Health Care Support Worker (HCSW)

Job overview

A Health Care Support Worker (HCSW) is a core member of the team delivering personal care to patients and supporting registered practitioners to deliver high quality, compassionate care.

You will carry out a range of non-clinical healthcare tasks, under the direct supervision of the registered healthcare practitioner. Your role is to provide compassionate care, to agreed quality standards and in accordance with Trust values.

There will be opportunities to develop your knowledge and skills, specific to your individual needs. Training will be provided to ensure you have the required core skills and skills set specific to your area of work. You will also be supported to obtain your care certificate if you do not have this qualification.

***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***

1. Develop the skills to obtain consent prior to giving care in accordance with Trust policies.
2. Under supervision follow individual patient care plans and report any changes immediately to the Registered Nurse/Assistant Practitioner.
3. Participate in basic patient assessment whilst providing personal care and feeding back to the registered nurse to ensure high standards of care, in particular relating to skin

1. Practice safe standards of care to patients following Trust guidelines and policies and be able to concentrate for periods throughout the day with occasional interruptions.
2. Ensure care is given in accordance with the infection prevention and health and safety policies and procedures.
3. Ensure that the patients bed space is clean, tidy, and accessible and that the person has what they need within easy reach.
4. Develop the skills to actively facilitate self-care and independence with patients.
5. Promote health education specific to the clinical area and in line with national and local policies
6. Develop the skills to maintain effective record keeping and communication with patients, relatives, and members of the Multidisciplinary team regarding all aspects of care

1. Ensuring equipment and stores are well maintained, taking appropriate action if the equipment is faulty
2. Work effectively as part of a team

Working for our organisation

It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.

1. Develop the skills to obtain consent prior to giving care in accordance with Trust policies.
2. Under supervision follow individual patient care plans and report any changes immediately to the Registered Practitioner.
3. Demonstrate care and compassion to patients, carers, and relatives to help ensure high-quality person-centred patient care is delivered at all times.
4. Undertake basic patient assessment whilst providing personal care and feeding back to the Registered Practitioner to ensure high standards of care, in particular relating to skin integrity and the alertness of the patient.
5. Practice safe standards of care to patients following Trust guidelines and policies and be able to concentrate for periods throughout the day with occasional interruptions.
6. Ensure care is given in accordance with the infection prevention and health and safety policies and procedures.
7. Ensure that the patients bed space is clean, tidy, and accessible and that the person has what they need within easy reach.
8. Develop the skills to actively facilitate self-care and independence with patients.
9. Undertake personal care duties.
10. Supporting with toileting, bathing, dressing, and feeding. Recording oral fluid balance and nutrition.
11. Promote health education specific to the clinical area and in line with national and local policies.
12. Develop the skills to maintain effective record keeping and communication with patients, relatives, and members of the Multidisciplinary team regarding all aspects of care demonstrating a range of appropriate communication skills, where there may be barriers to understanding.
13. Ensuring equipment and stores are well maintained, taking appropriate action if the equipment is faulty.
14. Work effectively as part of a team.
15. The HCSW is responsible for inputting information into the electronic patient record where applicable and also into patients written records. Comply with all relevant legislation and local policies regarding confidentiality and access to medical records.

For further details please see the attached JD & PS

Person specification

Knowledge & Experience

• • Be able to work as a member of a team
• • Demonstrable experience of time management and prioritising work
• • Understands and committed to a caring approach to patients & relatives

• • Demonstrable experience of providing care in a healthcare or social setting

Qualifications

• • Training and qualifications are provided to enable the HCSW to comply with mandatory HCSW standards where you will obtain either: Vocational Qualification at Level 2 or equivalent relevant experience. Note that if you are new to care, training will be provided to NVQ Level 2 or equivalent.

• • Level 2 QCF Diploma in Clinical Healthcare support, OR
• • Level 2 NVQ in Healthcare Health & Social Care, OR
• • Level 2 in Health & Social Care (NVQ, QCF, RQF)
• • GCSE A*- D in English Language, or equivalent (e.g. Certificate in Adult Literacy at Level 1)
• • GCSE A* - D, or equivalent in Mathematics (e.g. Certificate in Adult Numeracy at Level 1)

Aptitude & Abilities

• • Effective and appropriate communication skills both written and verbal
• • Able to complete appropriate documentation accurately
• • Committed to providing high quality patient care

• • Demonstrate an awareness of healthcare work and policies and procedures.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY INCLUDING YOUR JUNK FOLDER.

If you need support with the online application process or require reasonable adjustments with the application and/or interview process please contact the Recruiting Manager for this post.

We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants about less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. We recommend contacting the manager of the role prior to applying and we commit to giving requests full consideration.

We welcome and encourage applicants who identify with all protected characteristics to apply for our roles. We believe that diversity strengthens our teams and improves our patients' experience. At UHP we aim to create an inclusive workplace and hospital where everyone feels they belong and included.

It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.

Providing false information is an offence & could result in the application being rejected or summary dismissal/police action if an applicant is successful.

This is an automated process & the information will only be used for these purposes prior to your taking up the position with us.

For Doctors Roles:

Unsolicited CVs and Candidate Profiles/Details

University Hospitals Plymouth has a commitment to sourcing candidates directly and as such we do not accept speculative CVs from agencies.

We do, however, work with a defined list of preferred HTE Framework suppliers who may be invited to support us in sourcing candidates for particular roles.

In line with our preferred supplier list, we only pay agency fees where we have a signed agreement in place and an agency has been instructed by a member of the Trust’s Medical Workforce team.

We do not pay agency fees where speculative and unsolicited CVs are submitted to the Trust or Trust employees by any other means than the official route above. Where this is not observed the Trust reserves the right to contact these candidates directly and initiate discussions without payment of any agency fee.

Any candidate details (whether written or spoken) or CVs that are referred directly will not constitute an introduction. The Trust will under no circumstances be responsible for any recruitment fees in relation to these contacts.

Submission of any unsolicited CVs, candidate’s details and/or proposals to the Trust will not be considered further and will be deemed evidence of full and unlimited acceptance of this Agency Protocol.

In order to establish and maintain good working relationships with the Trust’s agency suppliers, we ask that this Protocol is adhered to and thank you for your co-operation.