Healthcare Assistant
Job Description
Job summary
Would you like to work in a dynamic, innovative and supportive setting. Would you like to join a diverse and welcoming team of healthcare professionals, dedicated to delivering care that is not only efficient but truly focused on the patient.
The ideal candidate will be motivated, enthusiastic and with excellent communication skills, with the drive and determination to positively impact patient care.
The role of the HCA is to support the nursing and doctor teams in delivering patient care and maintaining a safe, effective treatment environment. Responsibilities include clinical support, patient care, infection control, stock rotation, and various routine health monitoring activities. The HCA contributes to quality and efficiency by adhering to established protocols and maintaining competence in all delegated tasks. The role strictly adheres to the boundaries of practice defined within this job description, with supervision sought for any tasks outside established competencies.
The role will be based in the practice and will be for 16 hours per week worked over 2 days. Pay will be based on experience and will be between £13 and £14 per hour.
Main duties of the job
Patient Care
The HCA will undertake the following patient care duties, under the delegation and guidance of the clinical team:
- Conducting new patient health checks and NHS Health Checks.
- Performing venepuncture and ensuring prompt dispatch of laboratory specimens, including blood, urine, and swabs, adhering to designated collection times.
blood pressure checks, including ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (24-hour).
Setting up and conducting ECGs a
- Measuring height and weight,
Advising on general lifestyle improvements.
- Providing smoking cessation advice, CHD reviews, hypertension reviews, and general health promotion.
- Assisting with diabetic foot checks.
- Undertaking ear irrigation, INR monitoring, peak flow recording, and wound swabs.
- Administering flu, pneumonia, and B12 injections under supervision and after adequate training.
Assisting GPs with minor procedures, including joint injections, dressing changes, IUD and Implanon insertions, coil fittings, and other clinics.
NHS Health Checks
Well Person Checks.
- Conducting patient education on lifestyle improvements such as diet, exercise, smoking cessation, and preventative health care measures.
Tasks involving immunisations, such as shingles, pneumococcal, and flu vaccines, will be performed under a Patient Specific Direction with authorised supervision.
About us
East Trees Health Centre is looking to recruit a new to nursing Practice Nurse to join our friendly team of 4 nurses, 2 HCA's and 2 phlebotomist's. We serve a very multi-cultural community of with around 16,000 patients.
Job responsibilities
The following are the core responsibilities of the Healthcare Assistant in delivering health services. There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks. This will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels:
a.Consult with patients and their families to undertake assessments of patient need
b.Deliver and assist clinical staff in the provision of treatment, preventative care, health promotion, long-term condition management and patient education
c.Be an integral part of the general practice team
d.Provide clinical support to registered nurses and other healthcare professionals within the organisation
e.Deliver basic clinical care interventions under supervision, supporting continuity of care and patient safety initiatives
f.Act as a chaperone as required
g.Ensure specimens are recorded and ready for onward transportation
h.Provide support during minor operations as required
i.Ensure clinical waste is removed from clinical areas and sharps bins replaced in accordance with the organisations IPC Policy
j.Work within national and local protocols where these exist
k.Be aware of your duties and responsibilities regarding current legislation and adhere to practice policies and procedures on Safeguarding Adults and Safeguarding Children
l.Recognise the boundaries of their practice and know when and to whom patients should be referred
m.Support in the delivery of enhanced services and other service requirements
n.Support the administrative team on an as-required basis
o.Undertake all mandatory training and induction programmes
p.Contribute to and embrace the spectrum of clinical governance
q.Maintain a clean, tidy, effective working area at all times
r.Attend a formal appraisal with their manager at least every 12 months. Once a performance/training objective has been set, progress will be reviewed on a regular basis so that new objectives can be agreed
Wider responsibilities
In addition to the primary responsibilities, the Healthcare Assistant has the following wider responsibilities:
a.Participate in any audits as directed
b.Participate in local initiatives to enhance service delivery and patient care
c.Support and participate in shared learning
d.Complete opening and closing procedures in accordance with the duty rota
Person Specification
clinical Knowledge
Essential
- Ability to undertake vaccinations
- Understanding of the principles of ECGs
- Wound care/removal of sutures and staples
- Ability to undertake patient medicals, including height, weight, BP, pulse and BMI etc.
- Ability to work within own scope of practice and understanding when to refer to colleagues
- Clinical IT system user skills and thew ability to record accurate clinical notes
- Understanding of safeguarding adults and children
- Understand the requirement for PSDs and associated
- policy
Desirable
- Able to perform venepuncture
- Broad knowledge of clinical governance
- Chaperone procedure
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with the general public
- Experience of working in a healthcare setting
Desirable
- Has worked in a primary care environment
- Understanding of infection prevention and control measures
Qualifications
Essential
- Has completed the Care Certificate or equivalent qualification and as detailed within CQCs GP mythbuster 57 - Health Care Assistants in General Practice
- There may need to be proof of any courses or training qualifications commensurate with the post
- Maths and English GCSE
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Ability to follow legal, ethical and clinical policy and procedure
- Knowledge of and ability to work to key policies and procedures
- Ability to use own initiative, discretion, and sensitivity
- Problem solver with the ability to process information accurately and effectively, interpreting data as required
- Able to get along with people from all backgrounds and communities, respecting lifestyles and diversity
- Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
- Excellent communication skills and effective in communicating and understanding patient needs
- Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
- Commitment to ongoing professional development
- Punctual and committed to supporting the team effort
- High levels of integrity and loyalty
- Clear, polite telephone manner
- Flexible and cooperative
- Motivated
Desirable
- Demonstrate personal accountability, emotional resilience and work well under pressure
- Competent in the use of MS Office and Outlook
- Good organisational skills
- Problem solver with the ability to process information accurately and effectively, interpreting data as required
- Effectively utilise resources
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
East Trees Health Centre
Address
100A Fishponds Road
Bristol
Avon
BS5 6SA
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.easttreeshealthcentre.co.uk (Opens in a new tab)
