Clinical Support Worker

Job summary

Up to hours per week

An exciting new opportunity has become available in our Community Respiratory Team. Working alongside a team of Respiratory Specialist Nurses and Physiotherapists, the successful candidate would be working towards the prevention of hospital admissions by helping to offer support, education and monitoring of patients with complex respiratory conditions in their own homes. Pulmonary Rehabilitation classes are also a strong focus of this post, offering weekly exercise and education sessions, in person and online, to prevent further deterioration of various respiratory conditions.

The successful applicant would ideally have some Respiratory experience, but training could be offered for a suitable candidate.

This would be an exciting time to join the Community Respiratory Team, where there is a strong focus on education and development.

This post involves travelling to various venues, peoples homes and working online.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work closely with the Community Respiratory Nurses and Physiotherapists to provide support in managing respiratory patients in their own homes and at Pulmonary Rehabilitation classes. The aim is to promote health and self-management, whilst also supporting patients at the more advanced stage of their illness.

To work autonomously and without direct supervision within the clearly defined boundaries of their competencies and carry out specific delegated clinical task and responsibilities as per local policies and procedures.

Depending on role you will be required to work within a defined geographical area undertaking specific clinical nursing duties to patients in a variety of settings such as their own homes, care homes, other community locations or clinic settings.

To assess care needs, including observing any changes in clinical conditions and reporting the findings to appropriate level.

Please note that this role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route, please refer to the Direct Gov website for more information with regards to eligibility

Please note that Livewell may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline if a high number of applications are submitted. Therefore, we recommend you submit your application at the earliest opportunity.

All Livewell staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7-day service.

Job Share(s) Considered

About us

Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social enterprise providing integrated health & social care services for people across Plymouth, South Hams & West Devon, as well as some specialist services for people living in parts of Devon & Cornwall. With teams in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, health & wellbeing hubs.

As an organisation with a strong social conscience, we always value being kind, respectful, inclusive, ambitious, responsible and collaborative. Transforming services to make them sustainable, ensuring that we value, support & empower each other.

We are committed to involving the people we care for, families & carers in everything that we do, working towards co-production where we can. Helping us to deliver the right care for people, in the right place & at the right time. By putting people at the centre of what we do, we ensure to support people to lead, healthy independent lives & be the very best at helping people to live well.

Valuing our employees making an investment in their development a priority. We offer:

Protected CPD time for registered staff

Various development pathways and ongoing regular training packages for all staff

Leadership & mentoring programmes

Access & funding for training including Care Certificate, Assistant Practitioners Course & Scholarship Into Nurse Training

A Robust Preceptorship

A bespoke induction programme

Existing members of the NHS Pension Scheme can continue their membership when they join the organisation.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Responsibility for People Management:

To be responsible for contributing to the planning, monitoring, and evaluating of patient centred care. Reporting back to the registered nurse and escalating concerns as required. Following a Registered Nurse or Assistant Practitioners assessment of need the post holder will then implement a planned programme of care, with the support of a Registered Nurse. To act as a role model for all staff and students demonstrating clinical skills and high standards of practice and professional conduct. To take responsibility for your own personal and professional development, maintain competence, knowledge, and skills commensurate with the role. To participate in Reflective Practice, Practice Supervision and Appraisals and line management supervision as per policy. To take a flexible approach to supporting colleagues in times of caseload pressures, including working with colleagues to maintain support across the teams with the resources available. Responsibility for financial and/or physical resources: You will have no direct responsibility for finances; however, you will adhere to the relevant trust policies on financial issues. To exercise a duty of care in relation to the use of the organisations equipment and resources in a cost-effective manner. Monitoring and ordering of stock levels and to utilise resources economically and effectively and promote cost consciousness throughout the service. To have a working knowledge and be responsible for ensuring nurses and patients equipment is in safe working order, disposed of or returned when no longer required as per Policy and to inform Line Manager if any problems occur. To use Livewell Southwest resources responsibly. Responsibility for administration: To maintain accurate records, which are confidential, contemporaneous, and legible, with all care given documented at the time in line with clinical guidance in Livewell Southwest policies. You will be expected to participate in standard of patients records by audit or peer review and have a regular open discussion with team members. Make appropriate records in the multi-disciplinary patient file and / or electronic records, which may be required to be counter-signed by a registered nurse. Complete on time and submit all necessary forms, documentation, including IT data and forward as required by the manager/organisation. To always maintain and preserve confidentiality, and be aware of GDPR, Access to Health Records and Consent for Treatment. To access NHS email and other information through Livewell Southwest intranet. To be responsible for organising own time management daily in line with caseload demands, using own initiative and be flexible when organising own workload on a day-to-day basis, which is often unpredictable in order to respond to the needs of the service. Where appropriate, to organise hospital records upon delivery ensuring they are available to the correct clinician. Using the appropriate clinical systems to track and trace and returning when completed. Responsibility for people who use our services: To provide appropriate support and advice to family and carers, demonstrating tact and sensitivity in dealing with complex and sensitive information and negotiating a positive outcome. Act as a patient advocate as required ensuring individual needs, preferences and choices are delivered by the Service. To ensure privacy, dignity and human rights are respected for patients and carers. To provide basic education and continuing support to patients, family, and carers. To identify areas of concern regarding practice and communicate to the registered nurse. Assist registered nurses in delivering high standards of care to patients referred to Livewell Southwest services. To recognise and respond to any changes in patient care situations, which might include risks to self and others including adult and child protection concerns. You must inform the most appropriate professional at the earliest opportunity. Be conversant with the safeguarding adult and child protection procedures and policies. To support the delivery of holistic evidence-based/best practice care to patients in accordance with National and organisation approved policies/procedures and individual care plans. To undertake specific clinical tasks as delegated by registered staff having once undertaken relevant training and deemed competent. Working in line with the Livewell Southwest Delegation to band 3 and 4 support workers guidance. You will be required to comply with all infection control policies and guidance, attend relevant updates and report issues of concern to their immediate line manager. Responsibility for implementation of policy and/or service developments: You will be required to comply with all relevant policies and procedures pertinent to your post. Current versions can be found on Healthnet or via your manager. Failure to follow correct policies and procedures may result in disciplinary action. To contribute to the development, implementation, and monitoring of standards of care. Other Responsibilities: To develop and maintain own clinical expertise by attending meetings, study days and in-service training and learn new specialist skills required for service development. To maintain an up-to-date personal competency portfolio. Only undertake work which is within own competence and to identify any work required to be undertaken by more senior staff. To identify and take responsibility in the maintaining of clinical competencies in line with the job role. Ensuring these are adequately supported by clinical sign off. Identifying areas where this may be required. To participate in team activities to develop and consolidate a cohesive and supportive team ensuring openness within the team. To attend and participate in meetings as negotiated within the team and to provide relevant timely feedback. You will be required to use a computer, being responsible for timely recording patient activities for IT data collection, dealing with e-mail queries, stock/equipment ordering. To participate in an annual appraisal of their work in line with the Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) where the job description will be reviewed, and objectives set. In line with the annual development plan the postholder will be expected to undertake any training or development required to fulfil their role. Communications & Relationships: To demonstrate effective communication with patients, staff, and other members of the multi-disciplinary team. When communicating with patients it should be at the appropriate level for patients to understand such as patients suffering from terminal illness, dementia, disability, visually impairment and/or hearing impairment. Able to communicate the role and eligibility criteria of the service in which you work within.

