Healthcare support worker – clinical care - POA

Job overview

Pre-Operative Assessment (POA) is a dynamic, nurse-led team supporting the Elective Surgery pathway. We provide services for the following surgical specialties: Orthopaedics, General Surgery, Gynaecology, Vascular, Upper GI, Colorectal, Breast & Endocrine, Urology, Plastics, ENT and OMF.

The service supports both day case and in-patient admission pathways, seeing around 400 patients per week through the clinic. Staff will work collaboratively within the team, both independently and with direct supervision from others. They will work closely with the requirements of Trust and Departmental policies and procedures to ensure that patients receive the care as required to assist in the assessment process of the surgical patient in their preparation for admission.

As part of the POA team there is opportunity is available to work with the wider multidisciplinary team to ensure every individual has the best possible start to their surgical journey ensuring every individual is treated with dignity, respect, and compassion.

In POA, we pride ourselves on high standards and are committed to ensuring patients have the best possible experience before they are admitted to the hospital. We support the delivery of high-quality, safe, and compassionate healthcare services. All staff are expected to act as role models in all aspects of their work and consistently demonstrate NNUH’s ‘PRIDE’ values: People-focused, Respect, Integrity, Dedication, Excellence.

Main duties of the job

At the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital, our team consists of approximately 40 nurses and runs an average of 10 face-to-face nurse clinics per day, supported by our HCA (Healthcare Assistant) team.  Additionally, our HCA team support Anaesthetic clinics, Nurse telephone clinics and run an independent HCA-led clinic with the support of a Nurse Coordinator.

We currently have a second city centre location which runs Monday to Friday 2 nurse clinics per day. Once new team members are fully trained, they may be required to work at this location on an ad hoc basis.  At NNUH main site we provide a 7-day service, so some weekend work will be rostered on a rotational basis.

The unit embraces the opportunity for staff development, and the individual will gain knowledge and skills in enhanced practices such as venepuncture, ECG monitoring, blood glucose monitoring, urinalysis monitoring, the use of a variety of trust IT systems, learn about clinical measurement parameters and the use of the NEWS 2 scoring system.

POA offers a friendly, professional, and innovative work environment with a culture of strong teamwork and mutual support.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Demonstrates awareness of own professional responsibilities and upholds the PRIDE values consistently.
• Practices in accordance with the code of conduct for healthcare support workers clearly articulates the purpose of the code.
• Adherence to the uniform trust policy
• To act as a role model to others; always projecting a professional image.
• Understands what is meant by duty of care and the boundaries of the HCSW – Clinical care role.
• Adherence to NNUH policies consistently.
• To participate in tasks and carry out instructions of registered professionals relevant to area to support patient care e.g. collect blood for transfusion or purpose relevant to area, preparation of equipment for theatres, collecting medication from pharmacy or equipment from other clinical areas.
• To participate in audit as required.
• To develop self-awareness, building resilience, relationship building, self-care and adaptability.

Please view the attached job description for full details of the role and use your supporting statement to confirm how you meet the essential and desirable criteria on the job specification.