Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 4 Health Inequalities Project Support Worker to join our Community Diabetes Specialist Service at Whittington Health. This is a fixed‑term post supporting our health inequalities project, which focuses on improving engagement and access to diabetes care for patients who may face challenges interacting with healthcare professionals.
In this role, the post holder will support registered healthcare professionals in delivering high‑quality diabetes care. Responsibilities will include direct patient contact, ensuring administrative tasks related to care delivery are completed, and assisting with the facilitation of group consultations as delegated by the Specialist Teams.
The post holder will also lead the administration tasks for the Health Inequalities team providing consistent high lever and comprehensive support. This includes liaising with voluntary sector organisations, organising health promotion activities, and contributing to the preparation of quarterly reports for commissioners based on agreed key performance indicators.
The successful candidate will demonstrate excellent organisational, communication, and time‑management skills, all of which are essential for this role. They will be joining a service committed to evidence‑based practice, reducing health inequalities, and continuous service improvement.
Main duties of the job
To work within a multi-professional team and provide support to a team of health care professionals.
To report any changes in a patient’s condition to a member of staff.
To support specialist nurses in clinic settings and on home support/case management which may involve domiciliary visits to patient’s homes.
To implement treatment and care to patients under the guidance and supervision of a registered professional.
To communicate accurately and effectively with GPs and referrers regarding patient referrals following clinic appointments.
To practice the principles and philosophy of individualised person-centred patient care in accordance with Trust Policy, procedures, and regulatory body’s guidelines
To record activity on a clinical database as required and maintain accurate and contemporaneous clinical records of given care.
To be responsible for administrative support for the health inequalities project and within the team as required. Collation of project KPI’s to facilitate reporting.
Working for our organisation
Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust believes that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
MAIN DUTIES
To work within a multi-professional team and provide support to a team of health care professionals.
To report any changes in a patient’s condition to a member of staff
To support specialist nurses in clinic settings and on home support/case management which may involve domiciliary visits to patient’s homes.
To implement treatment and care to patients under the guidance and supervision of a registered professional.
To communicate accurately and effectively with GPs and referrers regarding patient referrals following clinic appointments.
To practice the principles and philosophy of individualised person-centred patient care in accordance with Trust Policy, procedures, and regulatory body’s guidelines
To record activity on a clinical database as required and maintain accurate and contemporaneous clinical records of given care.
To be responsible for administrative support for the health inequalities project and within the team as required. Collation of project KPI’s to facilitate reporting.
Participate in ordering and monitoring of stores, equipment and other appropriate tasks.
Develop and maintain skills required for patients within a community setting in line with appraisal and service objectives.
To participate in supervision and appraisal and take responsibility for own practice development.
COMMUNICATION
To communicate effectively with patients and carers, using motivational interviewing skills where necessary.
To gain valid informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack the capacity to consent to treatment.
To keep electronic records of all patient contacts on Trust information system in accordance with trust and departmental standards for record keeping.
To ensure that documentation is accurate and meets the standards legally required by Whittington Health.
To demonstrate the ability to work as part of a team.
To form professional relationships with patients and their relatives/carers, communicating with them in a way that respects their views, autonomy, and culture.
MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
To work autonomously within structured boundaries which are risk assessed and supervised by a registered healthcare professional
To take part in the Trust’s appraisal and performance review programme, actively participating in own personal development and review to identify personal development plans and training needs.
To comply with professional guidelines, Whittington Health NHS Foundation Trust, and departmental policies.
PROFESSIONAL
To ensure practice is evidence based, by keeping up to date with new research literature, and by regularly evaluating working practices through evidence-based practice projects, audit, and research.
To support registered healthcare professionals in clinical practice and assist in the implementation of new working practices.
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
To support in implementing, facilitating, and evaluating group education/virtual group consultations for different client groups.
Identify own training and development needs and undertake appropriate training or education as required.
To develop evidence based written resources and educational material for use with patients and other health care professionals under the guidance of a
EFFORT AND ENVIRONMENTAL
To demonstrate compassion, empathy and sensitivity to clients who may have complex emotional and physical conditions and social concerns requiring moderate emotional effort daily.
To perform tasks that require moderate to high mental effort daily, for example concentration to write letters, develop presentations, use clinical analysis and reasoning skills to make diagnoses, assessments and develop appropriate treatment programs and to educate clients throughout the day.
To perform tasks which require the use and transportation of anthropometric measurement equipment for assessments, and which may require moderate mental and physical effort.
Key working relationships include:
Intermediate Diabetes Specialist Service team and other community services e.g., Diabetes, CORE Team, health and social care teams, General Practitioners, social workers, palliative care services, voluntary agencies, Care Navigator
Person specification
Education / Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. GCSE / O Level English and Maths
2. NVQ Level 3 in a related subject or equivalent experience
3. Previous work experience relevant to the post in the statutory or voluntary sector
Skills & Abilities
Essential criteria
4. Awareness of issues related to culture, age and disability
5. Good personal organisational skills
6. Ability to communicate effectively with patients, team members and other health professionals.
7. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
8. Ability to use and experience in Windows based software
9. Demonstrate an interest in Health Promotion
Desirable criteria
10. Understanding / awareness of the philosophy of supported self management with long term conditions
11. Demonstrate an understanding of the medical and social problems and issues facing people with a chronic respiratory diagnosis and how these can impact on a patient’s life.
12. Proven ability to work independently, using own initiative, seeking guidance as required.
13. Ability to work with clients in a group setting or individually and achieve set goals.
Knowledge & Experience
Essential criteria
14. Demonstrates and understanding of some of the challenges of working with patients with long term conditions
15. Administrative/experience including initiating and maintaining office systems
16. Computer literate with an excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access.
Desirable criteria
17. Experience of working with multidisciplinary teams
18. Using simple statistics, data analysis and interpretation and manipulation of data and utilising charts to present findings.
19. Experience of facilitating training sessions.
PERSONAL QUALITIES
Essential criteria
20. Demonstrates enthusiasm for the post
21. Commitment to implementing evidence-based care
22. Demonstrates self motivation
23. Ability to work within a small or large team and be a team player
24. Proactive and flexible approach
25. Able to adapt to change and be pragmatic
26. Passion to contribute to positive change
SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND ADULTS
To comply with the Trust’s Safeguarding Children and Adults policies, procedures and protocols. All individual members of staff (paid or unpaid) have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults This will require you to:
27. Ensure you are familiar with and comply with the London Child Protection Procedures and protocols for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young people.
28. Ensure you are familiar and comply with the London Multi Agency Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Pan London Procedures.
29. Ensure you are familiar and comply with local protocols and systems for information sharing.
30. Know the appropriate contact numbers and required reporting lines.
31. Participate in required training and supervision.
32. Comply with required professional boundaries and codes of conduct
Whittington Health is committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.