Health Care Assistant in Cirencester (Sponsorship)

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Description

JOB TITLE: Health Care Assistant

REPORTS TO: Nurse Manager

Duties and responsibilities:

Health Care Assistant:

Summary – To provide and maintain a high standard of nursing care for patients as well as providing nursing assistance to the doctors and other members of the primary healthcare team. The duties will include a variety of tasks and any roles agreed between the nurse and doctors as appropriate, having regard to current training. The post-holder will contribute to the effectiveness of the team.

• Take a holistic approach to lifestyle advice on diet, smoking, alcohol intake and exercise.
• Undertaking long-term condition health checks and liaising with the relevant nurses.
• Ensures awareness of statutory and local clinical protection procedures, including systems of referral. Ability to recognise signs and symptoms of child abuse.
• Able to perform Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation according to current UK guidelines.
• Ability to obtain and document informed consent (either verbal or written).
• Ensure infection control guidelines are maintained.
• Confidentially of information gained at work must be preserved at all times.
• Carry out other duties as required which are commensurate with the skills and knowledge required by the post, and for which training has been provided.

Phlebotomy:

Summary – Working strictly in accordance with specific practice guidelines and protocols, the post-holder will be responsible for performing venepuncture to obtain blood samples from patients only who have a request form.

• Obtaining consent from the Patient to collect blood sample.
• Confirmation of the Patients identity by obtaining their full name, date of birth and address.
• Ensuring the patient is as comfortable and relaxed as possible.
• Collection of sample(s) of blood in accordance with training and procedures.
• Ensuring samples are stored appropriately.
• Accurate, legible labelling of all samples to confirm patient identity.
• Checking patient identification against GP/nurse request and confirming with patient whenever possible.
• Recording collection of blood sample in Patients electronic record in accordance with practice procedure.
• Communicate effectively with patients, recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.
• Ensuring that samples are dispatched to the appropriate laboratories in a timely fashion.
• Understand and adhere to infection control guidelines.
• Ensuring that anomalies are reported to a senior member of staff.
• Notify GP/nurse of any significant patient issues.
• Liaising effectively with the wider team.
• Report any clinical or environmental concerns where appropriate.
• Check restock and rotate stock.
• Ensure knowledge and compliance of practice policies and procedures.
• Input of all patient contact using the clinical system after training.
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of practice policy on information governance.

Developmental:

• Contribute to the assessment of service needs.
• Assist patients to identify their health needs.
• Contribute a HCA perspective to the practice development plan.
• Manage and organise individual patient consultations.
• Aware of identification and reporting procedures related to professional standards.
• To attend staff meetings and Protected Learning Time events.
• Ensure effective relationships and communications with the PHCT and other agencies.
• Support the practice clinical governance agenda.
• Identify changes to clinical practice that are required to implement evidence-based guidelines.

Educational:

• Identify personal development and training needs in conjunction with the manager.
• Participate in clinical supervision.
• Support others with their training and development needs.
• To participate in continuing education and maintain a contemporary level of professional knowledge and skills.
• Undertake mandatory and other suggested training.

Personal:

• Maintain good working relationships.
• Take reasonable care of his/her own safety and that of other persons who may be affected by his/her act or omission.
• Co-operate with the practice team members to adhere to statutory regulations/policies, codes of practice and safety rules.

Confidentiality:

• In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately.
• In the performance of the duties outlined in this Job Description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential.
• Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Broad knowledge and experience of a HCA role in a primary care environment
• Use of clinical IT systems
• Competent user of Microsoft Office software

Knowledge and skills

Essential

• Excellent keyboard and computer skills
• Excellent communication skills, written and oral with the ability to communicate confidently.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information
• Excellent interpersonal skills

Desirable

• Knowledge of Information Governance and Caldicott Principles
• Understanding of Clinical Governance

Qualifications

Essential

• Good standard of education including qualification in English & Maths (GCSE grade A-C, or equivalent)
• Appropriate healthcare qualification/certificate

Desirable

• Qualified to NVQ level 2 in Health and Social Care
• Phlebotomy

Qualities & Attributes & Other

Essential

• Ability to use own judgement, resourcefulness and common sense
• Ability to work without direct supervision and determine own workload priorities
• Ability to work as part of an integrated multi skilled team across a number of sites
• Able to work under pressure, remaining professional at all times
• Good time management and ability to work to deadlines and plan and prioritise effectively
• Flexible to meet the demands of the post and the ability to adapt to a changing environment.
• Able to work on own initiative, but recognise and asking for support when required
• Trustworthy
• Self-motivated

Other

Essential

• Ability to be flexible in working times to meet needs of service
• Able to cover for colleagues planned and unplanned absence
• Ability to travel to other sites if required.
• Good attendance record.

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.