phlebotomy guidelines and ensure that the samples and specimens are forwarded to appropriate laboratory services. Perform venous cannulation. Carry out central venous catheter bloods and central line care as per trust policy. Have a basic understanding of normal and altered blood values and escalate results as appropriate to the Registered Nurse or in their absence a Medic.

6. Perform electrocardiograms (ECG) in line with Trust policy and reporting to the Registered Nurse and/or medical staff once completed.

7. Prepare individual patients and the environment to ensure effective movement and/or handling procedures. Assist patients in their mobility requirements; provide assistance to patients moving from stretchers, wheelchairs and toilets. Assist patients to improve and maximise their mobility, utilising equipment as directed by the multi professional team.

8. Assist in meal service as required in line with Trust hygiene and food handling policy.

9. At the delegation of the Registered Nurse transfer the patient/client from one care area to another, i.e. outpatient's environment to discharge lounge/ward/other department. Chaperone the patient as required ensuring appropriate support.

10. Welcome and orientate patients, visitors and others to the unit/department and ensure that all communications result in effective customer care.

11. Assist in the correct procedure of duties relating to last offices for deceased persons. Ensure that all religious and cultural wishes, obligations are adhered with, in line with Trust policies and procedures.

12. Communicate well within the team at all times. Demonstrate a pleasant and approachable manner and help create and promote a good team working relationship, by being fully involved, committed and participative to achieving full potential. Proactively help patients and carers to take an active role in care delivery. Develop personal awareness of others' perceptions, acknowledging and changing behaviour in response to any constructive feedback.

Clinical Support:

1. Where appropriate, to answer queries promptly and courteously, taking appropriate actions according to the mode of enquiry or the information required. As appropriate, inform or refer enquiries or problems to the relevant qualified staff.

2. Assist the Registered Nurse in the process of undertaking clinical risk assessments e.g. recording height and weight, updating the nurse on any changes to a patient's condition/ circumstances. Responsibility for undertaking the risk assessments lies with the Registered Nurse.

3. Appropriately record and monitor dietary intake of patients, informing relevant staff of progress and/or any difficulties relating to dietary/fluid intake.

4. Assist in providing conditions to meet the patient's need for rest and sleep.

5. Actively support and assist in alleviating distress and anxiety of patients or carers, consistent with their personal beliefs and preferences.

6. Prepare trolleys for specific clinical procedures in line with trust policy utilising aseptic non touch technique practices.

7. Recognise and report abusive behaviour to an appropriate member of staff, documenting the same.

Environmental Support:

1. Be responsible for self and others through identifying risks and undertaking work activities in a safe manner.

2. Maintain cleanliness in the work environment, ensuring a clean and safe environment for patients, adhering to infection control policies and guidance in line with Trust health and safety policies.

3. Prepare and maintain environments for clinical procedures.

4. Contribute to the general tidiness and cleanliness of the clinical environment including the correct disposal of waste.

5. Assist with the checking of clinic/department linen stock, where required. Contribute to the supply and maintenance of materials and equipment to ensure the efficient running of the clinical environment.

6. Assist with the checking and recording of deliveries to the clinical areas against original orders. Ensure stock rotation is undertaken to minimise the risk of equipment becoming out of date.

7. Assist in the transfer of materials and equipment as requested, including the maintenance of equipment as appropriate.

8. Report faults on the clinic/unit/department as necessary.

9. Reports all accidents and complaints according to the agreed policy to shift coordinator or senior staff.

10. Contributes to the continuous improvement of services. May be required to demonstrate and assist more junior staff to gain clinical experience, skills and knowledge.

11. Undertake all training required to perform duties effectively to the requirements of the post, including but not limited to attending all required mandatory training courses.

12. Maintain own professional portfolio in accordance with personal development plans.

13. Demonstrates the agreed set of values and accountable for own attitude and behaviour.

These duties and responsibilities are neither exclusive nor exhaustive and staff may be required to undertake other duties and responsibilities consistent with the band.

Please see attached full job description

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Basic literacy and numeracy skills.
• Vocational healthcare qualification at level 3 or equivalent experience.

Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience of working in an acute care environment, undertaking a range of clinical commitments.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working in more than one speciality within an acute care environment.

Skills

Essential criteria

• Ability to communicate clearly with a wide range of people.
• Able to work using own initiative, following instructions from a Registered Nurse.
• Basic IT skills.
• Phlebotomy skills.
• Effective customer care skills

Desirable criteria

• Competent in routine observations and tests.
• Undertake ECG recordings.
• Ability to demonstrate care skills to more junior healthcare support workers.
• Cannulation experience.

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• In-depth understanding of the healthcare support worker role in an outpatient setting.
• Participate in personal development.

Desirable criteria

• Evidence of recent training.

Values

Essential criteria

• Ability to demonstrate the organisational values and behaviours.

Personal Attributes

Essential criteria

• Committed to delivering high standards of patient/ customer care.
• Empathetic and caring.
• Professional outlook and positive attitude.
• Honest and trustworthy.
• Available to work flexibly/ weekends/short notice.

The closing date for this post may be extended if there are insufficient applicants or brought forward if there is a high volume of applicants.

We want to ensure that everyone who works at the Christie or uses our services is welcomed, valued and treated with dignity and respect. The Christie values diversity and is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all and fair representation across the organisation at all levels. In support of these commitments, we particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and other ethnic minority people and people with disabilities for this post. Appointment will be only on merit.

We are committed to creating a balanced and diverse workforce. As such we welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. Together we will foster inclusion and tackle inequity and health inequalities in cancer care.

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy

All positions within the Christie are subject to the receipt of satisfactory written references, medical clearance and evidence of your Right to Work in the UK. Some roles will require a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check. Please note if you are successfully appointed to a post with this Trust, you will be required to pay for your own DBS Disclosure.

By applying for this post you are agreeing to The Christie NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system. Please note, all communication regarding your application will be made via email, please ensure you check your junk/spam folders as emails are sometimes filtered there.

If you have not heard from us within four weeks of the closing date, I regret that on this occasion your application will have been unsuccessful.

The Inter-Authority Transfer (IAT) process is a critical and beneficial component of ESR and will form part of the recruitment process. In the event that you are successful following interview your previous NHS employment data, if applicable will be transferred from your current / most recent employer.

Overseas candidates wishing to apply for this position and who would require immigration sponsorship, may wish to self-assess the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship for the post on the UKVI website.

You should be aware the Trust operates a No Smoking Policy and therefore employees are not permitted to smoke at work.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

• JD & PS (PDF, 395.2KB)
• The Christie Values and Behaviours (PDF, 919.5KB)
• Strategy Brochure (PDF, 1.0MB)
• Trust Membership - Christie Talent (PDF, 23.0KB)
• Travel to The Christie (PDF, 3.8MB)