Senior Healthcare Assistant Nights (South Lakes)

Job summary

This role matters:

We are looking for a compassionate individual to join our experienced and supportive team as a Senior Healthcare Assistant (Nights) across the South Lakes area. This is a rewarding and unique opportunity to be part of a service that makes a meaningful difference every day. If you are committed to supporting patients and their loved ones at a time when Hospice care matters most, this could be the role for you.

Our Hospice night-sitting service is a special part of the care we provide in the community, bringing comfort, reassurance and peace of mind throughout the night. As we continue to strengthen specialist palliative care services across the South Lakes, this role will enable closer collaboration with our community colleagues, ensuring patients receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time as they approach the end of life.

This is a waking night-sit service, and you will remain with the same patient for the duration of your shift, enabling you to focus on providing dedicated, uninterrupted care to one individual throughout the night.

Working pattern:

• 28.5 hours per week (3 nights).
• Hours include - being in the patients home from 9.45pm - 6.45am, plus 15 mins travel time and 15 mins reading time (to be completed before arriving at the patients home).

Informal enquiries are welcome, please get in touch.

Main duties of the job

As part of our Hospice at Home service, you will work independently, supported by local out-of-hours GP services, district nursing teams and experienced Hospice colleagues, to deliver high-quality, person-centred care. You will stay with a patient throughout the night, ensuring they remain safe and comfortable, monitoring their condition and responding appropriately to any changes. You will also offer emotional support, giving family carers the opportunity to rest and recharge, knowing their loved one is being cared for.

Key role information >>

• Visits will be predominately in the South Lakes area, however visits may be anywhere in our full catchment area if required by the needs of the service.
• It is essential you hold a full UK driving licence and have access to a vehicle during working hours.
• You will be entitled to claim out of pocket expenses (mileage and parking) in accordance with our policy.
• You will travel from home, with the reclaimable amount as any extra cost incurred above the normal home to place of work cost. Home is defined as the place you live and work is defined as the St John's Hospice Windermere base.
• You will be required to attend the main Hospice for training and meetings as required, including one week of daytime shifts each year for reflection, appraisal and time with the wider team.

About us

St John's Hospice is a well established and respected local charity, and we offer free palliative care to patients with life shortening conditions both in our inpatient unit and through our Community Services (Hospice at Home), which serves the South Lakes, North Lancashire and parts of North Yorkshire.

The majority of the people who St Johns cares for are looked after in their own home, in the community. Many people choose to spend their last weeks or days at home, and our community team are there to support them.

The Hospice community services are made up of Clinical Nurse Specialists, who are experts in pain and symptom management and advance care planning; the Hospice at Home team who support patients and their families in the last few weeks of life and the Respite team who provide day respite and night sits for the family who are caring for their loved ones at home in those last few weeks.

Our Hospice at Home service is led by an experienced and supportive Management Team. Our patients are at the heart of everything we do, and you would play a key role in a person's wish to stay, and be cared for in their own home, providing crucial respite care for them and their loved ones.

With close working relationships with the Inpatient Unit, CNS team, MDT and the area's District Nurses, the Hospice at Home team is a valued and well respected service in the local community.

St John's Hospice is rated as CQC Good.

Details

• Date posted: 28 August 2026
• Pay scheme: Other
• Salary: £30,049.50 to £30,985.50 a year pro rata. Plus £15 per night worked.
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Part-time
• Reference number: B0502-26-0006
• Job locations: St John's Hospice, Oldfield Court, Windermere, LA23 2HJ, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

Accountable To: Director of Nursing & Quality

Reports To: Head of Hospice at Home

Key Working Relationships:

