Star Worker

Job summary

The Health Care Assistant (Band 3) is the second step on a skills escalator ofunregistered practitioners. This level of practitioner will have extensiveexperience at HCA Band 2/3 with an appreciation and knowledge of unitprocedures, competency based clinical observations, is able to organise dayto day tasks and activities based on an agreed and allocated work role will work with more experienced Registered and Unregisteredpractitioners providing support to both health and social care professionals,whilst offering support and supervision to band 2 practitioners as Health Care Assistant role at this level, will be allocated and agreed viaplans of care, assessed and evaluated by a registered nurse. They willimplement, deliver care under the guidance of registered practitionerssupported by a monitored process of on-going supervision and support. Thisrole will be expected to work with ongoing levels of support and supervisionas determined via a monitored supervisory process and supported byeducational development via the NVQ process.

Main duties of the job

Undertake a range of duties as agreed by unit policies and protocolswhich involve direct patient care, under monitored supervisionTo assist as instructed in the coordination of care delivery for a caseload of patients for those with mental health problems including thosewith severe, enduring mental illness and Learning Disability

To work through and with the Directorate, psychiatric / learningdisability multidisciplinary team, patients and other communityagencies as instructed and guided

Contribute to the monitoring of the physical environment ensuringthat it is safe and conducive to the therapeutic work of theunit/community setting, whilst being able to accurately monitor andfeedback concerns the registered practitioners

Have informed knowledge and understanding in the psychological,social, physical and spiritual needs of all patients as guided asagreed in a monitored supervisory framework

Actively participate and assist in the care and rehabilitation ofpatients as per the plan of care determined and supervised by aregistered practitioner

About us

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) is an outstanding organisation with ambitions to match. We are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from theCare Quality Commission, and our aim is to be the leading provider of mental health and specialist learning disability services in the country.

Our family of over 3500 members of staff provide health and social care for over 400,000 people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. We also deliver a range of nationally commissioned specialist services including Tier 4 services for children and young people, perinatal services, plus medium and low secure learning disabilities services.

The care we provide makes a fantastic difference to the lives of our service users, their families and carers - everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:

Our Trust values are:

Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.

These values are at the core of who we are, everything we do, and how we do it

Would you like to be part of the HPFT family? Would you like work with us to ensure our service users live the fullest lives possible they can? Would you like to be supported in your career to be the best that you can be?

Job description

Job responsibilities

Adhere to unit protocols and policies ( supportive observations) To assist patients with all Activities of Daily Living as required To assist members of the multidisciplinary team with agreedprocedures (chaperoning) To have a basic understanding of the principles of infection control andthe importance of dietary and fluid requirements of individual patients Inform the nurse in charge of any potential hazard, accident, incident orpatient problem that occurs To undertake basic clerical and reception duties, including organisingpatient transport and related tasks as required To undertake basic housekeeping tasks such as cleaning, tidying tomaintain a suitable environment in line with PEAT standards To recognise and promote all aspects of cultural diversity, devisingcare plans as guided by a registered practitioner, that respondpositively to ethnic awareness with sensitivity, where necessary

Person Specification

KNOWLEDGE, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE

Essential

NVQ Level 3/Certificate in Mental Health or Learning Disability or equivalent experience or expected to undertake this within 6months of taking up post Previous experience in a care setting Basic understanding of Mental Health Act

Desirable

Venepuncture skill

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Essential

Ability to communicate clearly and effectively both in writing and verbally Ability to communicate when barriers to understanding exist Ability to communicate within a multi-disciplinary team Basic IT skills

Desirable

Able to run groups or chair therapy sessions

PHYSICAL SKILLS AND ABILITY

Essential

Physically fit and able to work with physically aggressive patients Take patients for walks Able to support and enable patient with ADL issues

Desirable

Car driver

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