Physical Demands of the Job:

Regularly demonstrate exercises at pulmonary Rehabilitation classes You may be required to drive or travel for periods of time between patients homes in all-weather / seasons and requiring lifting bags and equipment from the car boot on each visit. Staff members may need to exert moderate physical effort during their daily shifts, such as handling patients, dressing wounds, and performing diagnostics, which may involve bending, kneeling, and lifting limbs or heavy objects like buckets of water, requiring manual handling and equipment Use of moving and handling equipment including hoists and other lifting equipment often in a confined space in the patients home on difficult floor surfaces carpet. At each visit staff risk assess the need to move light furniture in patients home to allow nursing procedures to be carried out often within a confined space. Regularly carry and transport equipment Nursing bag, documentation, laptop, observation equipment. There may be a requirement for active participation in physical activity such as pulmonary rehabilitation. Mental Effort: Continuously interrupted, multi-tasking writing notes, answering mobile telephone call. Staff may carry a mobile telephone and are expected to be available to other staff and professionals and can be interrupted at any time. Need to concentrate on a continual basis throughout the day. Attending clinical visits in all weather conditions through a variety of transport car, walking in heavy traffic to unknown areas daily, including in the dark and adverse weather conditions. Emotional Support: You may be exposed to emotionally distressing situations on a regular basis seeing people with mental illness, learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and complex health needs. These include challenging and unpredictable behaviour. To report and record incidents and near misses relating to health, safety, security, fire, physical violence, aggression, and verbal abuse. To work within challenging and unpredictable environments patients homes which may have constraints and require adaptability. Working Conditions: You may be supplied with mobile telephones and lone working devices for work purposes and be expected to abide by Livewell Southwest Lone working policy including the operational procedure for lone working devices. To support a clean and tidy working environment adhering to policy and procedures. Mobile phones may not work in areas where there is poor network reception. Staff will utilise lone working devices. The job involves several times in a day exposure and contact to highly unpleasant working condition such as secondary smoking, bodily fluids, including sputum, vomit, blood, urine and faeces, soiled linen, fleas, lice, scabies poor hygiene standards and communicable diseases. Occasional exposure to verbal and physical aggression and dangerous pets. Person Specification

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

Understanding of physical health, mental health and learning disabilities. Understanding of the role of Clinical support worker / Heath care assistant and boundaries Ability to access/travel to patient homes across the locality Effective communication and interactive skills including oral, written and IT Ability to use initiative and work independently Good time management

Desirable

Willingness to learn Evidence of previous professional development Evidence of recent study

Qualifications

Essential

Maths and English GCSE grade 4 or above (A-C) NVQ III in Care (or evidence of working towards) or able to demonstrate the skills knowledge & ability to work to this level.

Desirable

Care certificate

Additional requirements

Essential

Demonstrate commitment to and focus on quality, promotes high standards to consistently improve patient outcomes. Demonstrates the values required to work in this role, including demonstration of commitment to Livewell values. Develops and maintains positive and appropriate relationships with service users, families and carers demonstrates kindness, empathy and respect at all times.

Experience

Essential

Experience of formulating therapeutic relationships Previous experience of working within a health care setting. (employment, work experience volunteering)

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