Healthcare Assistant

Job Title: Healthcare Assistant Support at Home Service Tenure:
Permanent Base: Patients Home / Workington Community Hospital

Responsible to: Support at Home Service Lead

Responsible for: N/A

**Salary**: £12.98 per hour Hours: 12, 24, and 36 hour annualised contracts available including days and evenings, weekdays, weekends and bank holidays / Flexible hours contracts also available

JOB SUMMARY: Hospice at Home West Cumbria provides an expert and comprehensive service to enhance the experience of patients requiring palliative and end of life care. The services provide quality care in the delivery of home nursing, family and bereavement support, and Lymphedema care, for patients, their families and carers across west Cumbria. The role of the Healthcare Assistant is to work on a one-to-one basis with patients, families and carers in a home environment, largely without supervision. The role provides practical care and emotional, social and psychological support to individuals with palliative care needs, their families and carers.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POST: Key Responsibilities of the job - Provides care and support within palliative and end of life care best practice and regulatory requirements. Complies with changing policies and practices to ensure that essential standards of quality and safety are maintained. - Undertakes and observes the Hospice at Home West Cumbria Initial Home Assessment, recognising when to inform a senior member of staff or out of hours on call of any situation which may pose a risk or threat to self, colleagues, patient or family. - Undertakes continued assessment of the patient during the episode of care and recognises and responds to any change in the patient’s condition. This includes seeking additional advice and support from out of hour professionals in relation to direct patient care and management. - Provides care and support in a way which maintains and respects the privacy, dignity, safety and lifestyle of the patient receiving care, with particular regard to assisting with personal care, nutrition and hydration, practical and social support (food preparation, nutrition and hydration support, catheter care, pressure care, simple dressings, and other activities of daily living) aligned to individualised care plans. - Provides care and support to patients who are approaching end of life and actively dying. This includes assisting with last offices shortly after death has been confirmed. - Provides families and carers with emotional and psychological support, effectively communicating information to improve their end of life management and the bereavement experience of those important to them. - Accurately records care interventions in the patient’s electronic record, adhering to data protection and information governance standards. - Attends and participates in supervision and de-briefings for patients, families and carers alongside other health and social care professionals in order to learn from shared experience, continually strive to adopt best practice techniques, and for maintaining own resilience and wellbeing. - Works as a member of the wider hospice and organisational teams and participates and supports the induction of new staff. Builds positive relationships internally and externally including peers and local health care professionals. Personal Development: - To be committed to personal and professional development and complete mandatory and statutory training as required. - To set challenging goals through the appraisal process to ensure the effective delivery of personal objectives. - To keep updated with current policies and procedures, as well as external trends and developments. General - To ensure that personal conduct, ways of working and work activities are aligned to the Hospice’s purpose and values at all times. - In accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulations, to ensure the maintenance of confidentiality in respect of staff, volunteer and client records and all privileged information relating to the services of the Charity, its patients, staff and volunteers and particularly of the area for which directly responsible. - To promote and foster the Hospice’s reputation and standing within the community and with private, statutory and voluntary sector agencies and organisations. - To adhere to the Health and Safety policy and report all accidents, incidents or near misses promptly and when requested to co-operate with any investigations undertaken. - To be aware of obligations and to abide by the spirit and nature of the Equal Opportunities policy to avoid direct and indirect discrimination. - To undertake any other duties which may be reasonably required.

Person Specification

Healthcare Assistant - Support at Home Service

Qualities Required Essential (E) Desirable (D) Method of Assessment Practical Knowledge and Qualifications NVQ Level 2 - Health and Social Care NVQ Level 3 - Health