Healthcare Assistant

Job overview

The post holder will provide support and care for service users with mental and physical health needs and to their carers within a multidisciplinary setting. They will undertake assigned tasks under the general supervision of a registered nurse, including assisting in assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of nursing care.

The post holder will be trained to ensure that issues of equality, diversity and rights are dealt with in accordance with good practice and legislation.

The post will involve working on Springbank Ward, which is a specialist unit for women with personality disorder.

Main duties of the job

• To promote a positive service user experience throughout their stay through proactive listening, being responsive to issues raised and through resolving issues and concerns raised by service users with colleagues and senior members of the team.
• Our mission is to put people in control of their care. We will maximise opportunities for individuals and their families by enabling them to look beyond their limitations to achieve their goals and aspiration In other words: “To offer people the best help to do the best for themselves.” We are committed to the core NHS values which we underpin in all that we do -  Working Together for Patients Compassion  Respect & Dignity Everyone Counts  Improving Lives  Commitment to Quality of Care.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.

• Work on the wards to provide care for adults with physical and / or       mental health challenges.
• To contribute to the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of care.
• Support service users to overcome barriers they experience because of their mental or physical health.
• Work closely with nurses and other practitioners to provide a therapeutic programme of care.
• Report on service users' conditions to nurses and other practitioners.
• Provide information to service users using persuasion, reassurance, tact, and empathy.
• Provide the necessary physical care to service users to help them complete daily living activities, i.e. personal hygiene, diet and fluid intake, clothing and laundry, personal environment, elimination, maintaining rest and sleep and activity, physical observations, whilst demonstrating empathy, dignity, respect and compassion.
• To undertake prescribed physical observations as follows: blood pressure, temperature, pulse, respirations, blood sugars, urinalysis, weight and height and report results to the nurse in charge.
• To provide social activities, emotional support and stability to service users to ensure effective engagement whilst maintaining professional boundaries.
• Empower service users by ensuring that they receive relevant information about their treatment, medication, available services, advocacy services, ward routines and safety procedures under the guidance of a registered nurse.