Health and Wellbeing Health Care Assistant

Health and Wellbeing Health Care Assistant

We are looking for a healthcare assistant with an interest in supporting people who are experiencing problematic alcohol or drug use, to join our Via R3 Substance Misuse Services in Gloucestershire.

Based in our nursing team, this new role will provide you with significant scope for growth and innovation within a supportive and friendly multidisciplinary team of clinical and non-clinical professionals.

Main duties of the job

The main purpose of the role is to provide excellent quality of care to those who use our services accessing treatment with us and improving their health and outcomes.

Responsibilities will include the following:

1. To offer harm reduction advice and information including overdose prevention, wound awareness, and naloxone.
2. To carry out dry blood spot testing, and referral for Hepatitis B vaccinations and Hepatitis C treatment if required.
3. To carry out Healthcare Assessments for new and existing people.
4. Support them to improve their health with referrals to other relevant services, such as Smoking Cessation, or the Falls Clinic.

Within this role, the healthcare assistant will be provided with training to take on additional clinical duties such as ECGs, and - following successful completion of the probationary period and relevant mandatory and foundation training (i.e., NVQ Level 3) - could be eligible to be supported by Via to complete a nursing qualification.

About us

Adult Drug and Alcohol Services across Gloucestershire transferred to Via on 1st April 2024. The role is part of Via's structure and provides a great opportunity to build on existing service strengths, drive new developments and make a positive impact as part of this new contract.

Job responsibilities

Role Purpose

1. To offer harm reduction advice and information including overdose prevention, wound awareness, and naloxone.
2. To carry out DBST, and referral for Hepatitis C treatment if required.
3. To carry out Healthcare Assessments for new and people already in services.
4. Use appropriate infection control procedures and maintain work areas in each clinical room so that they are clean, safe and free from hazards reporting any potential risks identified.
5. Record information and activities undertaken with service users in an accurate and timely manner, maintaining confidentiality and data security at all times.

Person Specification

Experience

• Passion for working with substance misuse services or with other socially excluded or vulnerable groups.
• Good interpersonal skills and a willingness to work flexibly as part of a team.
• Experience of working within substance misuse or a social care setting.
• A clear understanding of the need for and ability to deliver quality services.
• IT literacy including proficiency in word processing and data entry.
• Knowledge of harm reduction and health promotion interventions.
• Knowledge of the issues facing substance misusers including appropriate medical interventions, social care, and health issues.
• Confidence to work on own initiative as well as part of the team.
• Knowledge of safeguarding children and vulnerable adults procedures.
• Ability to travel between services.

Qualifications

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.

£23,821 to £25,900 a year. You will be paid under Via T&C's, not AfC.