Community Healthcare Assistant

• To work generically in provision of care, to patients under the supervision of a qualified practitioner, following a prescribed treatment/care plan in order to prevent admission to hospital.
• Plan and prioritise own visits to delegated patients.
• Ensure patient held records are completed for each visit, and that SystmOne inputting is completed on a daily basis.
• Make basic judgements on patients response to prescribed treatment/care plans, and report findings to a qualified practitioner.
• Liaise with other health care professionals as required.
• Communicate with patients/carers by exchanging factual information, reassurance, tact and empathy.
• Establish and maintain appropriate working relationships with colleagues, patients, carers and other health care professionals.
• Demonstrate dexterity and coordination when undertaking treatment of patients where accuracy is important, e.g. The taking of bloods, preforming ECGs, taking blood glucose results, wound care, administration of medication such as insulin.
• Be responsible for ensuring equipment is used safely, following relevant training, and that it is maintained appropriately.
• Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of consent, and gain consent as appropriate following organisational policies.
• Share responsibility of indirect patient contact tasks, such as, answering telephones, arranging appointments, processing referrals and inputting activity data.
• Undertake health promotion / education as required, e.g. smoking cessation, falls etc.
• May be exposed to bodily fluids, infected material and blood products, therefore must utilise universal precautions and adhere to infection control policies.
• Attend and contribute to multi-disciplinary team meetings and other meetings where appropriate.
• Attend in-house and competency training as required in development of current job role.
• Work predominately independently on specified tasks, with regular clinical support and supervision by a qualified practitioner.
• Be aware of limitations of own scope of practice and competency, and when to involve a more senior practitioner, both in daily practice and in emergency situations.
• Acknowledge and recognise peoples expressed beliefs, preferences and choices.
• Demonstrate an awareness of clinical governance and risk management, and apply to work situation.
• To provide peer support to other assistants.
• Actively contribute to team working and express ideas on improving services for users and the team.
• Share responsibility for maintaining store cupboards, cleaning specialist equipment and general housekeeping tasks.

Essential

• NVQ 2 or equivalent knowledge and experience
• Good general education, GCSE Grade 4/C or above in English and Maths or equivalent such as English and Maths functional skills

Desirable

• NVQ 3 or equivalent knowledge and experience
• Care Certificate

Essential

• Experience of working within a Healthcare setting

Desirable

• Experience of working in a community healthcare setting

Essential

• Able to communicate effectively using the English language in both verbal and written form
• Good interpersonal skills
• Highly motivated
• Able to provide high standards of care
• Empathy and sensitivity
• Ability to use own initiative
• Good observational and reporting skills
• Ability to manage stressful situations
• Be a team player
• Work flexibly to accommodate patient/service needs
• Overcome barriers to understanding e.g patients with hearing or cognitive impairment
• Have basic IT and standard keyboard skills
• Be able to kneel, bend and stoop, and work in cramped environments
• Be able to manoeuvre limbs of around 5-6kg
• Be able to manoeuvre patients using handling aids

Essential

• Empathy and sensitivity
• Tact and diplomacy
• Awareness of need to escalate to senior staff
• Ability to use own initiative

Essential

• Ability to manage within stressful situations
• Ability to work within a team

Essential

• Able to identify with the Trust's commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults

Essential

• Must hold full and valid and driving licence and have access to a vehicle
• The post holder will need to be passed fit to perform full duties of the post through occupational health with any reasonable aids and adaptations if necessary. Some roles require additional level of checks as part of the employment process, i.e. roles which come into contact with children, vulnerable adults or their families.