Hours: 12 hours per week (Sundays, holidays and sickness cover)
Area: Killingworth, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Rate: £15.00 per hour
Oakley is a delightful 2-year-old little boy who was born at 36 weeks gestation. He currently resides with his mum and siblings who all attend school. Due to the complexity of Oakley’s health issues the family are looking for an experienced Personal Assistance with experience in children with complexed health needs. Full training in specific duties relating to Oakley’s needs will be provided via Oakley’s mum and hospital staff. Oakley has round-the-clock care, and you would be joining an existing team of personal assistants to ensure Oakley’s needs are always met. Your role would include supporting Oakley’s mum in domestic tasks, laundry duties and assistance in caring for Oakley’s siblings when required.
Following a sleep study Oakley showed oxygen desaturation and pauses in breathing. Oakley requires BIPAP overnight and for daytime naps. (Pressure controlled ventilation in a system allowing unrestricted spontaneous breathing at any moment of the ventilatory cycle.)
Oakley has a nasal stent in place which must be replaced immediately if it blocks or dislodges. Oakley is encouraged to feed orally with a weaning diet but due to his cleft palate, frequently regurgitates his food out through his stent, suction must be provided immediately to maintain the patency of the stent and his airway when this occurs. Oakley currently does not take enough feed orally, so a proportion is administered enterally either by pump or gravity.
Oakley desaturates when he is unwell or asleep so is always attached to a pulse oximeter. Oakley's eye lids do not fully shut so this is the only way to know if Oakley is in a deep sleep. Oakley must be attached immediately to BIPAP when he is asleep to prevent desaturations and maintain his respiratory function. Two people are required to attach Oakley to BIPAP due to his metal work on his head.
Oakley has global developmental delay and has a physiotherapy programme which must be followed to promote his development. As Oakley’s Carer/assistant you would be involved in administering this physiotherapy programme to Oakley.
Specialist Training will be provided for this role.
For more information, please see the Job Description
This vacancy will close as soon as a suitable candidate is appointed.
At the time of starting their employment, the successful candidate must have permission to work in the U.K.