Health Care Support Worker

Transformationunitgm; Dawlish; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 26,000

Job description

Employer: Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

Employer type: NHS

Site: Dawlish Community Hospital - Base Town: Dawlish

Salary: £24,071 - £25,674 Per Annum

Salary period: Yearly

Closing: 11/04/2025 23:59

Health Care Support Worker

NHS AfC: Band 3

Job overview

To work collaboratively, under direct and indirect supervision of Registered Nurses and Podiatrists as a member of the Lower Limb Therapy Service, to deliver gold standard leg ulcer treatments to patients.

To provide leg ulcer management treatments as required, to include limb reshaping, delegated patient specific compression therapy, and measuring for compression hosiery/wraps as required. To assist in yearly well leg assessments for patients under the LLTS leg leg programme.

The service aims to promote health and wellbeing, facilitate timely healing for lower limb ulceration and maximise independent living for our patients.

Main duties of the job

• To work as part of a peripatetic specialist team in Trust wide outpatient clinics delivering leg ulcer management treatments, to include wound bed preparation and compression therapy treatments.
• To be responsible in the preparation of clinics at the beginning and end of the working day, complying with infection control protocol.
• To actively support patients encouraging self-care to prevent leg ulceration recurrence, post healing with the LLTS.
• To accompany RN/Podiatrist to patients’ homes to deliver specialist assessments to housebound patients under the care of Community Nursing Services.
• To liaise with members of the wider healthcare teams – Vascular; Podiatry; Tissue Viability Service; Dermatology; GP’s and Practice Nurses.

Working for our organisation

Our people are caring, committed, inclusive and focused on quality. We focus on solutions and people’s strengths. We encourage outside the box thinking and embrace innovation and change wherever it can drive improvement. If you share our values and vision and are passionate about working with people on what matters to them, you could be a real asset to Team Torbay and South Devon.

And if you do join us, you’ll be working in one of the most beautiful parts of the UK, with a fantastic quality of life. We actively encourage our people to enjoy a good work/life balance and Devon offers everything from city living to a host of outdoor activities. Whether it’s the coast that floats your boat, the adrenaline of white-water rafting, trekking across the moors or being mindful in nature, you’ll find it all right on your doorstep.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Work as a member of a specialist team.
• Document clearly and concisely in patient notes utilising Trust wound care documentation.
• Communicate using a variety of resources – face to face; telephone; email – in a timely manner.
• Communicate with patients, and their families and friends.
• Communicate with other specialist surgical and medical services; Community Nurses; GP’s and other relevant Health and Social Care professionals.
• Take part in team meetings, encouraging effective communication between other staff.
• Escalate any incidents, and/or near misses immediately to the RN/Podiatrist clinic lead, and complete reporting via Datix.
• To work within the agreed Clinical Governance Framework, incorporating audit, clinical effectiveness and incident reporting.
• To work within the limits of own competence and responsibility within the team and organisation, as identified by the appropriate accountable professional.
• To educate and support patients/carers in the use of equipment in accordance with Local Guidelines and within own competence.
• To encourage, enable and support individuals, wherever possible, to gain or maintain confidence, independence and participation in social, recreational and community activities.
• To attend mandatory and other appropriate training courses in order to meet personal development objectives and to assist in the training of others as directed.
• To work independently using a wide range of skills.
• To take responsibility for promoting the health, safety and security of patients, public, colleagues and self.
• To respond to individual needs in order to maintain a safe environment and to report any identified risks.
• To prepare daily clinics in readiness for patient treatments each day.
• The post holder will work according to Trust standards, policies and procedures. No budgetary control but awareness of effective use of resources.
• Ensure service equipment is in working order.
• To attend regular supervision sessions with your line manager.
• To attend yearly Achievement Reviews with your Line Manager.
• To update the LLTS iCare records as appropriate, and populate LLTS database with information as requested.

Person specification

Qualifications and Training

• NVQ Level 3 in Health & Social Care or equivalent qualification/experience.
• Basic IT skills – Microsoft Word & Email use.
• Tissue Viability experience or qualification.

Knowledge and experience

• Able to demonstrate a good level of literacy, numeracy, verbal and written skills.
• Demonstrate skills in written and spoken English, adequate to enable the post holder to carry out the role effectively.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Able to communicate with individuals of varying levels of understanding.
• Understanding of basic wound care as relevant to the role.
• Knowledge of leg ulcer management.
• Experience of compression bandage application.

Specific skills

• Experience of working in a caring environment.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the rights of the patient.
• Demonstrate an understanding of Health & Safety within a healthcare setting.
• Experience of leg ulcer management.
• Tissue Viability experience.

You will be joining the organisation at an exciting time. As the first fully integrated care organisation in England, we are working to improve the way we deliver safe, high-quality health and social care. We have a positive and vibrant working atmosphere, we are proud of our investment in our staff both in terms of developing potential career skills and valuing people.

If you provide support to a family member or friend with health or care needs, we aim to be a Carer-friendly employer. We have a ‘Staff Carers’ policy which includes flexible working where possible and a Carer’s Passport scheme that links you into support and discounts.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• We reserve the right to close vacancies early if we receive a high volume of applications. Therefore, we encourage you to apply promptly.
• Please read the job description carefully and tailor your application to reflect the requirements of the role.
• Applicants who identify in their application form they are a part of the Armed Forces community will be guaranteed an interview, provided they meet the minimum essential criteria outlined in the job description and person specification for the role. Step into Health guidance can be found on our NHS Employers website.
• Correspondence will be sent via Trac, text, and email. Please ensure you check your email and Trac account regularly.
• Applicants with no previous NHS experience will ordinarily be appointed to the minimum of the band.
• If you have not received an invitation to interview within 28 days of the closing date, please assume that your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.
• It is your responsibility to ensure the timely receipt of appropriate references.

The Trust is committed to preventing discrimination, valuing diversity and achieving equality of opportunity. No person (staff, patient or public) will receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of the nine protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. If you require support you can obtain this from our Equality Business Forum which has representatives from all protected groups.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Name: Dawn Clements

Job title: Lower Limb Therapy Service Lead

Email address: [e-mail]

Telephone number: 07917345436

Alternative contact details:

Sonia Kindon - LLTS Team Lead - 07768988250

Georgia Blakesley - LLTS Team Lead - 07741091685