Healthcare Support Worker

Job overview

The Band 3 Healthcare Support Worker (HCSW) is a key member of the Hospital at Home team, supporting the delivery of safe, high-quality, acute-level care to adults in their own homes within the London Borough of Hillingdon. Working on a 7-day, 12-hour rotating shift pattern, the postholder works under the direction and supervision of the Band 6 SeniorNurse (on shift), providing delegated clinical support, personal care, and a defined portfolio of enhanced clinical skills.

Main duties of the job

Band 3 Healthcare Support Workers (HCSWs) in the Hospital at Home Service work closely with frail older adults, their families, friends, and carers in their own homes, and play a vital role in shaping how patients experience acute-level care in the community. Band 3 HCSWs are expected to be kind, responsive, professional, and informative, and contribute to the quality of the service by:

Delivering compassionate personal care including washing, dressing, continence care, pressure area care, and mobility assistance, as delegated in each patient's individual care plan. Supporting the administration of prescribed oral, topical, and inhaled medications under formal delegation from the supervising Band 6, within verified competency and CNWL governance arrangements

Recording and reporting patient vital signs using the NEWS2 early warning score at every visit, and responding to any deterioration by escalating to the supervising Band 6 immediately. Supporting patients and carers in the correct use of remote monitoring and wearable technology, and reporting technical faults or clinical concerns without delay.

Operating safely as a lone worker in patients' homes within the CNWL Lone Worker Policy, activating the lone worker device before every visit, and completing a home environment risk assessment for each new patient

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Patient Safety Band 3 Healthcare Support Workers in the Hospital at Service contribute to the provision of safe and reliable acute community services by:

Working at all times under the supervision and formal delegation of the Band 6 Senior Nurse on shift, never acting independently outside their individually verified competency portfolio Working to the standards set out in the Code of Conduct for Healthcare Support Workers and Adult Social Care Workers in England (Skills for Health 2013) and in accordance with CNWL SCARF values Safeguarding frail older adults and others at risk by recognising and responding when a patient or carer may be at risk of abuse, neglect, or harm during home visits; recognising the limits of the HCSW role and escalating all safeguarding concerns immediately to the supervising Band 6 without delay Escalating safety concerns — including deteriorating observations, abnormal NEWS2 scores, changes in patient presentation, home environment hazards, and patient or carer distress — promptly and without hesitation, acting as an effective advocate for patients in their own homes Activating the CNWL lone worker device before every home visit, completing a basic home environment risk assessment for each new patient, and reporting any safety concerns to the Band 6 on shift Being open and transparent about their own practice, including any procedural concerns, errors, or near-misses; reporting all incidents via Datix in line with CNWL PSIRF policy Identifying areas where safety or quality improvements can be made and raising these with the Band 6 or Band 7 Maintaining accurate, legible, and contemporaneous care records on S1 /  Docabode at the point of care during every home visit, in line with CNWL documentation policy Maintaining full compliance with all mandatory and statutory training requirements, including annual reassessment of all four enhanced clinical skills: phlebotomy, female catheterisation, 12-lead ECG acquisition, and bladder scanning

Clinical Outcomes Band 3 HCSWs in the Hospital at Home team contribute to the effectiveness of the virtual ward service by:

Providing skilled, evidence-based delegated care — including vital signs recording, personal care, wound care, medication administration, phlebotomy, ECG acquisition, bladder scanning, and catheter care — adhering to CNWL policies, the Hillingdon HaH SOP, and each patient's individual care plan Working with patients, families, and the registered nursing team to support all stages of the care delivery process, including reporting observations that contribute to risk assessment, care plan review, and NEWS2-guided escalation decisions Acting as a patient advocate within the Hospital at Home multidisciplinary team, ensuring the patient's voice, preferences, and concerns are communicated clearly to the supervising clinician Working as an effective member of the virtual ward team, implementing care plans and clinical directives overseen by the Band 6, Band 7, and Senior Clinical Decision Maker (Consultant Geriatrician) Contributing to a high-performing virtual ward team by communicating clearly with all team members at handover and throughout the shift; understanding their specific role within the HaH staffing model and how it supports safe virtual bed management; reflecting regularly on their own clinical practice; and identifying how the quality of delegated care could be improved

Patient Experience Band 3 HCSWs contribute to patients feeling respected, safe, and empowered in their own homes by:

Working in genuine partnership with patients and their families and carers during every home visit, treating each patient with dignity, compassion, and cultural sensitivity in line with CNWL values. Gaining consent before every clinical intervention and, as far as possible, involving patients in decisions about the care being delivered during that visit, supporting the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Signposting patients and carers to supportive services including GP practices, community nursing, social care, local authority support services, and voluntary sector organisations as directed by the supervising Band 6.  Reassuring patients and carers by being professional, calm, responsive, and knowledgeable; providing clear explanations of the tasks. Escalating patient complaints or concerns effectively, promptly, and in line with CNWL complaints policy; never attempting to manage a formal complaint independently