Health Care Assistant - Inpatient Unit

Aim to maintain a high standard of nursing care for patients within the Hospice.

Work under the instructions of a qualified nurse to give care to patients and their families.

To undertake clerical duties as required.

Comparatively high nurse to patient ratios allow the satisfaction of engaging in meaningful relationships and delivering high quality care.

Patients average length of stay on the unit is 2-3 weeks with 50% of patients being discharged. Patients needs are complex and varied requiring skilled nursing and multi-disciplinary working.

We have an onsite Clinical Educator and offer access to in-house development and support external education where this is identified in our staff development and appraisal process.

This is a role where two days are never the same and you have the chance to improve the experience of patients and families when life is most vulnerable.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for a Health Care Assistant to join our Inpatient unit. This role requires excellent communication and team working skills. It offers the opportunity to develop your skills in palliative care and make a positive impact on those you care for and support and work under the instruction of a qualified nurse to give care to patients and their families maintaining a high standard at all times.

Successful candidates must possess NVQ Level 2 in Care or equivalent and be able to demonstrate excellent communication, flexibility and team working skills, basic IT skills, experience of working in an inpatient / residential setting or with life limiting illness will be an advantage.

Flexibility, responsibility, and professionalism are key, as are the abilities to uphold our values of being:

• Compassionate
• Accountable
• Respectful
• Equitable
• Sustainable

A sense of humour helps; hospices are full of laughter!

About us

Wirral Hospice St Johns has a 41 year history of supporting the residents of Wirral who have incurable life limiting illness. The organisation continues to grow and develop in response to the needs of our community. Currently support is delivered by multi professional teams working in our Inpatient unit, Outpatient, Wellbeing and Hospice at Home services.

The hospice benefits from being an independent charity allowing flexibility and creativity in the design and delivery of services whilst being firmly integrated with key local NHS providers. Care and support is delivered with integrity and quality.

NHS Superannuation is transferrable for existing members of the NHS Pension Scheme.

As a relatively small organisation we are committed to developing the skills and interests of our staff to ensure the workforce is motivated and equipped to deliver what is expected of them in a compassionate and competent manner through apprenticeships, formal training, and workplace experience.

If you would like a visit to see what we are about then please phone Ward Sisters on 0151 334 2778 or via email wardsistersIPU@wirralhospice.org.

Job responsibilities

Job Summary:

The post holder will:

• Aim to maintain a high standard of nursing care for patients within the Inpatient Unit.
• Work under the instructions of a qualified nurse to give care to patients and their families.
• To undertake clerical duties as required.

Key Responsibilities:

Clinical

• Be aware of the holistic needs of patients and their families and the Philosophy of Hospice Care. Refer any queries to the Nurse in Charge.
• Work within the agreed policies, procedures and guidelines of the Hospice.
• Assist the trained nurse or work independently, as per Care Plan set out by Trained Nurse in administering direct patient care.
• Assist trained staff/work independently following instructions from trained staff, in taking care of patients property and valuables according to Hospice policy.
• Assist qualified staff in dealing with bereavement issues.
• Attend Mandatory Training and keep updated and adhere with hospice policy.
• Take responsibility for keeping supplies topped up.
• Assist with appropriate aspects of nursing care and with support from qualified staff to ensure patients carers are appropriately supported.
• Escort and chaperone patients, as appropriate.
• Collect and deliver specimens as appropriate.
• Maintain patient clinical documentation within the guidelines of the activities of the role and ensure this is countersigned by a qualified member of the nursing team, within the hospice.
• Work as a member of the ward team to provide a climate conducive to learning and high standards of patient care and strive to maintain relationships within the ward.
• Ensure safe storage and economic use of equipment. Be aware of COSHH Regulations.
• On occasions represent the Hospice at outside fundraising events.

1. Personal

• Be aware of the Hospice Grievance and Disciplinary Procedures.
• Recognise the contribution of the Volunteers within the Hospice.
• Take responsibility for undertaking the NVQ training.
• Take responsibility for keeping updated with relevant courses and study.
• Support and participate in developing and maintaining link nurse subject in conjunction with members of the MDT.
• Be aware of and participate in audit as directed by Team Leader.
• To demonstrate understanding and empathy to patients and carers.

Organisational Philosophy of Care, Purpose and Values

Wirral Hospice St Johns aims to offer care and support for patients and their families living with a life limiting illness based around what is important to them. It endeavours to meet the holistic needs of our patients physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs and support their loved ones and carers without discrimination.

Wirral Hospice St Johns CARES

So that we can deliver on our Philosophy of Care and Purpose the Hospice has developed the following Values which we uphold in all that we do.

• Compassionate: To care for and support patients, families, colleagues and the wider community with compassion and understanding.
• Accountable: To be accountable for our own actions and decisions, and to hold each other to account.
• Respectful: To treat others with respect throughout all interactions, acknowledging and considering differing opinions.
• Equitable: To act in an equitable manner for all, ensuring that individual needs are considered and supported.
• Sustainable: To manage our resources efficiently, optimising use and value, whilst minimising waste.

Safeguarding

Wirral Hospice St Johns has a responsibility to ensure that all children/young people and adults are adequately safeguarded and protected and that Safeguarding is Everyone's Business. As a consequence, all staff are required to adhere to national and local safeguarding policies/procedures and to act upon any concerns in accordance with them.

Equality and Diversity

Wirral Hospice St Johns has given its full commitment to the adoption and promotion of the key principles of equality and diversity of equal opportunities contained within current legislation and the Wirral Hospice St Johns Equality Policy.

Health and Safety

It is the duty of every employee to work in such a way that accidents to themselves and to others are avoided, and to co-operate in maintaining their place of work in a tidy and safe condition, thereby minimising risk. Employees will, therefore refer any matters of concern through their line manager. Similarly, it is each person's responsibility to ensure a secure environment and bring any breaches of security to the attention of their manager.

Confidentiality

In the course of your duties you will have access to confidential material about patients, members of staff or other hospice business. On no account must information relating to identifiable patients be divulged to anyone other than those authorised persons, for example, medical, nursing or other professional staff, as appropriate, who are concerned directly with the care, diagnosis and or/treatment of the patient. If you are in any doubt whatsoever as to the authority of a person or body asking for information of this nature, you must seek advice from your manager. Similarly, no information of a personal or confidential nature concerning individual members of staff should be divulged to anyone without the proper authority having first been given.

General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)

Wirral Hospice St Johns is required to process personal data relating to its employees, including special categories of personal data, as defined in the General Data Protection Regulations 2018 (the Act).

All such data will be processed in accordance with the provisions of the Act and the relevant hospice's policies. For the purposes of the Act, the term processing includes the initial collection of personal data, the holding and use of such data, as well as access and disclosure, through to final destruction.

Other

This job description is intended to provide an outline of the duties and responsibilities of this post, it is not exhaustive and may be modified and developed periodically following discussions between the post holder and the relevant line manager.

Person Specification

Motivation

• Enthusiastic
• Assertive
• Work under pressure
• Confident
• Ability to prioritise
• Ability to work unsupervised
• Good initiative
• Good communicator

Qualifications

• QCF or equivalent Level 2 in Health and Social Care or equivalent Care Certificate

Experience

• Specialist Palliative Care

Personality

• Commitment to work unsocial hours

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.