Senior Healthcare Assistant

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About Us

EPUT provides community health, mental health and learning disability services to support more than 3.2 million people living across Bedfordshire, Essex and Suffolk. Also:

• We are among the largest employers in the in the East of England region, with more than 10,000 staff working across more than 200 sites.
• We run the COVID-19 vaccination programme across mid and south Essex and Suffolk and north east Essex.

EPUT was formed on 1 April 2017 following the merger of North Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (NEP) and South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (SEPT). A new leadership team was established at the Trust in 2020.
Our vision and values

Our Vision

"To be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care".

Our Purpose

"We care for people every day. What we do together, matters".

Our Values

• We Care
• We Learn
• We Empower

Our strategic objectives

• We will deliver safe, high quality integrated care services.
• We will enable each other to be the best that we can.
• We will work together with our partners to make our services better.
• We will help our communities to thrive.

Our services

• Mental Health Services
• Community Health Services
• Learning Disabilities Services
• Social Care

Find out more about the services we offer in our service directory.

Job overview

Please note this vacancy requires a face to face interview with the Recruiting Manager. Applicants that are unable to attend a face to face interview need not apply.

Previous applicants need not apply. If you have previously applied for this role and your application was not successful you will not be considered during the shortlisting stage.

Essex Partnership University Trust (EPUT ) is currently recruiting Senior Healthcare Assistants to join their Community Care Coordination Service . This unique service supports patients living with frailty and long term conditions living at home. We provide comprehensive assessments exploring the health and social needs of patients and try to improve their quality as life as much as we can. Our aim is to support independence and dignity for patients and their support network. The service is provided across boroughs of Southend and Castlepoint and Rochford. The role is community based and requires you to be able to drive and have a full driving licence. As a part of our team will be expected to work autonomously, unsupervised and to manage own workload. You will undertake thorough reviews using assessment skills and tools to identify any health or social issues patient may have. Work with patient to identify smart goals and complete individualized care plans to support patient to maintain their independence and safety in their own homes.

Main duties of the job

Regrettably, we cannot offer sponsorship for all of our job roles. If you apply for a role that we cannot offer sponsorship for, unfortunately your application form will be rejected from the process.

The successful candidate will carry out reviews on patients who are living with frailty and long term conditions. The role includes ordering equipment, making referrals to enhance patient well-being, working alongside Care Coordinators, pharmacy and the community integrated support team. Candidates should be enthusiastic, motivated, willing to learn and be able to demonstrate good interpersonal skills when communicating with patients, family members, colleagues and other members of the multidisciplinary team. A good sense of humour is also a plus! The team aims to support patients to maintain their independence and safety, avoid unnecessary hospital admission or readmissions.

Working for our organisation

EPUT are looking for motivated staff who shares our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;

• Season Ticket Loans
• NHS discounts for staff
• Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
• Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
• The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
• Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
• Day One Flexible Employer

The Trust supports and actively encourages flexible working for all employees. We offer many options and you are encouraged to ask the recruiting manager what is possible for this role. If appointed, you will have the opportunity to apply for a flexible working request from the first day of your employment

Join our Staff bank

What is Staff Bank?

Our EPUT NHS staff bank is an entity managed by the trust that hires clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals to take on shifts at our trust hospitals and community settings. Here at EPUT we maintain our own bank of specialist staff to ensure that we are able offer safe and effective care at all times.

All our permanent staff are automatically enrolled onto the staff bank however this does not mean you have to work any additional shifts, but the option is there for you if you wish.

If you are joining our Trust in a fixed term role, please indicate on your New Starter Paperwork that you wish to join our staff bank.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES CLINICAL

• Effectively manage telephone and face-to-face enquiries from all staff groups, patients, relatives and carers providing information as required.
• Direct and prioritise queries as appropriate to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of the service delivery.
• Provide support for activities of daily living as and when required
• To maintain efficient systems to ensure that documentation and information is effectively managed and filed with accuracy and sensitivity, maintaining confidentiality at all times
• Ability to work on own initiative, unsupervised and to manage own workload.
• To undertake through individual care plans, personal, practical and rehabilitative duties as set by the care coordinator including assist patients with rehabilitation programmes including but not restricted to personal hygiene, shopping and meal .
• To support patients with their inhaler technique, guiding and teaching where necessary.
• The Senior Health Care Assistant will work without supervision, Assess and review patients, support and co-create a goal based, personalised care plan.
• To perform welfare checks, guided by the personal support plan, work autonomously, using assessment skills to identify any problems the patient is struggling with or expresses, linking back to the care coordinator to create a new goal based personalised support plan for the patient.
• To refer to other services and collaborate with the wider professional community
• To assess and order equipment for the patient's home, such as grab rails.
• Complete at home continence assessments refer on if necessary.
• To complete Hospital to home assessment to assess wellbeing since attending hospital.
• Preparation and support with daily routines, eating and drinking, skin care and assisting patients with their mobility as necessary.
• To perform joint visits with other professionals as required.
• To support other members of staff, teaching where necessary skills and knowledge which you may have and may be transferable to others in the team.
• To observe, record and report any changes in individual conditions and circumstances and ensure that they are reported to the care coordinator immediately.
• Assist in the risk assessment of the individual and of potential hazards in the patient's home and ensure that any hazards or risks identified are reported immediately.
• To be aware of emergency procedures required for working in the community and how to act accordingly, ensuring that individual staff and patient safety are maintained.
• Observe patient progress against planned goals and report changes in the patients' condition or care needs to a registered nurse in a timely manner e.g. on a routine or urgent basis depending on the priority.
• Carry out safe moving and handling practice, on a daily basis for patients in accordance with planned programmes of care and Trust policies.
• Undertake clinical observations e.g. temperature, blood pressure, urine testing and report result to care coordinator.
• Develop and establish meaningful rapport with patients and their relatives/carers and demonstrate an awareness of individual patient needs.
• Attend service meetings.
• Ensure own approach to patient care respects the patients' privacy and dignity at all times, including a respect for patient choice.
• Communicate effectively with other members of the Care Coordination team and multidisciplinary team, and maintain good working relationships with colleagues. Work positively with health and social care colleagues to maintain effectively working relationships.
• Seek support and advice from more experienced colleagues when faced with matters outside of sphere of responsibility or knowledge.

