Healthcare Assistant

As part of this role, the healthcare assistant will be expected to provide support and assist with a variety of clinics across practices, working in partnership with members of the wider Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) and alongside patients and carers.

The role will involve basic health checks, taking of bloods and other tasks appropriate to the role, with guidance and supervision of clinicians at the practices.

The role will be varied with the healthcare assistant supporting good screening of patients and health promotion as well as supporting some wound management and vaccines and adhere to good infection control practices.

The healthcare assistant will be an active part of wider team meetings and support the practices to improve services offered to patients.

This role covers all three of our Marsh Practices: Orchard House Surgery, Martello Health Centre and Church Lane Surgery

**Main Responsibilities**
- Assist clinicians in emergency management of patients.
- Assistance at clinics ensuring patient care by chaperoning.
- Attends clinical supervision sessions and any appropriate meetings.
- Clearly presents patients' point of view to others.
- Contribute new ideas to improve patient care.
- Enable patients to access appropriate professionals in the practice team.
- Ensure stock items are ordered and provided in Clinical Areas.
- Instruct patients in appropriate techniques or tasks.
- Interact with patients' and colleagues in a professional manner.
- Keeps up to date with mandatory trainings and updates to remain competent.
- Maintain clinical equipment efficiently and ensures servicing is undertaken.
- Prepare and maintain environments and equipment before, during and after patient care.
- Receiving telephone messages recording and transmitting accordingly.
- Recognise potential areas of conflict, preventing where possible and reporting to senior members of staff if unable to resolve.
- Take appropriate action if standards are not being met.
- The checking and recording of medical supplies on receipt.
- The inputting and extracting of information onto the Practice clinical system.
- The testing and result recording of clinical specimens.
- Undertake ear irrigation under the supervision of the Practice Nurse.
- Support the Practice Nurse with chronic disease management e.g., spirometry, diabetic foot cheeks.
- Act as a chaperone when required.
- To undertake all duties in line with the training and instruction provided by the Practice Nurse, and General Practitioners.

**Wound Management ** **Undertake suture clip removal**
- Undertake uncomplicated dressings

**Screening**
- Carry out holistic screening and assessment using national assessment tools
- Recognise changes in the patient's observation which must be reported and acted on
- Undertake ECG/24-hour BP monitor testing
- Undertake NHS Health checks
- Undertake Phlebotomy and the preparing of pathology samples
- Undertake screening including BP checks, height, weight, BMI, urine testing, pulse oximeter, glucose monitoring

**Health Promotion**
- Appreciate the principles of 'Healthy Living'
- Makes basic assessment of needs of patients
- Measures and records BMI
- Offers lifestyle advice on smoking and exercise and refers as appropriate
- Provide nutritional advice on overweight, CHD, diabetes
- Provide relevant health promotion literature/advice for patients
- Understands patient’s motivation to adapt their lifestyle

**Vaccinations and Immunisations**
- Administer injections under an individualised prescription or Patient specific directive
- Ensure safe storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs

**Infection Control**
All staff providing direct patient care must ensure that they follow procedures aimed at reducing the risk of passing on the organisms that can cause infections.

All staff, collectively and individually, have a duty of care in following best practice in adherence to guidelines which is a fundamental requirement in underpinning the management of Infection, Prevention and Control.
- Dealing with blood and body fluid spillages
- Decontamination of instruments and clinical equipment
- Reporting and treatment of sharps injuries
- Segregation and disposal of waste materials
- The collection and handling of laboratory specimens
- Universal hygiene precautions
- Assist patients and colleagues in adopting sound infection control measures and health and safety measures
- The ongoing cleaning and sterilisation of clinical equipment and working surfaces, preparing treatment/consulting rooms prior to use

**Person Specification**

**Key Skills and Attributes**

Essential
- Previous experience in a healthcare setting
- Caring
- Flexible
- Good Team-Player
- Calm under pressure
- Good levels of concentration
- Confidence to escalate issues and concerns to senior medical team

Desirable
- Previous knowledge of infection control procedures
- Experience in the community

**Experience**

Essential
- Good interpersonal skills
- Excellen