Healthcare Assistant (HCA) - Newport Health Centre

Job Posted: 20 September 2024

• Contract Term: Permanent
• Location: Newport, Isle of Wight
• Contract Type: Full or part time
• Salary: £11.60 an hour
• Industries: Nursing Pharmaceutical & Medical

Closing Date: 07 October 2024

Healthcare Assistant (HCA) - Newport Health Centre

Newport Health Centre

The closing date is 07 October 2024

Job summary

JOB TITLE: HEALTHCARE ASSISTANT (HCA)

REPORTS TO: LEAD PRACTICE NURSE

HOURS: Full Time (Or Part time applications considered for Job Share)

AVAILBILITY: 07.30 -18.00, Monday to Friday, (Occassional Saturday's may be required)

Job summary:

Working under the direct supervision of the Lead Practice Nurse and strictly in accordance with specific practice guidelines and protocols, the healthcare assistant (HCA) will assist the practice clinical team in the provision and delivery of prescribed programmes of patient care.

Main duties of the job

Duties and responsibilities:

• New patient health checks
• ECG recording
• Phlebotomy
• Chaperoning duties
• Processing and management of laboratory samples requested by GPs/nurses
• Vaccine/cold chain storage, monitoring and recording
• Equipment and vaccine re-stocking and stock rotation
• Clearing and re-stocking consulting rooms
• Preparing and maintaining environments and equipment before, during and after patient care interventions, including assisting GPs during the performance of minor operations
• Assisting in the assessment and surveillance of patients health and well-being
• Undertaking specific clinical activities for named patients that have been delegated and taught specifically in relation to that individual
• Helping to raise awareness of health and well-being and how it can be promoted
• Assisting with the collection and collation of data on needs related to health and well-being

About us

Newport Health Center is based centrally on the Isle of Wight operating across two sites; situated at our Carisbrooke practice and our town centre practice, Dower House, Pyle Street.

Our practice supports over 24,000 patients on the Isle of Wight where we have a diverse, multi-disciplinary team which includes GP Partners, Advanced Nurse Practitioners, MSK Practitioners, Mental Health Practitioners, Practice Nurses, HCAs, Health and Wellbeing Coaches, Care Coordinators, a Social Prescriber and many more vital roles to support our community. We are also an active part of the Central and West Primary Care Network (PCN).

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job summary:

Working under the direct supervision of the Lead Practice Nurse and strictly in accordance with specific practice guidelines and protocols, the healthcare assistant (HCA) will assist the practice clinical team in the provision and delivery of prescribed programmes of patient care.

Duties and responsibilities:

• New patient health checks
• ECG recording
• Phlebotomy
• Chaperoning duties
• Processing and management of laboratory samples requested by GPs/nurses
• Vaccine/cold chain storage, monitoring and recording
• Equipment and vaccine re-stocking and stock rotation
• Clearing and re-stocking consulting rooms
• Preparing and maintaining environments and equipment before, during and after patient care interventions, including assisting GPs during the performance of minor operations
• Assisting in the assessment and surveillance of patients health and well-being
• Undertaking specific clinical activities for named patients that have been delegated and taught specifically in relation to that individual
• Helping to raise awareness of health and well-being and how it can be promoted
• Assisting with the collection and collation of data on needs related to health and well-being

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 Health & Safety policy, the practice Health & Safety manual, and the practice 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 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 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:

The post-holder will:

• Apply 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
• Be required to travel between Newport Health Centre Surgery Sites to carry out the duties of the role

Please note: Newport Health Centre reserves the right to amend this Job Description at any time, as reasonably required to meet the Healthcare Needs of our Registered Patients.

Person Specification

Personal Attributes and 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 license and own transport

Qualifications
Desirable

• NVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care or equivalent
• Phlebotomy accredited
• Immunisation and Vaccination accredited

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)
• Health and Safety Awareness
• Basic first aid knowledge

Desirable

• Experience working within a GP Practice
• Demonstrates an understanding of Clinical Governance skill
• Basic knowledge about Blood Borne Diseases

Skills & Knowledge

Essential

• Great communication skills
• Customer Service skills/ Patient focussed
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Computer skills
• Organisational skills
• Effective time management skills
• Confident around other Health Professionals
• Great communication skills
• Knowledge of IT systems, including ability to use word processing skills, emails and the internet to create simple plans and reports

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

Newport Health Centre

Address

22 Carisbrooke High Street

Newport

Isle of Wight

PO30 1NR

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