1. JOB DETAILS
Job title: Healthcare Assistant (practice and community based)
Accountable to: Nurse Lead/ Home Visiting Nurse Leads
Location: Workington GP Practice
2. JOB SUMMARY
This is a dual HCA role involving working in an organised and structured way alongside the practice home visiting team out in the community as well as undertaking HCA clinics in Practice.
This is a vital role involves supporting the home visiting team with conducting home visits to undertake health care related activities i.e. phlebotomy, blood pressure, height, weight, lifestyle areas such as smoking and alcohol, ECG, chronic disease annual reviews.
You will also be required to work in practice working under the direct supervision of the Senior Nurse Lead and strictly in accordance with specific practice guidelines and protocols, the Healthcare Assistant will assist the practice clinical team in the provision and delivery of prescribed programmes of patient care. They will work collaboratively with the general practice team to meet the needs of patients, following policy and procedures.
All staff are expected to work within NCPC Values:
We Care, We are a Team, We Work Hard to Improve
3. ROLE OF DEPARTMENT
To assist in the delivery of high-quality, holistic care to patients within a primary care setting, supporting the nursing and medical teams in promoting health, preventing illness, and managing long-term conditions.
4. ORGANISATIONAL CHART
Operational Lead/ Nurse Leads
Health Care Assistant
Locality Lead
5. KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
Working closely with all staff groups across the town to include patients, carers, GPs, Practice Nurses staff, Administration staff, Reception staff, management staff and other allied health professionals.
6. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POST
Duties will include, but are not limited to:
- Support the Practice home visiting service seeing patients in their own homes
- Injectables (supported by theory, competencies & certificate & in-line with national search criteria as foundation of PSD):
- COVID Injections - Following provision of Certificate & Competencies documentation
- Influenza vaccinations (Adults 18 years and over) Following provision of Certificate & Competencies documentation
- B12 injections - (Following initiation by GP & loading dose by Practice Nurse) - Following provision of Certificate & Competencies documentation
- Pneumonia vaccinations - (Adults over 65) - Following provision of Certificate & Competencies documentation
- Shingles vaccinations - (In line with National searches) - Following provision of Certificate & Competencies documentation
- Phlebotomy
- NHS Health Checks
- Quality Outcomes Framework long term condition management - working alongside Practice Nurse for patient reviews, any areas of QOF appropriate to role and at discretion of Practice Nurse, GP & Practice Manager
- Blood-pressure checks
- Fitting ambulatory blood pressure machines
- Fitting ambulatory ECG monitors
- Urinalysis (Dip stick urines in line with our urines policy – liaising with Practice Nurse/GP)
- Weight Management checks (where felt appropriate by GP/Practice Nurse/Dietician)
- Diabetes foot checks as part of annual diabetes reviews
- Simple dressings (supported by Practice Nurse)
- ECG recording
- Chaperoning duties
- Processing and management of laboratory samples requested by GPs/nurses
- Vaccine/cold chain storage, monitoring and recording
- Surgical equipment and vaccine re-stocking and stock rotation
- Clearing and re-stocking consulting rooms
- Preparing and maintaining environments and equipment before, during and after patient care interventions, including assisting GPs during the performance of minor operations/joint injections where appropriate
- Assisting in the assessment and surveillance of patients’ health and well-being
- Undertaking specific clinical activities for named patients that have been delegated and taught specifically in relation to that individual
- Helping to raise awareness of health and well-being and how it can be promoted
- Assisting with the collection and collation of data on needs related to health and wellbeing
- Be expected to see patients in their own home as and when required
- Any other clinical or administrative duties in line with your individual skill set and felt appropriate to this role
The duties and responsibilities shown above are not exhaustive but should merely be regarded as a guide.
7. INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITIES
The post holder is expected to:
- Adhere to NCPC policies and procedures and relevant legislation including the requirements of the any professional bodies
- Attend mandatory training as identified by the organisation.
