Healthcare Assistant

Job summary

A position has arisen for a Healthcare Assistant to join our team.

We are looking for a motivated, enthusiastic, committed individual to join our friendly and forward-thinking supportive practice. The candidate will complement our established nursing team which currently consists of a nurse practitioner, three practice nurses one of which is community based and a full-time health care assistant.

Your role will involve some in-house work as well as some domiciliary and home visit work, you will therefore be expected to visit patients who are housebound in their own home.

We are a practice that is strongly focused on working together to serve our deprived community and help, where possible, address inequalities.

Due to the nature of the role, hours and salary are negotiable and dependent on experience. We expect the role to be between 30-35 hours per week.

Main duties of the job

Working as a part of our nursing team under the supervision of a nurse you will be competent to undertake in a variety of tasks including:

New patient health checks Supporting the nurses with chronic disease reviews and disease management BP monitoring & overseeing the BP Loan scheme Urinalysis & preparation of specimens for investigation Phlebotomy Weight monitoring Vaccine/cold chain storage, monitoring & recording including the rotation & disposal of vaccines & drugs within area of responsibility Surgical equipment & vaccine re-stocking and stock rotation Restocking of clinical areas & consulting rooms Supporting the Nursing team & the GPs in the administration of seasonal vaccines Administration of B12 injections Dressings

Experience of these duties is required for this role.

About us

We are a seven partner GMS teaching practice in the North of Sheffield with a practice population of approximately 9,300 patients. Our team also includes 3 salaried GPs, 1 Nurse Practitioner, 4 Practice Nurses, 3 Health Care Assistants and a team of reception, secretarial and admin staff. We have a spacious, modern building.

Both formal and informal communication is an important part of the way our practice runs.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Duties and responsibilities

New patient health checks BP monitoring and overseeing the BP Loan scheme. Urinalysis and preparation of specimens for investigation Phlebotomy Processing and management of laboratory samples requested by GPs or Nurses. Chaperoning duties Helping to raise awareness of health and well-being and how it can be promoted and provide lifestyle advice to patients making any necessary referrals within the practice. Weight monitoring Vaccine cold chain storage, monitoring and recording including the rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs within area of responsibility. Surgical equipment and vaccine re-stocking and stock rotation Ensure sharps bins are stored away, labelled and ready for collection. Restocking and maintenance of equipment Restocking of clinical areas and consulting rooms Preparing and maintaining environments and equipment before, during and after patient care interventions, including assisting GPs during the performance of minor operations Supporting the Nursing team and the GPs in the administration of seasonal vaccines Administration of B12 injections Supporting the nurses with chronic disease reviews Dressings

Administration and professional responsibilities

Participate in the administrative and professional responsibilities of the practice team. Ensure the clinical computer system is kept up to date with accurate details recorded. Ensure appropriate items of service claims are made accurately, reporting any problems to the practice operations assistant. Ensure accurate completion of all necessary documentation associated with patient health care and registration with the practice. Attend and participate in practice meetings as required. To create and send recall letters for disease management. To assist in seasonal and special projects as requested flu campaign.

Management of medical records

Ensure correspondence, reports, results etc are filed in correct records.

Management of appointment system

Ensure total familiarity with all appointment systems, including regular and incidental variations. Book appointments and recalls, ensuring sufficient information is recorded to enable retrieval from the medical record. Accurately and correctly record diary entries and recalls. Monitor effectiveness of the system and report any problems or variations to the operations assistant.

Any other delegated duties considered appropriate to the post

An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality. An ability to use own judgement, resourcefulness, common sense and local knowledge, to respond to patients enquiries and requests while adhering to practice limitations. An understanding and acceptance of own capabilities and awareness of own limitations. Ability to work without direct supervision and determine own workload priorities. Flexibility of working hours. Excellent communication skills.

Confidentiality

While 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 implement and lead on a full range of promotion and management of their own and others health and safety and infection control as defined in the practice Health and Safety policy, and the practice Infection Control policy and published procedures. This will include (but will not be limited to):

Awareness of national standards of infection control and cleanliness and regulatory / contractual / professional requirements, and good practice guidelines. Be 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. 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 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 and sterile, and safe way, 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. Undertaking periodic infection control training. Waste management including collection, handling, segregation, container management, storage and collection. Understanding and applying the principles of the cold chain. Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

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 recognises 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 that is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Personal/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. Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance, demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work. Be aware of limitations of practice pertinent to the role

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. Participate in organisational activities that create opportunities to improve patient care.

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 recognising their needs. Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly. Person Specification

Skills and Abilities

Essential

Excellent communication skills - both written and verbal Commitment to team working Ability to follow clinical protocol and procedure Flexible Approach Enthusiasm and commitment to personal development Well organised and able to prioritise workload of self and others if necessary Good planning and decision-making skills An understanding and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality Willingness to learn new skills New patient health checks Supporting the nurses with chronic disease reviews and disease management BP monitoring & overseeing the BP Loan scheme Urinalysis & preparation of specimens for investigation Phlebotomy Weight monitoring Vaccine/cold chain storage, monitoring & recording including the rotation & disposal of vaccines & drugs within area of responsibility Surgical equipment & vaccine re-stocking and stock rotation Restocking of clinical areas & consulting rooms Supporting the Nursing team & the GPs in the administration of seasonal vaccines Administration of B12 injections Dressings Experience of these skills is required for this role.

Desirable

Innovative

Qualifications

Essential

Care Certificate Level 3 or above or working towards gaining equivalent level

Desirable

Demonstration of ongoing professional development

Experience

Essential

Experience of conducting new patient health checks Experience supporting the nurses with chronic disease reviews and disease management Experience with BP monitoring & overseeing the BP Loan scheme Experience of urinalysis & preparation of specimens for investigation Experienced in Phlebotomy Experience in weight monitoring and advice. Experience with vaccine/cold chain storage, monitoring & recording including the rotation & disposal of vaccines & drugs within area of responsibility Experience of surgical equipment & vaccine re-stocking and stock rotation Experience with administration of B12 injections Experience providing dressings and wound checks. Basic IT Skills Use of computerised health records To work as part of an established multi-disciplinary team

Desirable

Experience of restocking of clinical areas & consulting rooms Experience of supporting the Nursing team & the GPs in the administration of seasonal vaccines Previous experience in Primary Care Previous experience of working in a healthcare setting

Knowledge

Essential

Sound relevant knowledge necessary for the HCA role in General Practice

Desirable

Understanding of GMS contract and implications for General Practice Appreciation of primary care current climate of change

Other

Essential

Flexibility of working hours able to work at the desired times and community-based working Car driver and clean driving licence

Desirable

Understands and is able to use appropriate infection control procedures and be aware and follow national standards of infection control and cleanliness

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