Health Care Assistant

The Health Care Assistance(s) will work closely with our Nursing team.
Each day you will be expected to carry out any necessary test within your skill set.

Personal and people development

• Take responsibility for own developmental learning and performance.


• Take responsibility of maintain a record of own person development.


• Work with management on any new training requirements.


• Health, safety and security.


• Use appropriate infection control procedures and maintain work areas in each clinical room so that they are clean, safe and free from hazards reporting of any potential risks identified, including:


• 1. Hand washing2. Universal hygiene procedures3. Collection and handling of laboratory specimens4. Segregation and disposal of waste materials5. Decontamination of instruments and clinical equipment6. Reporting and treatment of sharps injuries7. Dealing with blood and body fluid spillages8. Assist patients and colleagues in adopting sound infection control measures


• Understand and apply the principles of the cold chain.



• Ensure safe storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs with area of responsibility.


Service Improvement

• Be aware of and m, if appropriate, assist in current clinical audit.


• Work with colleagues in the team on the development of current and new services and other initiatives.


• Stocking of rooms.


Quality

• Alert other team members of issues of quality and risk in the care of patients.


• Ensure own actions are consistent with clinical governance systems.


• Practice in accordance with agreed standards of care.


• Enable patients to access appropriate professionals in the team.


• Ensure stock items under your control are ordered and available in the treatment and consulting rooms.


• Know how clinical governance affects the HCA role and bring to the attention of more senior staff and specific risk situation.


• Know the practice's policies, especially the whistle blowing policy, available in the practice staff handbook.


• Be able to manage your own time effectively.


Clinical Skills-health and well-being

• Undertake record and follow guidelines for the tasks for which you have received appropriate training.


• Understand basic legal and communication issues regarding child abuse, family violence, vulnerable adults, substance abuse and addictive behaviour.


• Act as a chaperone.


• Urinalysis and preparation of specimens for investigation by pathology laboratory.


• Perform new patient health check.


• Measuring and recording following physiological measurements in routine presentations.


1. Blood pressure
2. Pulse rate and rhythm
3. Temperature
4. Height and weight - body mass index
5. Visual acuity
6. Venepuncture
7. ECG

• Prepare and maintain environments and equipment's and equipment before, during and after patient care interventions.


• Assist in raising awareness of health and well-being, and how it can be promoted.


• Give accurate and appropriate information to patients and groups within own competence.


• Support and monitor patients during nebulisation therapy.


• Assist clinicians in minor surgery and coil fitting.


• Perform basic dressing changes according to a nursing care plan.


• Information processes.


• Record information and activities undertaken with patients and carers in an accurate and timely fashion using manual or computer systems as appropriate.


• Maintain confidentiality or information relating to patients, relatives, staff and the practice.


• Take the necessary precautions when transmitting information.


• Complete information governance on-line tool kit., In the course of employment the post holder will have access to confidential information relating to the employers business. The post holder is required to exercise due consideration in the way in which they use such information and should not act in any way that might be prejudicial to the employers interests. If the post holder is in any doubt regarding the use of information in the pursuit of their duties they should seek advice from their Line Manager before communicating such information to a third party.


In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust the Practice 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. This information is to be treated 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 employers' policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.

Data Protection

The employer is registered under the Data Protection Act 1998. The post holder must not at any time use the personal data held by the employer or disclose such data to a third party for a purpose not described in the Register entry. If the post holder is in any doubt regarding what they should or not do in connection with the Data protection Act 1998 then they must contact their Line Manager.

Health and Safety
The post holder must be aware of the responsibility placed on them under the Health and
Safety At Work Act 1974 to maintain a healthy and safe working environment for both staff and visitor's. The post holder has a duty to observe obligations under the employers Health and Safety policies and to maintain awareness of safe practices and assessment of risk in accordance with the Risk Management Strategy.

The post holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and other's health, safety and security as defined in the Health & Safety Policy to include

• Using the panic button within the workplace


• Identify 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 free from hazards


• Reporting potential risks identified.


Financial Regulations
The post holder is responsible for the security of the property of the employer, avoiding loss of or damage to property and being economical and efficient in the use of resources.

Place of work
The post holder will be based at Poplar Grove Practice.

Equity and Diversity
The post holder must cooperate with all the policies and procedures designed to ensure equality of employment. Fellow workers, patients and visitors must be treated equally, irrespective of gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion etc.

The post holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues to include

• Acting in a way that recognises 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.


Personal /Professional Development

The post holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the Practice as a part of this employment, such training to include

• Participating in monthly Protected learning Afternoons -once a quarter these will be hosted by the CCG for clinicians


• Completing on-line training annually via Blue stream Academy


• Participation in an annual appraisal, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and / or professional development


• Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrate skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work


• Presenting any Significant Event to the rest of the team


• Undertaking mandatory training


Safeguarding

• The post holder has responsibility to ensure that they have read and understand the local safeguarding procedures for the areas that you work in.


• The post holder has responsibility to ensure you identify potential safeguarding concerns and follow local safeguarding procedures to ensure that they are reported and managed, and to follow professional guidelines in relation to safeguarding concerns.


• The post holder has responsibility to ensure that you keep up to date in safeguarding by completing your mandatory safeguarding training (Blue Stream level 3 for this post)


This job description describes the responsibilities as they are currently required. This is an outline job description and should not be regarded as an inflexible specification. Priorities change in line with service needs and new duties introduced after consultation with the post holder. It is anticipated duties will change over time and the job description may be reviewed in the future.

Have good communication skills
Be able to work independently and as part of a team
Have IT skills, EDUCATION Basic literacy and numeracy O level skills

Basic Computer experience

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND To have completed a
EXPERIENCE phlebotomy course

Understands issues regarding accountability and delegation

Flexible, reliable and responsive to change

Demonstrate motivation, reliability and commitment to team working

Ability to cope with occasional exposure to aggressive behaviour

Ability to manage your daily work and time

Ability to deal tactfully with distressed, anxious patients and carers

Ability to work under pressure on a daily basis

Ability to communicate effectively with patients, colleagues and third parties in person and over the phone

APTITUDES Honest Ability to develop local networks

Excellent communicator, Provide support to other including ability to listen, to members of the team discuss, inform, ability to record in writing clearly and accurately

Ability to make decisions, use own initiative and innovative

Flexible working attitude

Well organised; good time management skills

Able to work as a team, to promote a good team spirit and to be sensitive and assertive as appropriate

Ability to manage conflict

OTHER Must be Hep B immune or willing to undergo an immunisation course