Healthcare Assistant

Job summary

We are looking to recruit anenthusiastic, experienced and motivated Healthcare Assistant to join us at ParkGreen Surgery.

Previous experience of workingin primary care is desired, although not essential, and a commitment to furthertraining, education and development along with excellent inter-personal skills,verbal and written skills. You will be as part of the wider nursing team onsupporting our patients at our busy GP Practice.

The successful HCA candidate willassist the practice clinical team in the provision and delivery of prescribedprogrammes of patient care which include assisting with minor surgicalprocedures and other planned clinics such as womens health.

The post will include administrativeduties to support the team.

Main duties of the job

Undertake new patient & annual NHS health checks Support the practice nurse team with health promotion programmes Carry out baseline observations such as pulse oximetry, blood pressure, temperature, pulse rate, recording findings accurately Facilitate routine and 24-hour BP monitoring, advising patients accordingly Undertake wound care, dressings and other clinical tasks as required Support the practice nurse team with the management of chronic disease clinics to include diabetes. Training provided where necessary. Carry out BMI checks as directed Act as a chaperone as required When trained, administer flu vaccinations, B12 injections etc. Carry out ECGs as requested and follow up with the requesting clinician Ensure specimens are recorded and ready for onward transportation Provide support during minor operations as required Ensure clinical rooms are adequately stocked and prepared for each session Manage clinical consumable stock including ordering and rotation Ensure fridges are cleaned routinely in accordance with extant guidance Ensure clinical waste is removed from clinical areas and sharps bins replaced in accordance with the practice IPC policy Deliver opportunistic health promotion where appropriate

About us

We are a supportiveand welcoming, forward-thinking practice, based in the heart of the town withinWaters Green Medical Centre, Macclesfield, Cheshire, extremely close to localtransport links. As a training practice we work alongside 5 other practicesserving the local area from one shared purpose-built facility, providingservices to our patient population of approximately 12,000 patients.

Ourclinical team include 6 GP Partners, 5 Salaried GPs, 3 GP Trainees, 3 PracticeNurses, a Pharmacy Team consisting of a Clinical Pharmacist and a PharmacyTechnician. We also have the pleasure of multiple additional roles supportingthe practice in the form of a First Contact Practitioner and a PhysiciansAssociate.

TheHealthcare Assistant role forms an integral part of the above clinical team inaddition to working alongside the following administrative roles; Our Adminteam includes Prescriptions Clerks, Secretaries, Reception staff, Clinical Coder,Administrative Assistant, Clinical Administrator and other Administrationroles. Overseeing all of the above is the Practice Manager, supported by the AssistantPractice Manager.

Job description

Job responsibilities

We are looking to recruit an enthusiastic, experienced and motivated Healthcare Assistant to join us at Park Green Surgery.

Previous experience of working in primary care is desired, although not essential, and a commitment to further training, education and development along with excellent inter-personal skills, verbal and written skills. You will be as part of the wider nursing team on supporting our patients at our busy GP Practice.

The successful HCA candidate will assist the practice clinical team in the provision and delivery of prescribed programmes of patient care which include assisting with minor surgical procedures and other planned clinics such as womens health.

The post will include administrative duties to support the team.

MAIN DUTIES:

Undertake new patient & annual NHS health checks Support the practice nurse team with health promotion programmes Carry out baseline observations such as pulse oximetry, blood pressure, temperature, pulse rate, recording findings accurately Facilitate routine and 24-hour BP monitoring, advising patients accordingly Undertake wound care, dressings and other clinical tasks as required Support the practice nurse team with the management of chronic disease clinics to include diabetes. Training provided where necessary. Carry out BMI checks as directed Act as a chaperone as required When trained, administer flu vaccinations, B12 injections etc. Carry out ECGs as requested and follow up with the requesting clinician Ensure specimens are recorded and ready for onward transportation Provide support during minor operations as required Ensure clinical rooms are adequately stocked and prepared for each session Manage clinical consumable stock including ordering and rotation Ensure fridges are cleaned routinely in accordance with extant guidance Ensure clinical waste is removed from clinical areas and sharps bins replaced in accordance with the practice IPC policy Deliver opportunistic health promotion where appropriate

EDUCATIONAL

Identify personal development and training needs Participate in clinical supervision To participate in continuing education and maintain a contemporary level of professional knowledge and skills

PERSONNEL

Maintain good relations Take reasonable care of his/her own safety and that of other persons who may be affected by his/her act or omission Co-operation with the Practice to ensure all members of the team adheres to statutory regulations/policies and codes of practice and departments safety rules Offer innovative ways of working and opportunities to facilitate learning Facilitates a learning environment within the team Maintains a caring environment through the support of colleagues

CONFIDENTIALITY

In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us 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.

In the performance of the duties outlined in this Job Description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, Practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the Practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded 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 Practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health and safety and infection control as defined in the Practice Health & Safety Policy, the Practice Health & Safety Manual and the Practice Infection Control Policy and Published procedures. This will include (but will not be limited to):

Using personal security systems within the workplace according to Practice guidelines Awareness of national standards of infection control and cleanliness and regulatory/contractual/professional requirements, and good practice guidelines Responsible for the correct and safe management of the specimens process including collection, labelling, handling, use of correct and clean containers, storage and transport arrangements Management and maintenance of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the Practice including provision, ordering, availability and ongoing correct usage by staff Responsible for hand hygiene across the Practice Ownership of infection control and clinically based patient care protocols and implementation of those protocols across the Practice Active observation of current working practices across the Practice in relation to infection control, cleanliness and related activities, ensuring that procedures are followed and weaknesses/training needs are identified, escalating issues as appropriate Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks across clinical and patient process Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills and initiate and manage the training of others across the full range of infection control and patient processes Monitoring practice facilities and equipment in relation to infection control, ensuring that provision of hand cleansing facilities, wipes etc are sufficient to ensure a good clinical working environment. Lack of facilities to be escalated as appropriate Safe management of sharps procedures including training, use, storage and disposal Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy, clean, sterile and safe way and free from hazards. Initiation of remedial/corrective action where needed or escalation to responsible management Actively identifying, reporting and correction of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised Keeping own work areas and general/patient areas generally clean, sterile, identifying issues and hazards/risks in relation to other work areas within the business and assuming responsibility in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness across the business in consultation (where appropriate) with other sector managers Undertaking periodic infection control training Routine management of own team/team areas, and maintenance of work space standards. Waste management including collection, handling, segregation, container management, storage and collection Spillage control procedures, management and training Decontamination control procedures, management and training and equipment maintenance Maintenance of sterile environments

EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY

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

Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of peoples 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 AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development Participation in monthly in-house training and collaborative working for the whole practice Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work

QUALITY

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will:

Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs Effectively manage own time, workload and resources

COMMUNICATION

The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

Communicate effectively with other team members Communicate effectively with patients and carers Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.

CONTRIBUTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SERVICES

The post-holder will:

Apply practice policies, standards and guidance Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work Participate in audit where appropriate. Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

GCSE grade A to C in English and Maths, or equivalent Good standard of general education Qualified to NVQ level 2 in Health and Social Care

Desirable

Qualified to NVQ level 3

Experience

Essential

Experience of working within a nursing or healthcare environment Experience of clinical systems

Desirable

Experience of working in primary care Experience of working in a GP practice Experience of EMIS

Knowledge and skills

Essential

Ability to provide quality care Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

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