Accurately and promptly, record patient care delivered and observations, ensuring compliance with Trust policy.

• Attend training sessions and staff development activities as deemed necessary by the Team Leader; disseminating information where appropriate to other members of staff.
• Be Open Compassionate Empowering

The Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System (ICS) brings together key health, care, community, and voluntary sector organisations from across our area. Our aim is to work together in partnership to join up health and care services, improving our population's health and wellbeing and reducing health inequalities. One such example of this collaborative work is the launch of our HCA Academy, an ICS initiative between Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) and Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (MSEFT) to support the incoming Health Care assistant (HCA) workforce. The academy models a 'one workforce' cross system approach to the onboarding, induction, education and experience of Healthcare Assistants.

To support this 'one workforce model' the successful candidate for this post will be required to attend our 5 day (Monday to Friday) face to face Induction Programme at our MSE ICS Education Hub at Brentwood Community Hospital. Your start date will therefore fall on one of two of the HCA Academy induction dates across the month, which will be discussed and agreed during the recruitment process.

Our HCA Academy Induction programme has been designed to train and support the successful candidate through the early stages of their employment at EPUT and will provide opportunities to enhance skills, knowledge and experience.

Further information will be provided post interview.

This will be followed by an additional 5 day (Monday to Friday) EPUT corporate / mandatory training welcome. (EPUT Welcome will be varied between face to face and virtual delivery).

Person specification

Education/Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Care Certificate or willing to work towards
• Good standard of literacy and numeracy

Desirable criteria

• Educated to NVQ Level 3 or equivalent experience

Experience

Essential criteria

• Understanding of the health or social care setting
• Understanding of the concept of promoting independence
• Ability to recognise and manage challenging situations and take action within sphere of competence
• Excellent organisational skills, ability to manage own time and plan timed activities for staff and patients

Skills

Essential criteria

• Has UK Driving Licence
• Has access to a car for work purposes

Please note - staff who are formally at risk within the organisation will be given priority in securing alternative employment. Should it come to light that a post being advertised by the Trust is considered 'suitable alternative employment' to an individual who is at risk, the recruiting manager will be advised and the post will be withdrawn from NHS Jobs.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.

Important Professional References

Make sure that as a part of your application you have professional references with business contract information covering your last three year employment history. We are unable to accept personal or character references.

As a newly appointed employee you are responsible for incurring the cost of your initial DBS check relevant to your post, the amount will be deducted from your first salary with the Trust.

Applications for Job Share are positively welcomed.

Equal Opportunities Employer

Our Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We particularly welcome applications from people with experience of using mental health services. We also hold the Disability two tick symbol and have made the pledge to commit to employing more people with learning disabilities, we encourage people with a disability to apply. If you require this application form in another format i.e. Braille or audio tape etc, please contact the Recruitment Department on 01375 364513 or email epunft.recruitment.adverts@nhs.net and we can arrange for this to be dispatched to you.

The Trust has the right to expire vacancies prior to the closing date if they so wish. The Trust makes every attempt to contact all applicants and we strongly advise that you check the email account which is registered with NHS Jobs regularly, we would advise however due to the high number of applications we receive that if you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expect all staff to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to robust safer recruitment processes.

Covid Vaccination

Although Covid vaccinations are no longer a mandatory requirement within the NHS we continue to encourage and support the vaccination uptake as this remains the best line of defence against Covid19. The safety of our staff and patients is a top priority for us at EPUT.

If you would like to book a Covid vaccination or would like more information please contact us by emailing epunft.cv19hr@nhs.net.

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

• Senior HCA Care Co JD (PDF, 656.5KB)
• Senior HCA Care Co PS (PDF, 416.6KB)
• Why Join The NHS Pension Scheme (PDF, 91.3KB)
• EPUT Pledge - Step into Health (PDF, 211.0KB)
• Candidate Privacy Policy (PDF, 336.6KB)
• Right to Work Information (PDF, 293.6KB)
• Employer Recognition Scheme - Gold Award (PDF, 27.7KB)
• Trust Vision and Values (PDF, 168.9KB)
• Values of the NHS Pension (PDF, 151.3KB)
• EPUT Staff Benefits (PDF, 89.3KB)