JOB SUMMARY

The care worker is a member of the domiciliary team appointed to support the Care Coordinator and Manager in the delivery of personal care and treatment of disease, disorder and injuries. The role involves contact on a physical and psychological level with clients and their families. The post holder will undertake a range of activities under the supervision of Care Coordinators and Supervisors, having been assessed and deemed competent in the activities required.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

CARE

To ensure that patients/clients are treated with dignity, respect and discretion whilst maintaining their confidentiality.

To ensure that patients’/client’s personal hygiene requirements are met. This will include assisting with washes, bed bathing, assisting patients to use the shower and bath, providing mouth care and cleaning dentures.

To promote continence by ensuring that patients’/clients’ toilet needs are met. This will include the giving and taking away of bedpans and urinals, emptying catheter bags and bowel and stoma care. Patients/Clients are to be helped to use the toilet or commode and the needs met for patients/clients with incontinence.

To take and record observations of patients’/clients’ temperature, pulse, respiration, oxygen saturations and blood pressure. Any abnormalities to be reported to the qualified nurse.

To assess pressure areas and skin integrity and report to Care Coordinator for onward referral to qualified nurse of any change.

To escort patients/clients into the community for socialisation and integration into the community.

To receive training and undertake basic life support training, summon help in an emergency situation.

NUTRITION

To assist in the delivery of meals and also to distribute and collate menu cards.

Assist to feed patients.

Ensure food charts are maintained.

Refer patients to dietician as applicable.

Monitor patients’ weights.

Know how to order special diets.

MOVING AND HANDLING

Adhere to Company policy on moving and handling.

Maintain the comfort of patients confined to bed by helping to reposition them as required.

Assisting patients to mobilise in liaison with Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists,

PERSONAL AND PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT

Take responsibility for own developmental learning and performance, including participating in supervision

Take responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal development

Work with management on any new training requirements

To recognise and understand the roles and responsibilities of individuals working in the primary health care team

Be aware of the legal issues pertinent to the role of a basic HCA

DOCUMENTATION

Complete all admission documentation in conjunction with qualified staff. (This does NOT include the actual care plan itself). To evaluate care given using the appropriate documentation.

All written entries on documentation must be clear, legible and signed.  ALL entries must be counter-signed by a qualified member of staff.

To fill in fluid charts and observation charts as required.

INFECTION CONTROL

Be aware of and adhere to the Company’s guidelines relating to infection control.

Take steps to prevent cross infection by using universal precautions and hand washing. This includes wearing uniform in accordance with company policy.

Assist in keeping ward clean and tidy in adherence to Health and Safety and Infection Control Policy.

Client’s environment to be cleaned thoroughly when patients are discharged or transferred.

To follow the Company policy on the safe disposal of sharps.

COMMUNICATION

To be able to communicate effectively with patients, other Company staff and the general public. This includes being polite and respectful to everyone who comes in contact with you.

To answer the phone clearly and politely stating your name and who you are and to relate any messages promptly and accurately.

To be willing to undergo computer training and PAS training.

To maintain absolute confidentiality of information relating to patients/clients and staff including verbal, written and electronically stored information.

To ensure that all relevant information is relayed to nursing staff on a timely and relevant basis.

To answer the telephone, receive, record and relay messages promptly and in line with company policy.

To demonstrate the highest regard and respect for the wishes, needs and lifestyles of all patients, being accepting and non-judgmental at all times.

To discuss any difficulties with senior member of staff.

To learn how to use information systems and maintain accurate written information.

To perform administrative duties:  Collection of mail, equipment, pharmacy orders: filing notes, results and x-rays where necessary

HEALTH, SAFETY AND SECURITY

Use the personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines

Identify the risks involved in work activities and undertake them in a way that manages the risks

Use appropriate infection control procedures and maintain work areas in each clinical room so that they are clean, safe and free from hazards reporting of any potential risks identified, including:

1. hand washing
2. universal hygiene procedures
3. collection and handling of laboratory specimens
4. segregation and disposal of waste materials
5. decontamination of instruments and clinical equipment
6. reporting and treatment of sharps injuries
7. dealing with blood and body fluid spillages
8. Assist patients and colleagues in adopting sound infection control measures9.
9. Understand and apply the principles of the cold chain
10. Ensure safe storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs within area of responsibility
11. Know the general principles of first aid and resuscitation to be able to undertake initial actions as appropriate
12. Be aware of statutory child health procedures and statutory local guidance and referral criteria
13. Know the health and safety policies and procedures within the workplace, including fire procedures, maintaining documentation, monitoring and maintaining of equipment and furniture within your area of responsibility
14. Use the computer monitor safely
15. Be able to identify the risks to health of microbiological and chemical hazards within the working environment according to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
16. SERVICE IMPROVEMENT
17. Be aware of and, if appropriate, assist in current clinical audit
18. Work with colleagues in the team on the development of current and new services and other initiatives
19. Deal with requests from patients and clinical staff for health information leaflets
20. SECURITY
21. It is the responsibility of all employees to work within the security policies and procedures of the Whittington Hospital NHS Company to protect the patients, staff and visitors and the property of the Company. This duty applies to the specific work area of the individual and the Hospital in general.  All staff are required to wear official identification badges.

