Sleep Assistant

Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust

This post is only open for applications for individuals employed within the Hampshire and Isle of Wight NHS Care System.

Organisations within scope are as follows:

• Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board
• Southern Health Foundation Trust
• Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust
• University Hospital Southampton
• Solent NHS Trust
• South Central Ambulance Service
• Isle of Wight NHS Trust

Hours: 15 hours per week

Contract Type: Part-time, permanent

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 2 Sleep Assistant to join our Sleep Team.

We are a lively multidisciplinary team consisting of doctors, nurses, physiologists, technicians, and clerical staff. You must be able to work independently (to protocols), be flexible and adaptable in your attitude to work, and enjoy being part of a very busy service.

Main duties of the job

• Provide specialist care as part of the multi-disciplinary team.
• Work with the sleep team to closely be involved in the diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing support of patients with obstructive sleep apnoea.
• Provide a point of contact for these patients as well as their carers and other health care professionals to obtain advice, education, and support.
• Carry out admin duties on behalf of the sleep service.

About us

Here at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, we are proud to provide expert, compassionate care for our local population. We are ranked as the third in the country for research, embedding education and training across the organisation. Our main hub is the Queen Alexandra Hospital, which is one of the largest hospitals on the south coast employing over 8,700 staff.

Our patients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes our hospital stronger. If you share our values and our enthusiasm for getting it right for patients, colleagues, and our community, you will find a home at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust.

Job responsibilities

Clinical/Professional

• Work autonomously with the assistance of protocols to practice in an effective nurse/physiology led sleep service.
• Provide a supportive environment for patients and their partners with sleep disorders.
• Ensure effective communication occurs between health professionals to promote patient care.
• Provide an equipment replacement service for patients both face to face and via telephone requests, recording all equipment issues correctly in the patient's record on Minestrone/ERPO.
• Receive redundant CPAP equipment back from patients, assessing and disposing as required.
• Be fully conversant with all departments' computer systems, where required.
• Assist with maintaining adequate stock levels of consumables for all sleep equipment at the QA site.
• Participate in team meetings and be involved in the development of the sleep service.

Research and Education

• Educate and support patients with sleep and associated conditions.
• Provide information for patients, carers, and other health-care professionals with sleep and associated conditions.
• Assist in the evaluation of the service and patient care, including patient satisfaction.
• Liaise with other colleagues in local and national forums to influence and improve respiratory care.
• Be responsible for professional development using Personal Development Plan and professional portfolio.
• Incorporate health education and health promotion in working practices.
• Lead in the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based care in the writing of shared guidelines/protocols for patients with sleep disorders.

Communication and Working Relations

• Communicate highly sensitive and complex information with empathy, ensuring that information is understood.
• Adjust communication strategies to deal with situations - face to face, telephone, video consultations.
• Communicate and cooperate with other specialist areas, promoting and maintaining good working relationships within own clinical area and across the organisation, giving accurate information as required.
• Be an active member of the clinical team contributing to Trust-wide groups and meetings.
• Develop expertise in dealing with interpersonal conflict and be responsible for the resolution of any adverse situations/incidents. Comply with and promote compliance to Trust policies e.g. Harassment and Bullying.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• General education to GCSE level standard.

Experience

• Previous interpersonal and face-to-face customer care experience.
• Experience of NHS IT systems, including PAS and MS Windows applications.
• Experience within the NHS.

Skills and Knowledge

• The ability to work using own initiative and without supervision.
• Compassionate towards patient care and demonstrate Trust values.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to prioritise workload and be able to multitask.
• Knowledge of NHS and Hospital departments an advantage, including inpatient procedures and other outpatients' clinics.

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 name

Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust