Health Care Assistant Job overview
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.
Please see below for a detailed job description for the role.
Southampton Neonatal Unit is looking for highly motivated, enthusiastic individuals to join our friendly Special Care ‘Woodland Ward’ team as a Band 3. As we expand our Neonatal service, we are looking for people who are dedicated to delivering high quality, family centred care and strive to make a difference to babies and their families.
Are you a health care assistant who is flexible, adaptable and organised with the ability to prioritise? If you are looking for a new challenge or a change in direction within your career, we have an exciting opportunity for you!
Attached you will find the health care assistant person specification document which provides more detail about the essential and desirable skills and experience needed for this role. We highly recommend you review this document and use it when completing your application as these criteria are used by hiring managers as guidance during shortlisting.
For an overview of the main duties of the health care assistant role please see the ‘Job Description and Main Responsibilities’ section below. To understand the day-to-day responsibilities in more detail please read the full job description document attached.
Working for our organisation as a health care assistant
As one of the largest acute teaching Trusts in England, we offer learning and development opportunities to help you achieve the career you aspire to.
All non-clinical roles may involve a mixture of on site and remote working, Specific details and flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process. UHS employees are able to access a range of NHS discounts, are entitled to a minimum of 35 days paid holiday (pro rata), and we offer a generous pension scheme.
Southampton is an attractive place to live and work situated on the south coast, with an international airport and direct trains to London. The New Forest National Park and beaches of the Jurassic coast are also right on our doorstep. The city offers living costs 20% lower than London and 14 schools rated outstanding by Ofsted.
health care assistant job description and main responsibilities
Here at UHS we are committed to ‘Always improving’. You will be well supported to further and enhance your clinical skills, knowledge and expertise to develop from novice to expert within neonatal special care nursing. We have a designated education team with an induction programme and supernumerary time. As part of the Thames Valley and Wessex Neonatal Network, a foundation or Preceptorship programme is provided for staff new to the speciality. We also create a culture for Quality Improvement through feedback, audit and research.
We are committed to ‘Working together’. Creating a culture of kindness and respect with effective communication within the team. To Inclusivity and diversity, with ‘Freedom to speak up’ champions, creating an open and honest work environment.
We are committed to Staff health and well-being. Flexible working options are considered, balancing the needs of the service with the work-life balance of our colleagues. Across the Neonatal Unit, we have a wellbeing lead nurse dedicated to looking after our staff. We have 2 clinical psychologists that provide support to staff through self-referral; they also run a staff ‘cake break’ every week as a ‘drop in’. We utilise Trauma Risk Management Support (TRiM) with practitioners available on the unit. Here at the Princess Anne Hospital we have a new rooftop garden, and also a ‘reflection space’. At the Southampton General Hospital there is a brand new wellbeing hub with an exercise class schedule, gym, café and garden.
We will have a purpose built, Nurse- led Special care unit caring for sick and preterm babies from 32 weeks.
• The unit will have 16 cots, including 4 Family Integrated care rooms
• A welcoming, caring and safe environment for all
• Patients and families come first; family is at the heart of what we do!
• There is space for a parent to stay with their baby 24 hours a day, encouraging unrestricted access to their baby
• We support, guide and advise parents in a friendly and supportive environment enabling them to care for their baby. This helps them to develop close and loving relationships with their baby and values parents as partners in their care.
• We actively support and promote effective communication with parents during admission through their participation in ward rounds, providing continuity and consistency.
• Nurses and Allied Health Professionals will provide parent craft sessions in a safe, relaxed environment. These are provided with empathy, kindness and understanding therefore empowering them.
• Feeding progression is supported in conjunction with the Infant Feeding Team and SALT.
• We actively promote and support breastfeeding but also support parents feeding choices
• Parents are supported to confidently care for their baby to facilitate safe and timely discharge
• You will be working as part of a multidisciplinary team to deliver a high standard of care.
Nursing staff are responsible for care of the babies at a ratio of 1 nurse to 4 babies. You will be responsible for taking observations, supporting feeding through a variety of methods, providing cares including nappies, looking after intravenous cannulas and fluids, taking blood gases and samples and assisting with procedures. You will help to facilitate and support feeding progression, including breastfeeding. A crucial part of this role is providing family support, you will be required to guide and advise parents in caring for their baby, helping them to bond and empowering them. This also encompasses emotional support, ensuring the family access the services they require including social care.
- This job includes shift work- days, nights, weekends and bank holidays.
The health care assistant will provide compassionate support to parents enabling them to care for their baby whilst on Woodland Ward; this includes changing nappies, guidance with feeding, holding, and bonding with their baby, ensuring family and carers are at the centre of everything you do.
• - The health care assistant will assist with all aspects of infant feeding via naso gastric tube, to undertake tube feeding and understands the complication of tube feeding.
• - The health care assistant will assist with infant feeding development. Provides mothers with information on the importance of breastmilk for their baby and advocating for breastfeeding; this includes support for establishing a milk supply and moving on to breastfeeding. Where mothers wish to bottle feed, support is provided to enable paced responsive bottle feeding.
• Observes and records blood pressure, temperature, heart rate, respirations and colour having knowledge of the normal range and report any variance from normal to the registered nurse.
• - The health care assistant will carry out blood sugar measurements, administer oxygen therapy as directed by Qualified nurse/doctor, to care for peripheral I.V. site
• To assist, as delegated, in an emergency, ensuring that assistance is summoned immediately.
• Prepare and maintain medical equipment used in neonatal care, ensuring they are ready for use and are cleaned appropriately.
• Maintain high standards of cleanliness and infection control across the neonatal unit, ensuring compliance with Trust policies and procedures.
• Collaborates with all members of the multidisciplinary team within the Neonatal Unit and the Princess Anne Hospital and ensures a team approach to care.
• The ability to recognise personal limitations in your knowledge and competence, acknowledging these to other members of the neonatal team.
• - The health care assistant will work within Trust Policies to maintain confidentiality of verbal and written information and ensures that any disclosure is consistent with Statutory and Trust Policy.
• Be open, honest and willing to acknowledge when something has gone wrong. Make timely apologies and take action to report incidents, including near misses; to ensure that as an organisation we learn.
• You should continuously seek to reduce harm by speaking up to managers and leaders if you believe that a lack of skills, knowledge or resources places patients at a risk of harm or if your concerns are not being listened to. Managers and leaders must listen to others when they raise concerns and take action.
• All staff providing services to patients and children are reminded of their responsibility to adhere to Trust and departmental child protection and safeguarding policies including employment checks.
Please be advised that this vacancy may close earlier than stated if we receive a large number of applications. We will not accept any applications or queries via agencies, under any circumstances.
For more information about our Trust
Getting to work – our travel promise
Getting to work should be as easy as possible and that’s why we have introduced the UHS travel promise – a commitment from the Trust that we will provide reasonable travel options for every member of staff. Every member of staff can apply for a permit to use our park & ride facility. Eligibility for on-site parking is dependent on the nature and requirement of the role. All staff can also access a range of discounted benefits relating to travel including reduced price bus tickets, purchase of salary sacrifice bikes and ultra-low emission cars.
Our commitment to equality
Equality remains at the centre of our policymaking, service delivery, and employment practice, giving all employees equal opportunity to develop, apply for promotions, and have working arrangements that enable them to achieve a manageable work-life balance.
UHS actively promotes a work environment free from harassment and discrimination and provides training for managers and staff to ensure this happens. We also closely monitor recruitment activity, training, development, and employment practices to ensure equality of practice with regard to race, colour, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status and age.
To apply for this job please visit apps.trac.jobs.