DATA PROTECTION

This post has a confidential aspect.  If you are required to obtain, process and/or use information held on a computer or word processor you should do so ‘in a fair and lawful way.’ You should hold data only for the specific registered purpose and not use or disclose it in any way incompatible with such a purpose and ought to disclose data only to authorised persons or organisations as instructed.  Breaches of confidence in relation to data will result in disciplinary action, which may involve dismissal.

QUALITY

Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk in the care of patients

Ensure own actions are consistent with clinical governance systems

Practice in accordance with agreed standards of care

Enable patients/clients to access appropriate professionals in the team

Ensure stock items under your control are ordered and available in the treatment and consulting rooms

Know how clinical governance affects the HCA role and bring to the attention of more senior staff any specific risk situation

Know the practice's policies, especially the whistle-blowing policy, available in the practice staff handbook

Be able to manage your own time effectively

Act in ways that recognise the importance of people's rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with procedures

Respect the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients and carers

Understand basic legal and communication issues regarding child abuse, family violence, vulnerable adults, substance abuse and addictive behaviour

All staff are required to follow the Company’s Respect Behaviours at all times. These have been agreed with staff and Staff Side and are as follows:

Treat others as you would like to be treated

Listen to and support others and make time to do so

Seek, acknowledge and value others’ experience and contribution

Acknowledge others’ beliefs

Be courteous and considerate to all

Treat others fairly and equally

Be honest and trustworthy and act with integrity

Encourage others to treat all staff with respect

Challenge the behaviour of staff who do not show respect to others

Act as a chaperone

EQUAL OPPORTUNITES

It is the aim of the Company to ensure that not job applicant or employee receives less than favourable treatment on grounds of sex, marital status, race, colour, creed, religion, physical disability, mental health, learning difficulty, age or sexual orientation and is not placed at a disadvantage by conditions or requirements that cannot be shown to be justifiable. To this end the Company has an Equal Opportunities Policy and it is for each employee to contribute to its success.

METHOD OF PAYMENT

Payment of salary is made into a bank/building society account by direct bank system. Details of a bank or building society account will be required on the first day at work. There is no facility for any form of other payment.

CUSTOMER AWARENESS

The Company expects it employees to communicate with colleagues, patients and visitors in a polite and courteous manner at all times.

CONFIDENTIALITY & DATA PROTECTION

The postholder must maintain the confidentiality of information about clients, staff and other health service business and meet the requirements of the Data Protection Act (1998) at all times. The postholder must comply with all Company Information and Data Protection policies at all times. The work of the Company is of a confidential nature and any information gained by the postholder in their role must not be communicated to other persons except where required in the recognised course of duty.

NO SMOKING

 Verity Healthcare promotes a Smoke Free policy and all Company staff are not permitted to smoke on any part of the site at any time or anywhere near the client’s home. Failure to comply with this policy is likely to result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Employees must be aware of the responsibilities placed on them under the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and any subsequent relevant legislation and must follow these in full at all times including ensuring that they act in line with all agreed procedures at all times in order to maintain a safe environment for clients, visitors and staff. Failure to comply with these policies may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.

MANAGING STRESS

The Company has an agreed policy & procedure which links with a range of services and arrangements for staff to manage stress. All staff are required to familiarise themselves with the policy and services to best manage their own and their colleagues’ stress.

HEALTHCARE ASSOCIATED INFECTIONS (HCAIs)

All staff have a responsibility to act and follow all instructions to protect clients, staff and others from HCAIs. All staff are required to follow the NHS Hygiene Code and all Company policies and procedures related to it and the Health Act 2006. Failure to comply with any of these may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.

FLEXIBILITY

This job description is intended to provide a broad outline of the main responsibilities only. The postholder is required to be flexible in developing their role in agreement with their designated manager. In addition they may be required by their manager to carry out any other duty commensurate with their banding and expertise.

DIMENSIONS

Assist and support new HCAs

Post holder has no managerial or budgetary responsibility.

OTHER DUTIES

To ensure that patients’ sign the disclaimer on admission and are made aware of the Company policy of the safe keeping of valuables. Complete property book as required.

Report any accidents or incidents according to Company Policy.

To go to other areas and work as the service needs or under the direction of your manager.

Our Commitment to Safer Recruitment: Verity Healthcare is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our clients. As part of our safer recruitment process, all successful applicants will be subject to a thorough vetting process, including:

Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Verification of qualifications and experience.

Comprehensive reference checks, including a recent employer reference.

Right to work in the UK verification

Why Join Us?

Supportive and friendly working environment.

Opportunities for professional development and career progression.

Comprehensive training and induction program.

Competitive salary and benefits package.

Employee well-being and assistance programs.

How to Apply: We would love to hear from you if you are passionate about providing high-quality care and meet the above requirements. Please submit your CV and a cover letter detailing your suitability for the role 

Verity Healthcare is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.