Job overview
Job Purpose:
The Healthcare Support Worker is the ‘entry-level’ clinical role in a ward or other clinical setting. The job is designed to introduce staff, who have little or no experience of caring work but who demonstrate the values of the organisation, in a clinical environment.
Healthcare Support Workers provide hands on personalised care to service users, always under supervision, and with the support of more senior staff.
The job is designed to help the post holder gain some clinical experience, under close and supportive supervision and to ensure our service users and carers receive care from people with the right values.
Our values and commitments:
Main duties of the job
What we need:
1. A positive and caring attitude
2. Enthusiasm
3. A determination to do a good job
4. Willingness to learn and undertake training
Every day, you will make a huge difference to the lives of the people we care for, delivering a high standard of care alongside your colleagues.
Working under the direct supervision and guidance of a Registered Nurse/ Senior Health Care Support Worker/ Assistant Practitioner/Nurse Associate to support the delivery of quality nursing care, contributing to the physical, psychological, social, recreational and spiritual care in a recovery focused way through therapeutic engagement and activities, and taking steps to address any issues that arise.
This role will require the post holder to provide hands on care in the prevention, management, and de-escalation of violence in in-patient settings, using approved techniques. The potholder(s) will be required to be physically fit to undertake be assessed as competent in Seni Lewis training to obtain the required skills in the prevention, management and de-escalation of violence.
Working for our organisation
Benefits:
We are committed to ensuring our staff get the most out of their benefits package and understand the importance of a healthy work life balance. There is an extensive range of excellent benefits for you and your family. We want you to feel like you are part of a close knit team at SLaM. It’s important to us that you valued and appreciated and that are why we have a comprehensive benefits package on offer
Some of our benefits are highlighted here:
5. Generous pay, pensions and leave, we offer a comprehensive pay, pensions and leave package which is dependent on the role and length of service.
6. Work life balance, flexible working and support a range of flexible options, such as: part-time working and job sharing.
7. Career development, There are plenty of opportunities to progress your career and we support your development through a number of programmes such as mentoring, coaching, positive people management, collective leadership and other talent programmes.
8. Car lease, our staff benefits from competitive deals to lease cars.
9. Accommodation, our staff benefits from keyworker housing available which is available on selected sites.
10. NHS discounts, with discounts up to 10% from a variety of well-known retail brands though Health Service Discounts website.
Other Staff Benefits Include:
11. Counselling services
12. Wellbeing events
13. Long service awards
14. Cycle to work scheme
15. Season ticket loan
16. Childcare vouchers
17. Staff restaurants
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Working under the direct supervision and guidance of a Registered Nurse/ Senior Health Care Support Worker/ Assistant Practitioner/Nurse Associate
18. Undertake activities to ensure that the fundamentals of care are met - nutrition, hydration, hygiene, comfort, emotional and social support.
19. Provide hands-on care to service users including: Undertaking 1-1 engagement with service users in an honest, open and non- judgmental way. Recognising and valuing service users as individuals, acknowledging the importance of maintaining the service user’s respect and dignity at all times and ensure that the care provided respects equality and diversity. Escalating any concerns to a Registered Nurse. Monitoring and recording service user clinical observations as directed by a Senior Clinician/Registered Nurse/ B4, such as physical observations and vital signs and escalating as appropriate any signs or symptoms of deterioration or that do not fulfil the personal parameters to the relevant professional. Implementing the principles of ‘recovery’: encouraging and supporting service users to engage with healthy lifestyles, participate in community meetings and other activities of their interest.
See enclosed JD for details on main responsibilities.
Please note we do not offer sponsorship for these roles
Person specification
Education and Qualification
Essential criteria
20. Care Certificate.
21. English and Mathematics basic qualifications (e.g. GCSE at grade C or above) or equivalent.
Desirable criteria
22. Level 2/3 Health and Social care qualification / working towards qualification.
Knowledge and Experience
Essential criteria
23. At least one year as a Healthcare Support Worker, or equivalent level of experience.
Desirable criteria
24. Lived experience of mental health problems
Skills
Essential criteria
25. Able to provide quality care that is responsive to service user’s needs, without close supervision, and acting on own initiative, within protocols, policies and care plans.
26. Resilient: able to respond appropriately to potential difficult interpersonal situations or demands of the role including distress and agitation.
27. Empathy for individuals who have experienced mental health problems and ability to cope with behaviour which may be challenging at times.
28. Communications skills – receiving and conveying information accurately with staff and with service users and able to keep accurate records.
Desirable criteria
29. Experience in facilitating groups.
Other Requirements
Essential criteria
30. Flexibility to work 24hr Shifts, 7 days a week and across all clinical areas.
31. Empathy for individuals who have experienced mental health problems and ability to cope with behaviour which may be challenging at times.
32. Ability to fulfil all the requirements of the role (including physical requirements).