- Adhere to NCPC infection prevention policies, procedures, audits in line with the Health Act 2006, to actively reduce Health Care Associated Infections
8. CONFIDENTIALITY
While seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately.
In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential.
Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.
9. HEALTH AND SAFETY
The post holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others' health, safety and security as defined in the practice Health & Safety Policy and the practice Infection Control Policy. This will include:
Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines.
Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks
Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills
Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards
Actively reporting health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised
Keeping own work areas and general patient areas generally clean, assisting in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness consistent with the scope of the job holder's role
10. RISK MANAGEMENT
All staff have a responsibility to report all clinical and non-clinical accidents, incidents or near-misses promptly and when requested to co-operate with any investigations undertaken.
11. EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY
The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include acting in a way that recognizes the importance of people’s rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with Practice procedures and policies, and current legislation.
Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues. Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.
12. SAFEGUARDING
All employees have a duty for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk. Staff must be familiar with the NCPC Safeguarding Policy and the process for raising concerns about the welfare of anyone with whom they have contact. Staff must also ensure they receive the appropriate level of safeguarding children and adult training depending on their role in the organisation.
Staff are expected to access supervision and support from their line managers and/or the locality based safeguarding team when managing complex cases where applicable to their role.
13. INFORMATION GOVERNANCE
The post holder must keep up to date with the requirements of information governance; undertake mandatory training and follow NCPC policies and procedures to ensure that NCPC information is dealt with legally, securely, efficiently and effectively.
It is important that the post holder processes personal identifiable information only in accordance with the NCPC Data Protection Act notification to the Information Commissioner. The post holder must check with the Data Protection Officer before creating new systems to process person identifiable information to ensure that this is carried out within the scope of the Data Protection Act 2018 notification.
The post holder must manage the records they create or hold during the course of their employment with NCPC in an appropriate way, making the records available for sharing in a controlled manner subject to statutory requirements and agreed security and confidentiality policies, procedures and guidelines e.g. Data Protection Act 2018, Freedom of Information Act 2000, General Data Protection Regulations, Caldicott Guidelines NHS Confidentiality Code of Conduct 2003, and professional codes of conduct on confidentiality.
The post holder must maintain the confidentiality of information about service user staff and organisational business in accordance with the new Data Protection Act 2018 and Caldicott principles.
It is likely that the post holder will be in contact at some time with a form of information system, and therefore is responsible for implementing and maintaining data quality. The post holder, when making entries into records, must ensure that these are legible and attributable and that the record keeping is contemporaneous. It is essential that information recorded within records either on paper, in an electronic format or both paper and electronic is accurate, complete and relevant.
14. PERSONAL/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, such training to include:
Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development
Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work
15. QUALITY
The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the Practice, and will assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision. Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the team’s performance. Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients’ needs. Effectively manage own time, workload and resources.
16. COMMUNICATION
The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to communicate effectively with other team members, communicate effectively with patients and carers and recognise peoples’ needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.
Person Specification
Core Values- Essential
- Strong commitment to the vision and values of NCPC
- Genuine interest in and commitment to the needs of the local community
- Ability to work as part of a team and establish good working relationships at all levels.
Personal Attributes- Essential
- Must be personable, polite and approachable
- Must be a team player
- Flexible and adaptable to change
- Must be aware of their own professional boundaries and highlight any concerns or areas of required development
- An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality
- Able to work on own initiative
- Able to work under pressure and remain calm
Experience, Knowledge and Skills- Essential
- Experience of working as an Health Care Assistant
- Ability to provide quality care
- Good interpersonal and communication skills
- Good organisational skills
- Good team working skills
- Effective time management skills
- Ability to work independently following verbal or written instructions
- Computer literate
Experience, Knowledge and Skills- Desirable
- Previous experience in the use of EMIS clinical system
- Experience of working in primary care
- Experience of working in the community
Job related requirements- Essential
- Provide cover for absence of other HCA when required
- Be able to drive and hold a full clean driving license
Job Types: Full-time, Part-time
Pay: £25,412.17-£26,929.57 per year
Work Location: In person
