Health Care Assistant

Job summary

Large, busy training GP practice in Morden, London SW19 is looking for a experienced full time healthcare assistant.

We are looking for a healthcare assistant to join our team of skilled, friendly doctors and nurses to provide the full range of healthcare assistant duties. As well as having HCA skills you need to be literate, responsible, a good communicator both face to face and on the phone, confident with IT and work well and accurately in a busy environment. Training will be provided for the most suitable applicant(s). The post will be for a minimum of 24 hours per week and will involve working flexibly by rota between Monday and Friday according to the needs of the practice. General practice experience is desirable but not essential. Cover for holidays and general absence will be required.

Main duties of the job

Specific Responsibilities

Clinical Skills

* Undertake record and follow guidelines for the tasks for which you have received appropriate training.

* Urinalysis and preparation of specimens for investigation by the pathology laboratory.

* Measuring and recording:- blood pressure pulse rate and rhythm temperature height and weight body mass index peak flow and its calculation

* ECGs

* Blood glucose monitoring.

* Venepuncture.

* Inhaler techniques.

* Prepare and maintain environments and equipment before, during and after patient care interventions.

* Ensure GP rooms and clinical treatment rooms are clean and well stocked.

* Undertake dressing procedures following local recommendations, complying with infection control principles and practice.

* Perform spirometry on patients after full training and assessment of competence.

* Give accurate and appropriate information to patients and groups within own competence.

* Support clinicians in providing minor surgery.

* Plan, develop and implement ways of raising and promoting awareness of health and well-being, keeping records of what has been done.

* Provide support and encouragement to patients to self manage their conditions as appropriate.

About us

Our practice provides a high quality, comprehensive and patient-centred service to all patients, regardless of their age, sex, or background.

Practice Objectives To provide the best advice for the health of our patients in all activities. To ensure the maximum benefit for our patients, whilst being aware of the limit of our resources. To treat all equitably, ensuring that all patients are treated with dignity, respect and compassion. To support and encourage our staff in order to achieve the above.

We are committed to training our staff, medical students and doctors. We work with other organisations to improve the local NHS and to influence local decision-making.

We work with other organisations and service commissioners to improve the local NHS and to influence local decision-making.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Description: Health Care Assistant

Line Managers: Practice Nurse TeamLeader clinically

ActingManager - Administratively

Purpose: To assist the clinical team in the service delivery and managementof patients.

Overview of responsibilities

Establish and maintain communication with a range of people on a range of matters in a form that is appropriate to them and the situation.

Monitor and maintain health, safety and security of self and others.

Contribute to the improvement of services.

Maintain quality in own work and encourage others to do the same.

Support equality and value diversity, identifying when own or others behavior undermines equality and diversity.

Plan, develop, implement and assess approaches to promote health and well-being

Recognise and report situations where there might be a need for protection

Cleaning of rooms and equipment in line with IP&C guidelines

Stock ordering

Equipment auditing and arranging maintenance.

Specific Responsibilities and ClinicalSkills

Undertake record and follow guidelines for the tasks for which you have received appropriate training.

Urinalysis and preparation of specimens for investigation by the pathology laboratory.

Measuring and recording:- blood pressure pulse rate and rhythm temperature height and weight bodymass index peak flow and its calculation

ECGs

Blood glucose monitoring.

Venepuncture.

Inhaler techniques.

Prepare and maintain environments and equipment before, during and after patient care interventions.

Ensure GPs rooms and clinical treatment rooms are clean and well stocked.

Undertake dressing procedures following local recommendations, complying with infection control principles and practice.

Perform spirometry on patients after full training and assessment of competence.

Give accurate and appropriate information to patients and groups within own competence.

Support clinicians in providing minor surgery.

Plan, develop and implement ways of raising and promoting awareness of health and well-being, keeping records of what has been done.

Provide support and encouragement to patients to self-manage their conditions as appropriate.

Maintain the notice board in the waiting room and promote good health with educational material.

Administer influenza, pneumococcal and Vitamin B12 vaccinations

Remove sutures and clips.

Smoking cessation.

Pre diabetic reviews.

Undertake foot checks for people with diabetes.

Assist Consultants in clinics.

Act as a chaperone, when requested.

Record information and activities undertaken with patients and carers in an accurate and timely fashion using manual or computer systems and Read codes.

Maintain stock levels for clinical and vaccine supplies

Maintain the stock room in an orderly manner

Order stock for clinical supplies, vaccines, equipment and other necessary items as requested

Cleaning of rooms and equipment in line with Practice IP&C guidelines and other adhoc cleaning in line with Practice IP&C as needed and directed

Auditing, checking and Maintaining clinician equipment boxes and the surgery Emergency Box and associated equipment

Confidentiality

In the course of seeking treatment,patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information inrelation to their health and other matters.They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff willrespect their privacy and act appropriately.

In the performance of the dutiesoutlined in this Job Description, the post-holder may have access toconfidential information relating to patients and their carers, Practice staffand other healthcare workers. They mayalso have access to information relating to the Practice as a businessorganisation. All such information from any source must be regarded asstrictly confidential

Information relating to patients,carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the Practicemay only be divulged to authorised persons, in accordance with the Practicepolicies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection ofpersonal and sensitive data

Health, Safety and Security

The post-holder will assist inpromoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security asdefined in the Practice Health & Safety Policy, to include:-

Using personal security systems within the workplace according to Practice guidelines.

Identifying the risks involved inwork activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages thoserisks.

Be able to identify the risks of health of microbiological and chemical hazards within the working environment according to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health.

Making effective use of training toupdate knowledge and skills.

Using appropriate infection controlprocedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free fromhazards.

Reporting potential risks identified.

Understand apply the principles of the cold chain

Ensure safe storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs within area of responsibility.

Know the general principles of first aid and resuscitation to be able to undertake initial actions as appropriate.

Be aware of statutory child health procedures, statutory local guidance and referral criteria.

Communication

The post-holder should recognise the importance ofeffective 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.

Personal/Professional Development

The post-holder will participate in any trainingprogram implemented by the Practice as part of this employment, such trainingto include:-

Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development.

Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.

Demonstrate skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.

Quality

The post-holder will strive to maintain qualitywithin the Practice, and will:

Alert other team members to issues of quality andrisk.

Assess own performance and take accountability forown actions, either directly or under supervision.

Contribute to the effectiveness of the team byreflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improveand enhance the teams performance.

Work effectively with individuals in other agenciesto meet patients needs.

Effectively manage own time, workload andresources.

Equality and Diversity

The post-holder will supportthe equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, toinclude:-

Acting a way that recognises the importance ofpeoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with Practiceprocedures and policies, and current legislation.

Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefsof patients, carers and colleagues.

Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and ofthe individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelingspriorities and rights.

This jobdescription is a reflection of the current position and the post holder shouldexpect that it may be subject to variation from time to time.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

General education (eg GCSEs) to grade C or above.

Desirable

Open University HCA Diploma or equivalent.

---