Healthcare Assistant

Job summary

100Fold CIC is creating a pool of Health Care Assistants to support local practices across Somerset, where workers will have the flexibility of a bank contract. You will take responsibility for routine non-clinical and clinical duties as directed by a registered practitioner and will be expected to make basic decisions and report back to help with patient care evaluation, as well as in broader service development and quality assurance activities. You will also be expected to answer non-complex patient queries and offer flexible support to patients, carers and the wider team. The requirements of the role will vary between practices and may require one skill to be applied to a range of settings, such as phlebotomy. You must hold, or be working towards, at least an NVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care or equivalent.

Main duties of the job

To assist medical personnel in the care of practice patients, to include treatment, preventative care, screening and patient education. Offer a range of care to patients including, but limited to phlebotomy, BP monitoring, height and weight monitoring, ECGs, urinalysis, undertaking new patient checks in general practice and assisting patients to undertake activities linked to rehabilitation programmes Understanding normal parameters and when to refer to GPs/Nursing team for further management Work under indirect or direct supervision in a structured context Ensure specimens are labelled and bagged ready for collection with the necessary paperwork completed Participate in the administrative and professional responsibilities of the practice team Ensure accurate and legible notes of all consultations and treatments are recorded in the patients notes

About us

100Fold CIC is an established Community Interest Company, whose aim is to provide people and solutions to support local Primary Care; re-investing any surplus into services that benefit the people of Somerset. To date we have created a bank of vaccination staff for the Covid-19 programme and delivered 1000s of vaccines to housebound patients and within vaccination centres. We have been awarded the GP flexible pool contract from the Somerset ICB, to recruit GPs to work with and support GP practices. We are also helping to support the introduction and recruitment of Community Investigation Hubs within Somerset. To find out more please see our website:

Job description

Job responsibilities

Nursing

New patient registration checks, including completing any necessary paperwork and making any necessary claims to the Health Authority and referrals within the practice

BP monitoring

Urinalysis

Phlebotomy

ECG

Assist with childhood and adolescent immunisations, maintaining any Child Health and practice records including completing any necessary claims to the Health Authority, reporting any problems to the practice administrator

Provide lifestyle advice to patients making any necessary referrals within the practice

Weight monitoring

Ensure specimens are labelled and bagged ready for collection with the necessary paperwork completed

Ensure clinical waste collection runs smoothly, reporting any problems to the nurse manager

Ensure sharps bins are ready for collection

Restocking/maintenance of equipment

Restocking of clinical areas and consulting rooms

2. Administration and professional responsibilities

Participate in the administrative and professional responsibilities of the practice team

Ensure accurate and legible notes of all consultations and treatments are recorded in the patients notes

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 administrator

Ensure accurate completion of all necessary documentation associated with patient health care and registration with the practice

Ensure collection and maintenance of statistical information required for regular and ad hoc reports

Attend and participate in practice meetings as required

Assist in formulation of practice philosophy, strategy and policy

Restocking and maintenance of clinical areas and consulting rooms

To create and send recall letters for clinics

To assist in seasonal and special projects as requested flu campaign

Ordering and display of health promotion materials

3. Management of medical records

Ensure that records are accurately assembled in advance of each consulting session

Ensure that records are available in the instances of urgent consultation

Retrieve and re-file records as requested, ensuring that strict alphabetical order is adhered to

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

Ensure records are kept neat and tidy and in good repair with all necessary information recorded correctly on the outer cover

4. 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 of the medical record

Monitor flow of patients into the waiting room, ensuring the appointment system accurately reflects the arrival of patients

Monitor effectiveness of the system and report any problems or variations to the senior receptionist

5. Any other delegated duties considered appropriate to the post

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR 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

Basic keyboard and computer skills

Flexibility of working hours

Excellent communication skills

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 & safety

The post-holder will implement and lead on a full range of promotion and management their own and others health and safety and infection control as defined in the practice and 100Folds Health & Safety policy, Health & Safety manuals, and 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 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

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 (minimum twice annually)

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

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 recognizes the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice and 100Fold 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/Professional development:

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by 100Fold as part of this employment, such training to include:

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 recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

Communicate effectively with other team members

Communicate effectively with patients and carers

Recognize peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly

Contribution to the Implementation of Services

You will:

Apply both 100Fold, CIH and 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

Problem Solving and Decision Making

Limited problem solving will be required and queries to be escalated.

Supervision & Management

The post holder will be managed by the Lead Clinician who will oversee their activities. Some parts of your work will be undertaken without direct supervision.

Person Specification

Skills, Knowledge and Competencies

Essential

Great communication Skills Customer service skills/Patient focused Ability to work as part of a team Computer skills Organisational skills Effective time management skills Knowledge of IT systems, including ability to use work processing skills, emails and the internet to create simple plans and reports

Desirable

Able to make suggestions for service improvement Knowledge of EMIS Confident around other Health Professionals Knowledge of community development approaches Knowledge of VCSE and community services in the PCN Demonstrates an understanding of Clinical Governance skill Health and Safety Awareness Basic first aid knowledge Basic knowledge about Blood Borne Diseases

Experience

Essential

Experience of working directly in a healthcare assistant role, adult health and social care, learning support or public health/health improvement (including unpaid work) Experience working within a GP Practice

Qualifications

Essential

NVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care or equivalent

Desirable

Phlebotomy accredited Immunisation and Vaccination accredited Ear Syringing accredited

Work Related Personal Qualities

Essential

Ability to listen, empathise with people and provide person centred support in a non-judgemental way Able to get along with people from all backgrounds and communities, respecting lifestyles and diversity Adaptable to change Commitment to reducing health inequalities and proactively working to reach people in all communities Able to support people in a way that inspires trust and confidence, motivating others to reach their potential Able to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with people, their families, carers, community groups, partner agencies and stakeholders Ability to identify risk and assess/manage risk when working with individuals Ability to maintain effective working relationships and to promote collaborative practice with all colleagues Demonstrates personal accountability, emotional resilience and works well under pressure Ability to organise, plan and prioritise on own initiative, including when under pressure and meeting deadlines High level of written and oral communication skills Ability to work flexibly within a team or on own initiative

Desirable

Full UK Driving Licence and own transport

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