Health Care Assistant Job Summary
An exciting opportunity to work as an Emergency Health Care Assistant in our Non Emergency Patient Transport Service (NEPTS). Providing care to our patients and responding to urgent, special and planned patient transport requests using advanced driving skills under blue light and normal traffic conditions as required.
We are looking for enthusiastic and dedicated Health Care Assistant who are preferably FREC 4 (First Response Emergency Care Level 4) and CERAD (Level 3 Certificate in Emergency Response Ambulance Driving) trained who want to join our friendly and supportive team.
Health Care Assistant Main duties
- Respond/attend to urgent, special and planned patient transfer requests.
- The Health Care Assistant will ensure a continuous duty of care to patients, within the level of training and competency of this role, ensuring an appropriate level of monitoring and treatment is maintained and continued until the patient is either discharged or transferred to the care of another healthcare professional.
- The Health Care Assistant will use advanced driving skills under blue light and normal traffic conditions to respond to emergency and routine calls as required.
- To operate High Dependency vehicles and deliver a low acuity service to patients requiring urgent admission to acute care, or transfer to a higher level of care.
- Communicate with and manage patients, relatives, carers and the public in a calm, sensitive and professional manner ensuring patient dignity and informed consent for all patient assessment and movement.
- The Health Care Assistant will use patient lifting equipment such as stretchers, wheelchairs, carry chairs and stair climbers for the safe and efficient movement of patients in both domestic and hospital environments.
About us
Essentia has a fundamental role in supporting the activities of the Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. Essentia’s focus is on providing a high-quality hospital environment and a high-quality hospital experience for our patients: through setting imaginative standards in the physical and built environment, through a programme of improvements to the range of support services, and by fostering a strong overarching patient-focused approach.
The Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service (NEPTS) is part of Essentia. Our patient transport service is available for all patients who cannot travel to or from our hospitals using any other method of transport because of their medical or mobility condition, or because their medical condition would otherwise worsen. All requests for patient transport are assessed on medical need. Patient transport vehicles operate with appropriate staff and equipment. As patients have diverse needs, we provide a range of vehicles such as cars, wheel chair accessible cars, ambulances, high-dependency units and use specialist equipment such as wheelchairs, stretchers, carry chairs and stair climbers.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Demonstrate care and understanding for patients even when the patient and/or their families/carers may be confrontational or distressed.
- Carry out general vehicle checks at the start of and during each shift, to ensure the readiness of the vehicle and communications equipment to respond as required. All defects, deficiencies and accident damage must be reported in accordance with Essentia procedures.
- Maintain a competent working knowledge of all medical and life support equipment carried on vehicles appropriate to the required skill level and scope of practice.
- Maintain competence in assisting a qualified practitioner in the use of appropriate equipment in line with the scope of practice and associated training.
- Drive all types of approved ambulance vehicles under normal and emergency (blue light) circumstances, in accordance with the laid down standards of the service and within road traffic law, taking particular care of the vehicle, its components and other road users.
- Ensure that all procedures used within the scope of practice are consistent with and promote good infection control.
- Ensure that required equipment is stored, transported and cared for so that they are always in good working order.
- Observe patient vital signs using skills and equipment relevant to scope of practice as directed and reporting any changes to the qualified clinician.
- Provide and take relevant information from carers or others at any scene, reporting to qualified practitioner, health care professionals, hospital or other relevant agencies as required.
- Ensure the safe handover of patients to/from clinical settings ensuring clear and concise communication with relevant personnel.
- Accurately complete all appropriate documentation relating to patients attended, work, journeys undertaken, vehicles and equipment in accordance with Essentia policies and submit within required timeframes to Transport office.
- The accurate recording of all journey information such as deterioration in patients health, accidents involving patients, any abusive or threatening behaviour on the incident form or any other required documentation as required.
- Report any accidents and/or injuries to patients, members of the public and to vehicles promptly and to make a full report of any such incident on the required documentation without delay.
- Be flexible in attitude to meet the constantly changing nature of care and service delivery.
- Work with others and use available equipment to ensure the safe manual handling and movement of patients.
- Take personal action to resolve patients issues of concern or complaints, or where this is not possible, advising the patient or their family/careers on whom to contact next.
- Undertake learning to ensure that own knowledge and skills are maintained at the required level.
- Undertake required learning and ensure that this is put into practice and maintain personal CPD folder for review every 12 months.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Full clean driving licence held for at least one year
- Driving licence must contain B1 category (driving vehicle upto 3500kg)
- A minimum of two GCSE’s (or equivalent) at grades A-C including English Language or Literature, and Maths, or a Level 2 Functional Skills certificate or a Level 3 qualification in a health care related subject.
Desirable
- Emergency Care Assistant – FREC Level 4
- CERAD Level 3 Emergency Response driving
Experience
Essential
- On the road Ambulance Experience.
- Experience of working with the general public.
Desirable
- Working in a health and/or social care environment in a voluntary or paid capacity.
- Experience in a driving role for a care organisation.
Skills
Essential
- Effective verbal, listening and written communication skills.
- Able to handle sensitive situations assertively and tactfully.
- Demonstrate the ability and commitment to providing high quality patient care, appropriate to patient needs.
- Good interpersonal skills and ability to interact in a calm and professional manner.
- Understanding of vehicle and road safety issues.
- Respects and applies patient dignity and confidentiality at all times.
Physical Requirements
Essential
- Fitness to carry out moving and handling of patients and equipment. Be able to lift a manikin weighing 75kgs up and down a flight of stairs safety.
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Closing Date: 16 September 2024
