Flexibank Anti-coagulation Assistant

This is an opportunity to work within a supportive, friendly team of trained and untrained staff.

This is a flexi bank role to support the community anti coagulation team in providing near point testing to patients taking warfarin or other vitamin K antigen oral anticoagulation both in clinic settings and patients own homes.

The post holder may be asked to provide occasional support to wider cardiology team when appropriate

Undertake near patient blood sampling (finger pricking) to obtain INR reading and Liaise with trained staff for dosing patient’s warfarin medications. Full training provided.

Carry out ECGs if appropriate after training.

Ensure an individualised and holistic approach is achieved and that agreed standards are maintained at all times.

To participate in audits for the service when required.

Take venous blood tests for patients as appropriate ( after training)

So what else?

This is your chance to join a progressive and innovative service in a social enterprise that is patient and staff focused - you’ll even have the opportunity to become an MCH shareholder.

We encourage staff to get involved in exploring new ways of working and service development.

We’ll provide well established, in-service training, one to one supervision, and appraisals with regular support.

You’ll be able to develop your skills in a friendly and supportive team.

Would you like to work flexibly? In the NHS, we are reminded every day of how important work life balance is. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us, for our patients and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement.

The small print

Informal visits can be arranged on request.

We will offer you the choice of two pension schemes; the NHS Pension scheme and the scottish widows group pension scheme.

MCH encourages all staff to be double COVID vaccinated to protect themselves, their colleagues, their family and their patients.

1. Communication and relationship skills
- Communicate any issues affecting the service to a senior staff member.
- Communicate sensitive patient/organisational/staff information to other healthcare professionals
- Provide and receive complex and sensitive information overcoming barriers to understanding
- Communicate unwelcome or sensitive information using discretion and tact

2. Knowledge, training and experience
- Willingness to undergo training
- Community experience

3. Analytical and judgement skills
- Be able to acknowledge limitations to competence and not act outside of these.
- Act as a positive role model

4. Planning and organisational skills
- Plan and organise day to make effective use of time and resources
- Participate in the audit and standards of care
- Highlight any issue to senior team member that may impact service delivery.

5. Physical skills
- Keyboard skills
- Manual dexterity to undertake blood sampling
- To act within professional standards, including record keeping, confidentiality and drug administration.
- Moving and handling - patient care
- Ability to travel to diverse sites in a timely manner to undertake home visits, attend clinics and meetings etc.

6. Responsibility for patient / client care
- To work within clearly defined accountability frameworks recognising at all times the boundaries to the remit of the assistant role.
- Perform point of care INR bloods tests using coaguchek pro and coagucheck INRange point of care machine
- Recognise when a patient is deteriorating and ensure escalation of care.
- To be responsible for keeping accurate records.

7. Responsibility for policy and service development implementation
- Assist with efficient running of the service by providing support with stocking up equipment and paperwork.
- As required undertake equipment checks and update records and audit.
- Adhere to Organisational policies and procedures

8. Responsibilities for financial and physical resources
- Responsible for use of equipment and facilities
- To assist and ensure equipment is maintained and used correctly and to maintain up to date records.
- Ensure adequate supplies are available to maintain anticoagulation services.

9. Responsibilities for human resources (HR)
- To actively participate in clinical supervision meetings that will direct approaches to practice.
- To participate in the individual appraisal process so that personal, professional and organisational goals are met.

10. Responsibilities for information resources
- Ensure all records are updated and safeguard client’s confidentiality within legal and ethical principles (Caldicott) and Medway Community Healthcare data protection policies.
- Maintains accurate patient records.

11. Responsibilities for research and development (R&D)
- Actively participate in clinical audit and clinical governance activities.

12. Freedom to act
- Guided by established policies and guidelines
- Professionally an