Community Healthcare Assistant

Job overview

We have an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic Health Care Assistant to join our friendly and supportive team of nurses, health care assistants, nursing associates and assistant practitioners in the Norwich Neighbourhood Community Nursing Teams based at Norwich Community Hospital.

The Community Nursing Service treats patients predominantly in their home settings, including residential homes and supported living complexes. We also provide some services in a clinic setting including our leg ulcer clinic and catheter clinic.

Norwich locality is working alongside its commissioners and local service providers as part of the Primary Care Network to develop community based services that support patients to remain at home and receive the services they require in an effective and co-ordinated way.

East of England community Health care NHS Trust is an organisation assessed as being ‘Outstanding’ by Care Quality Commission in 2018. If you would like to be part of an Outstanding organisation that delivers high quality personalised care, supports innovation, that is committed to delivering quality services in our local Communities, and promotes an open and fair culture, then please apply to work with us. You will receive support and development through in service training, regular appraisals, a personal development plan and clinical supervision.

Main duties of the job

The workload requires a good range of clinical skills to be applied in managing our patients with varied health problems including  the venepuncture, preforming ECGs, the taking and recording of patient observations such as blood pressure, diabetes management, traumatic, chronic and post-operative wound care, pressure ulcer prevention and management, catheter support, palliative and end of life care. Many of our patients will have complex multi-pathologies and so we aim to provide holistic, patient centred assessments and deliver individualised care. Full training will be given for all clinical skills as well as a comprehensive induction period.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The post holder will need:

• To work generically in provision of care, to patients under the supervision of a qualified practitioner, following a prescribed treatment/care plan in order to prevent admission to hospital.
• Plan and prioritise own visits to delegated patients.
• Ensure patient held records are completed for each visit, and that SystmOne inputting is completed on a daily basis.
• Make basic judgements on patients’ response to prescribed treatment/care plans, and report findings to a qualified practitioner.
• Liaise with other health care professionals as required.
• Communicate with patients/carers by exchanging factual information, reassurance, tact and empathy.
• Establish and maintain appropriate working relationships with colleagues, patients, carers and other health care professionals.
• Demonstrate dexterity and coordination when undertaking treatment of patients where accuracy is important, e.g. The taking of bloods, preforming ECGs, taking blood glucose results, wound care, administration of medication such as insulin.
• Be responsible for ensuring equipment is used safely, following relevant training, and that it is maintained appropriately.
• Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of consent, and gain consent as appropriate following organisational policies.
• Share responsibility of indirect patient contact tasks, such as, answering telephones, arranging appointments, processing referrals and inputting activity data.
• Undertake health promotion / education as required, e.g. smoking cessation, falls etc.
• May be exposed to bodily fluids, infected material and blood products, therefore must utilise universal precautions and adhere to infection control policies.
• Attend and contribute to multi-disciplinary team meetings and other meetings where appropriate.
• Attend in-house and competency training as required in development of current job role.
• Work predominately independently on specified tasks, with regular clinical support and supervision by a qualified practitioner.
• Be aware of limitations of own scope of practice and competency, and when to involve a more senior practitioner, both in daily practice and in emergency situations.
• Acknowledge and recognise peoples’ expressed beliefs, preferences and choices.
• Demonstrate an awareness of clinical governance and risk management, and apply to work situation.
• To provide peer support to other assistants.
• Actively contribute to team working and express ideas on improving services for users and the team.
• Share responsibility for maintaining store cupboards, cleaning specialist equipment and general housekeeping tasks.

This job description is not exhaustive and may be amended from time to time in consultation with the post holder. The post holder will be required to undertake any other duties as may be required for the effective performance of the post.