Health care assistant

Health Care Assistant (Bank contract) Blackmore Vale Partnership

Part time hours up to 37.5 per week. Working across our three sites Shaftesbury (Abbey View Medical Centre), Sturminster Newton and Marnhull Medical Centres

MUST be able to carry out phlebotomy.

We look forward to hearing from enthusiastic candidates who are looking to join our large supportive nursing team.

REPORTS TO: Anna Witt/Claire Atkins (Joint Nurse Team leads)

HOURS: Part Time to cover core hours 08:00 – 18:30 on a Bank Contract basis.

Pay Scale: BVP £12.38- £12.96 pro rata depending on experience.

Please be aware the advert will close earlier than advertised if sufficient applications are received.

If you have not heard within 3 weeks of this date please assume that you have been unsuccessful this time.

Job summary:

Working under the direct supervision of the senior practice nurse and strictly in accordance with specific practice guidelines and protocols, the healthcare assistant will assist the practice clinical team in the provision and delivery of prescribed programmes of patient care including but not limited to:

Duties and responsibilities:

· Phlebotomy

· ECG recording

· Chaperoning duties

· Processing and management of laboratory samples requested by GPs/nurses

· Cleansing and maintenance of equipment

· Vaccine/cold chain storage, monitoring and recording

· Clearing and re-stocking consulting rooms

· Preparing and maintaining environments and equipment before, during and after patient care interventions

· Assisting in the assessment and surveillance of patients' health and well-being

· Undertaking specific clinical activities for named patients that have been delegated and taught specifically in relation to that individual

· Helping to raise awareness of health and well-being and how it can be promoted

· Assisting with the collection and collation of data on needs related to health and well-being

· Perform urinalysis

· Performing FeNo

· Measuring and accurately recording patient blood pressure

· Measuring and accurately recording patient height and weight measurement

· Giving appropriate and predetermined advice and guidance to patients on healthy eating and living

· Undertaking electrocardiograms and downloading the results onto the computer and in to the patients electronic record

· Undertaking phlebotomy procedures

· Prepare all equipment and facilities and assist with minor surgical procedures

· Act as a clinician chaperone at the request of patients or clinicians

· To develop and maintain relationships with the patient, families, carers or their advocates

· To report any problems/changes/complaints concerning the practice and the quality of medical care provided to patients to the Practice Manager

· Input and code patient clinical information in to the practice clinical system

· Ensure relevant GMS prompts for the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) are coded and recorded appropriately

· Report any changes in a patients' condition to a Registered Nurse or Doctor

· Maintain your personal development profile

Confidentiality

· In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately

· In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential

· Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data

Health & Safety

The post-holder will implement and lead on a full range of promotion and management their own and others' health and safety and infection control as defined in the practice Health & Safety policy, the practice Health & Safety manual, and the practice Infection Control policy and published procedures. This will include (but will not be limited to):

· Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines

· Awareness of national standards of infection control and cleanliness and regulatory / contractual / professional requirements, and good practice guidelines

· Responsible for the correct and safe management of the specimen's process, including collection, labelling, handling, use of correct and clean containers, storage and transport arrangements

· Management and maintenance of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the practice, including provision, ordering, availability and ongoing correct usage by staff

· Responsible for hand hygiene across the practice

· Ownership of infection control and clinically based patient care protocols, and implementation of those protocols across the practice

· Active observation of current working practices across the practice in relation to infection control, cleanliness and related activities, ensuring that procedures are followed, and weaknesses / training needs are identified, escalating issues as appropriate

· Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks across clinical and patient process

· Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills, and initiate and manage the training of others across the full range of infection control and patient processes

· Monitoring practice facilities and equipment in relation to infection control, ensuring that provision of hand cleansing facilities, wipes etc are sufficient to ensure a good clinical working environment. Lack of facilities to be escalated as appropriate.

· Safe management of sharps procedures including training, use, storage and disposal

· Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy, clean and sterile, and safe way, free from hazards. Initiation of remedial / corrective action where needed or escalation to responsible management

· Actively identifying, reporting, and correction of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised

· Keeping own work areas and general / patient areas generally clean, sterile, identifying issues and hazards / risks in relation to other work areas within the business, and assuming responsibility in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness across the business in consultation (where appropriate) with other sector managers

· Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum twice annually)

· Routine management of own team / team areas, and maintenance of work space standards

· Waste management including collection, handling, segregation, container management, storage and collection

· Spillage control procedures, management and training

· Decontamination control procedures, management and training, and equipment maintenance

· Maintenance of sterile environments

· Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

Equality and diversity

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

· Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of people's rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation

· Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues

· Behaving in a manner that is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Personal/Professional development

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, such training to include:

· Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development

· Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work

Quality

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will:

· Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk

· Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision

· Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the team's performance

· Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients' needs

· Effectively manage own time, workload and resources

Communication:

The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

· Communicate effectively with other team members

· Communicate effectively with patients and carers

· Recognize people's needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly

Contribution to the Implementation of Services:

The post-holder will:

· Apply practice policies, standards and guidance

· Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work

· Participate in audit where appropriate

Review and Approval

All employees are entitled to have at least an annual job and development review with their line manager, which will include drawing up a personal development plan and reviewing the job description.

Health Care Assistant Person Specification

Essential Criteria

Qualified in Phlebotomy

Experience in undertaking ECG's, blood pressure, urinalysis/samples

Good general education to GCSE standard or equivalent

Experience within a health care setting

Good interpersonal and communication skills

Good organisational and teamworking skills

Effective time management

Ability to work independently

Computer literate

Understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality

Able to work under pressure and keep calm

Be Flexible and adaptable

Full Driving Licence

Desirable Criteria

Experience in Primary Care

Knowledge of System One clinical system

Basic First aid knowledge

Health & Safety Awareness

Please be aware the advert will close earlier than advertised if sufficient applications are received.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: £12.38-£12.96 per hour

Benefits:

* Company pension
* On-site parking

Work Location: In person