Patient Care Assistant

**Roles and Responsibilities**

The role of a Patient Care Assistant is to support the nursing and wider practice team in achieving the highest standards of care. The Patient Care Assistant role will involve working in a variety of areas within the practice to support the team. It will be necessary to accept instruction from a variety of people including Management, Veterinary Surgeons and Registered Veterinary Nurses. Working enthusiastically within the team you will help maintain a happy, efficient and effective working environment.

**Main purpose & goals**

Ensure the highest standard of care is provided to our patients and clients.
- Work and communicate effectively with colleagues and clients. Demonstrate the ability to be reliable, adaptable, understanding and empathetic.
- Manage your areas of responsibility; working with other team members order to achieve this.
- Demonstrate a professional appearance reflecting the highest standards of professional practice.
- Ensure that you are clear of your roles, responsibilities and boundaries; demonstrating an awareness of the professional responsibilities of other team members.
- Participate and engage in training appropriate to your role, this may be in-house and/or by an external provider.
- Promote our team members, services and products, both in and out of the practice, at all times
- Understand and implement practice and group policies.

**Key Responsibilities**
- Assist with patient handling and restraint. Ensuring that all handling and restraint is carried out in a ‘patient friendly’ approach to ensure no unnecessary stress or discomfort to the patient.
- Prepare and maintain patient accommodation taking into account the condition and welfare of the patient, environmental enrichment and additional supporting aids as necessary.
- Cleaning and disinfection of patient accommodation to include ward and isolation accommodation.
- In-patient care to include exercising, feeding and grooming of hospitalised patients.
- Monitoring, recording and providing supportive care to patients, under the direction of the Veterinary Surgeon or Registered Veterinary Nurse.
- Assisting with laboratory diagnostic techniques to include preparation of equipment, processing samples and packaging for external laboratories.
- Assisting with diagnostic imaging to include maintenance and preparation of equipment and patient preparation and positioning.
- Cleaning, packaging and sterilisation of sterile supplies.
- Maintenance of theatre to include preparation of the environment and equipment and cleaning.
- Assist with patient preparation, surgical team support and recovery under the direction of the Veterinary Surgeon or Registered Veterinary Nurse.
- Assist with the management of the pharmacy to include unpacking of orders, stock rotation and environmental temperatures. Prepare and dispense a range of medication under the direction of the Veterinary Surgeon or Registered Veterinary Nurse.
- Cleaning, disinfection, equipment and consumable maintenance throughout the practice environment.
- Assist with reception and client care to include answering the telephone, dealing with enquiries, booking procedures and taking payments.
- Follow standard operating protocols at all times to include:

- Wearing of appropriate personal protective equipment
- Waste disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous waste
- Handling and restraint of patients
- Area and equipment specific procedures
- Assist the Veterinary Surgeons, Registered and Student Veterinary Nurses, Reception staff and any other team member who requires support, where and when required.
- Attend and contribute to practice meetings and events.

Person specification

**Health & safety**
- Be fully aware of all Health & Safety issues and read all information supplied

**Specification**
- Previous experience in working and/or caring for animals
- Previous experience in working within a veterinary practice

Knowledge
- Basic understanding of animal welfare and handling
- GCSE grade 4 or above (or equivalent) in Maths, English and a science
- L2 animal related qualification or equivalent

**Qualifications**:

- Basic administration skills
- Dealing with the general public
- The ability to work under pressure

Skills & abilities
- Good verbal and written communication skills
- Good numeracy skills
- Basic computing skills

Other qualities
- Reliable and hard working
- Able to work in a team and on their own.
- The ability to take instructions
- Desire to progress career

**Benefits**
- 5 weeks holiday + bank holidays + Birthday Leave
- Career progression opportunities
- Staff discount schemes
- Life Assurance
- Enhanced sickness pay
- Enhanced equal family leave
- E-car salary sacrifice scheme
- Employer contribution pension scheme
- Wellness program including:

- Employee assistance program
- Eyecare voucher scheme
- Free annual Flu jab
- Cycle to work scheme
- Recruitment referral reward scheme

**About us**

Established over 100 year