Healthcare Assistant - Shouldham Ward

Job overview

We are delighted to invite applications for enthusiastic and compassionate Healthcare Assistants to join our dedicated team at Shouldham ward, a 12-bedded Oncology, Haematology and Palliative Care Unit.

At Shouldham ward, we are deeply committed to delivering high-quality, person-centred care to patients with complex and life-limiting conditions. Our unit is known for its supportive multidisciplinary approach, where dignity, compassion, and excellence in care are at the heart of everything we do.

As a Healthcare Assistant, you will play a vital role in supporting patients and their families, working closely with nurses and the wider MDT to provide holistic physical and emotional care. This is a rewarding opportunity for individuals who are passionate about making a real difference in patients’ lives and who thrive in a caring, team-oriented environment.

We are looking for:

Compassionate, motivated, and reliable individuals Strong team players with a caring and empathetic approach A commitment to delivering safe, respectful, and high-quality care

Main duties of the job

As a Healthcare Assistant within our Oncology, Haematology and Palliative Care Unit, you will play a key role in delivering high-quality, compassionate care to patients and supporting the wider clinical team.

Your main duties will include:

Providing direct patient care under the supervision of registered nurses, ensuring dignity, comfort, and respect at all times Assisting patients with personal care, including washing, dressing, toileting, and mobility Supporting patients with nutrition and hydration, including meal assistance where required Monitoring and recording vital signs and reporting any concerns promptly to the nursing staff Offering emotional support to patients and their families during what can be a challenging time Maintaining a clean, safe, and comfortable environment in line with infection prevention and control standards Assisting with patient movement, transfers, and pressure area care Supporting end-of-life care in a compassionate and sensitive manner Working collaboratively as part of the multidisciplinary team to ensure excellent standards of care Adhering to trust policies, confidentiality, safeguarding, and health & safety requirements

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Communicate effectively with patients, relatives and healthcare practitioners. Ensure patients nutritional needs are met through assisting in the preparation of patients prior to meals and beverages, providing help and assistance in feeding/drinking as necessary. Assist patients in gaining access to and in the use of appropriate toilet facilities. Measure and record body waste/fluid balance accurately. Assist patients in maintaining their personal hygiene, grooming and dressing needs with specific concern for their religious, cultural and personal preference, ensuring privacy and dignity at all times. Assist patients in their mobility requirements, help move and position appropriately to maximise their physical comfort, utilising equipment as directed by the multi professional team. Prepare individual patients and the environment to ensure effective movement and/or handling procedures. Assist in the care of patient’s pressure areas and prevention of pressure damage, recording and maintaining relevant documentation and escalation as required. Support the registered practitioner in the completion of care plans, undertaking risk assessments (e.g. falls) as required. Performs a range of patient care tasks e.g., wound observation and dressings, removal of peripheral cannula, stoma bag changing and reports any issues to the Registered Nurse With a registrant assist in the correct procedure of duties relating to last offices for deceased persons. Ensure that all religious and cultural wishes, obligations are adhered with. At the delegation of the registered practitioner, transfer the patient from one care area to another. Perform and record (in real time) patient’s vital signs as directed, reporting findings to the registered member of staff on duty – Temperature, Blood Pressure, Respiration, Oxygen Saturation and Heart Rate. Utilisation and highlight any concerns to the registered practitioner regarding patient/service users e.g., Purpose T score, MUST (Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool), Sepsis screening tools. Obtain, transmit and store information relating to the delivery of care, to ensure prompt referrals and requests to other departments Escalate early warning triggers in line with unit standard operating procedures. Perform additional clinical skills as directed by the registered practitioner (that have been agreed by the Line Manager) where trained and competent to do so and within the scope of the role and speciality. At the request of the registered practitioner, perform Blood Glucose levels – finger pricks, utilising blood glucose monitoring equipment – recording results within patient record. Where abnormal results are identified, escalate to the registered practitioner of staff on duty. Perform and record specimen collection of stool, sputum , MRSA and urine testing - Midstream and Catheter Specimens– as per Trust policy