St Elizabeth Hospice is an independent charity and hospice serving East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney areas. The hospice focuses on improving life for people living with progressive or life-limiting illness. Our Care Quality Commission report rated the hospice as Outstanding.
Would you like to join a dynamic team working with young adults living with progressive illness and complex health care needs? Do you have a passion to make a difference to the lives of young people and their families?
Role: Care Assistants to provide holistic, person-centred care and support to young adults accessing Zest care at St Elizabeth Hospice, which could include short breaks, Zest days and groups.
Main duties of the job
The successful applicant will have a willingness to support young adults using person-centred care to achieve their goals and plan activities, and, where appropriate, encourage and enable independence and self-management skills. While enabling the young adults to enjoy a fun and comfortable stay you will be required to assist in complex physical care and support.
This is a fantastic opportunity to join the Zest service at St Elizabeth Hospice, your local hospice at the heart of the community, and to be part of something special in Suffolk.
You will be required to have at least one year’s experience of working in care, with full training provided to ensure you are competent and confident to support young adults with complex care needs.
If you would like an opportunity to find out more about working at the hospice and how it can fit your career aspirations, we recommend an informal visit/discussion prior to completing your application.
Hours: Part time 7.5 hours per week, Friday 9am to 5pm (with option to work additional bank hours over weekends)
Interview Date: 1st October 2025
Salary: £4,893.00 per annum (WTE: £24,465.00) band 2
About us
Established in 1989, the hospice builds a reputation for delivering high-level care to patients and the community it serves. Through medicine and therapy, they ease pain, give life purpose and make life bearable. Last year the charity supported over 4,000 patients and their families.
St Elizabeth Hospice is committed to safeguarding and protecting the adults and young people we work with and has a zero-tolerance approach to abuse, neglect and discrimination of any person. All posts are subject to a rigorous safer recruitment process, including the disclosure of criminal records and vetting checks. We have safeguarding policies in place and staff undertake mandatory safeguarding training.
The hospice offers a generous benefits package, including:
* 27 days annual leave entitlement
* Life Cover
* Cycle to Work Scheme
* Car Leasing Scheme
* Health Service Discounts
* Occupational Sick Pay
* Blue Light Card
* Employee Assistance Programme
Job responsibilities
JOB SUMMARY
To provide holistic, person-centred care and support to young adults living with progressive illness and complex health care needs, including palliative care needs, and their families accessing Zest care at St Elizabeth Hospice. This could include short breaks, Zest days and groups. To deliver Zest care under the supervision of the Zest Lead Care Assistant and Registered Nurse on duty at the hospice. This may include supporting outings into the community. To support young adults using person-centred care to achieve their goals and plan activities. To understand and recognise individual developmental needs, and, where appropriate, encourage and enable independence and self-management skills. To work within the St Elizabeth Hospice One Team nursing care model, with the flexibility to be allocated to work in other clinical areas in response to needs of the service.
Clinical responsibilities
* Carry out agreed tasks involving direct patient care and activities within the clinical area, in accordance with the patient care plan.
* Assist in physical care involving hygiene, elimination, eating and drinking, mobilisation, rest, sleep and comfort needs.
* Assist in meeting the patient and family spiritual and psychological needs, recognising and respecting religious and cultural beliefs.
* Respect the patient’s need for social interaction and enable choice.
* Enable access to inclusive activities and facilitate engagement.
* Support young adults to plan outings as part of weekend activities.
* Assist with effective verbal and written communication between patients, families and Zest care team.
* Act promptly if changes are observed in the young adult’s condition, seeking advice and reporting back to the nurses.
* Use equipment or aids necessary for care, following assessment and training, and report any faults.
* Follow community emergency care plans in the event of sudden change or deterioration.
* Undertake clerical/administrative tasks relevant to the management of the clinical area, as requested.
* Assist with meal preparation as required.
* Assist with preparation and packing up of short break bedrooms in cooperation with the facilities team.
* Support young adults completing one-page profiles and other person-centred tools.
* Understand safeguarding principles and apply them within practice and intervention.
Educational responsibilities
To share professional expertise with colleagues, provide support where appropriate, demonstrate reflective practice, undertake training as required, and participate in the Hospice education programme.
Personal development
To maintain and increase personal professional skills and engage in 1:1 meetings and supervision.
Personnel responsibilities
* Recognise indications of staff stress and seek help, as appropriate.
* Value volunteer contributions and support their development where appropriate.
* Support new team members during their induction process.
Organisational responsibilities
* Attend team meetings bi-monthly.
* Keep up to date with hospice communications via email and podcasts.
* Act within hospice policies and uphold hospice values.
* Use resources effectively and promote the hospice philosophy of care.
* Respect confidentiality of information covering patients, staff and volunteers.
* Work to develop good relationships with all who interact with the Hospice.
* Be willing to support other clinical areas as needed as part of the one team model, including In-patient Unit and Community.
Note: This job description is not necessarily exhaustive and may be reviewed in consultation with the Head of Inclusion and Development and the post holder.
Person specification
Qualifications
* Good standard of education in numeracy and literacy.
* NVQ level II or III in direct care, Care Certificate or willing to complete.
* Moving and Handling training.
* Evidence of Care competency training with transferable skills.
Specific Skills
* Effective communicator with patients, families and colleagues.
* IT literate with Microsoft packages and Outlook or willingness to train.
* Full driving license.
* Ability to plan and deliver inclusive activities.
Personal Qualities
* Willing to develop own knowledge and help others develop.
* Ability to handle sensitive and potentially stressful situations.
* Energetic, enthusiastic, flexible and positive about change.
Experience
* Understanding of safeguarding principles; apply in practice.
* Minimum of one year of experience as a carer/care assistant.
* Experience of working with young adults.
* Ability to plan, deliver and evaluate care packages.
* Ability to assess patient needs.
* Demonstrable teamwork experience.
* Ability to manage volunteers and work with a person-centred approach.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a Disclosure to be submitted to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous convictions.
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