• Community Services HUB
• District Nurses
• Out-of-hours GP service

MAIN DUTIES

• Provide care and compassion for patients who are approaching end of life in their own homes.
• Undertake a broad range of nursing care and duties relating patients with end-of-life care needs.
• Provide care for patients in accordance with the patients care plan as defined by the District Nursing and Hospice at Home Community Services team.
• Follow the risk assessments completed for the patient.
• Work to the standards set out in the Code of Conduct for Healthcare Support Workers.
• Use effective interpersonal skills with patients, carers and health professionals in a professional manner.
• Recognise changes in patients symptoms and conditions and notify the necessary on-call services for advice, help and support.
• Direct patients with their own administration of regular oral medication where the patient is self medicating, and asks families to prepare oral medicines prior to the night shift if the patient needs assistance.
• Understand the boundaries of the HCA role in managing medications and is ready and willing to accept advice from on-call services.
• Makes the clinical decision to call district nursing services when patients have uncontrolled symptoms and are unable to take medication orally.
• Manages patient distress effectively, using compassionate communication to comfort and support whilst lone working.
• In line with Hospice policy monitors the administration of medication being given by syringe drivers and undertakes first line troubleshooting in line with Achieved and updated training and competences.
• In line with Hospice policies and best practice guidance on patient documentation, updates patient records ensuring entries are accurate, relevant and contemporaneous and hand over care given appropriately.
• Provides emotional and practical support to patients carers or family members.
• Demonstrates safe and appropriate use of hoists and manual handling equipment, applying principles of utilising this equipment whilst lone working.
• Supports patient and family at time of death and afterwards, taking necessary responsibility to ensure all legal requirements are followed.
• Takes responsibility for clinical tasks and procedures they are trained in and competent to complete.
• Participates in audits, surveys or other clinical governance activities as requested.
• Maintains IT competency in order to make full use of electronic communications and to access appropriate hospice data sources and training opportunities.
• Responsible for the health, safety and well-being of patients, carers and self by being aware of and adhering to risk assessments, hospice policies and guidelines on Health and Safety at Work; Fire Precautions and Regulations; Security of Lone Worker; and Infection Control.
• Maintains a portfolio of professional development and participates in the St Johns Hospice performance appraisal scheme, identifying personal achievements, objectives and development needs.
• Works according to the principles of the St Johns Hospice HCA Code of Conduct.
• Understands the philosophy and ethos behind the care provided at St Johns Hospice, and to assist the registered nurses in developing and maintaining a safe, compassionate caring and supportive environment for patients, relatives and staff.
• Shares the responsibility within the nursing teams for delivering high quality holistic nursing care for the patients and their families.
• Is part of the multi-disciplinary care of patients.
• Liaises with internal Hospice team to update patient and family changes and incidents in a timely manner.
• Acts in a responsible, professional manner at all times whilst employed by and undertaking duties at St Johns Hospice. To be aware of the policies governing health, safety and fire prevention and reporting accidents / incidents.

OTHER

• Works outside of the South Lakes locality as required by the needs of the service.
• Works contracted weekly hours during daytime shifts within the Hospice at Home team (based at the main Hospice) for one week each year, to reflect on practice, complete the annual appraisal, and spend time with the wider team.
• Attends monthly night-sitting team meeting each month, either in person or via teams.
• Attends training, meetings and other events at the main Hospice as and when required.

GENERAL

• In addition to the specific duties and responsibilities outlined in this job description, all employees should be aware of their specific responsibilities towards the following:
• St Johns Hospice operates a no-smoking policy. The post holder should either be a non-smoker or be prepared not to smoke in any Charity premises, grounds or vehicles or when on Hospice business outside the office.
• Adhere to all health, safety and fire regulations and to co-operate with the Hospice in maintaining good standards of health and safety.
• Adhere to Lone Worker working practices as set out in the relevant policy documents.
• Uphold ethical and professional standards and not behave in a manner that is likely to bring the Hospice into disrepute.
• Promote and sustain a responsible attitude towards equal opportunities and diversity within the Hospice.
• Demonstrate a commitment to ongoing registration requirements or any national, professional or occupational standards associated with the role.
• Demonstrate a commitment to ongoing learning and development and to participate in any training relevant to the role.

The post-holder will be expected to participate in induction and on-going training and development and work in accordance with Hospice policies and procedures and to act at all times with due regard to the health and safety of self and others.

STANDARD/ENHANCED DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENT

Enhanced DBS disclosure + Adult Barring Check required for this post.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES TO ST. JOHNS HOSPICE

Please refer to the uploaded Job description for full details of the points below

1. Confidentiality

2. Health and Safety

3. External Interests

4. Statutory Training

5. Flexibility

6. Safeguarding

7. Disclosure and Barring

8. Equality and Inclusion

9. Volunteers