Healthcare Support Worker
Job overview
Band 3 Health Care Support Worker work closely with people who use our Services, their families, friends and carers and play an important contribution in how people experience our services. Band 3 Health Care Support Workers are expected to be kind and responsive but professional and informative and contribute to the quality of the services we provide by:
- keeping the people who using our services as safe as possible by recognising the limits of the Health Care Assistant role and working closely with Registered Nurses.
- contributing to the best possible clinical outcomes by using up-to-date skills and adhering to evidence based policies and procedures when following care plans.
- ensuring the people using our services have a good experience by respecting, empowering and working in partnership with people when contributing to the implementation and evaluation of care plans.
Main duties of the job
You will be part of a multi-disciplinary team supporting registered healthcare professionals in providing patient’s clinical care, including monitoring, observing, and ensuring personal hygiene standards are maintained or participate to provide a range of therapeutic activities for our patients.
We believe that the best health care is delivered by multi-disciplinary teams working well together and in partnership with other teams and services to provide seamless care. Health Care Assistants contribute to the team achieving its objectives by working closely with and drawing support from Registered Nurses and other health professionals.
Working for our organisation
Central and North West London NHS Trust expects all Health Care Support Workers to act in a way which shows you understand our core values and are willing to put them into practice with service users, their friends, family and carers and also other staff members.
As a Band 3 Health Care Support Worker we expect you to show COMPASSION, contribute to a caring and kind environment and recognise that what you do and say helps can make the lives of others betterWe expect you to RESPECT everyone and acknowledge and welcome people’s differences rather than ignore them or see them as problematic.
We expect you to EMPOWER others and continually try to provide information, resources and support to help others make their own decisions and meet their own needs. We expect you to work in PARTNERSHIP and behave in a way that shows that you recognise that commissioners and users of our services are the people who generate and pay for our work.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities- Working under the supervision of Registered Nurses
- Working to the standards set out in the Code of Conduct for Healthcare Support Workers and Adult Social care Workers in England (Skills for Health 2013)
- Safeguarding people by recognising and responding when an adult or child might be at risk from abuse but also recognising their own limits and asking for help and escalate concerns when necessary
- Escalating safety concerns and by doing so acting as effective advocates for those who use our services
- Being open and transparent about their own practice
- Identifying areas where improvements in safety or quality can be made
- Working closely with others to improve services
- Maintaining accurate, legible, comprehensive records
- Maintaining compliance with their mandatory training requirements
Person specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential criteria- Numeracy and Literacy skills required to keep accurate records and administer medicines (if appropriate)
- Spoken and written English, to an appropriate standard to fulfil the job requirements
- NVQ L3 or equivalent
Previous Experience
Essential criteria- Previous experience of working with a multidisciplinary team
- Experience of working with the general public communicating with a range of different people
- Previous experience of working in a fast-paced environment
- Previous experience of working within a customer focused environment
- Healthcare/NHS or similar experience in community or hospital settings.
- Previous experience in mental health setting or working with adults suffering from mental health problems
- Volunteer sector/Experience in a caring role
Skills and knowledge
Essential criteria- Able to communicate with the multi-disciplinary team, update others in the team and use handover effectively. Speaking face to face but also by telephone.
- Maintaining accurate, timely, concise and legible clinical records both electronic and handwritten which adhere to the CNWL policies
- Able to talk to people about sensitive issues in a supportive manner but also challenge others assertively where necessary
- Able to maintain electronic patient records Use Microsoft Word to draft letters and reports
- Adhere to the Code of Conduct for Health Care and Support Workers and Adult Social Care Workers in England.
- Contribute to the implementation of care plans by helping to assess patients, develop, implement and evaluate a care plan
- Able to work under your own initiative but follow the directions of care plans and Band 4 staff or registered Nurses
- Accepting responsibility for decisions / actions
- Obtain consent and understand how the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards impacts on your work and the people you are working with
- Work well with other members of the team including communicating effectively, being kind and considerate, reliable and enthusiastic.
- Contribute to the culture of the team and play a role in making it inclusive, kind and hard working.
- Help others in the team achieve their objectives and deliver safe, effective care.
- Basic knowledge and understanding of the Mental Health Act 1983.
Personal Attributes & Other requirements
Essential criteria- Be a role model and embody CNWL’s values: Compassion, Respect, Empowerment and Partnership
- Willingness to undertake Care Certificate and further training as required.
- Prepared to work flexible shifts including both day and night shifts.
- The Postholder must have the ability to understand and implement the Equal Opportunities Policy at a level appropriate to the job.
CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) has almost 8,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London's population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond. We involve service users, carers, the public, staff and partner organisations in the way that we are run.
Our catchment area spans diverse communities, with over 100 first languages spoken. It contains areas of great affluence as well as areas of much deprivation. We are committed to providing services that meet the needs of the people who use them, and we actively encourage involvement from local people who can help make a difference.We’re proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME and people with disabilities to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.
We are recognised locally, nationally and internationally for providing high quality, innovative healthcare. We aim to employ only the best people, and our experts are frequently called upon to contribute to national health strategy and policy, and many models of our care have been adapted for use in other countries.
We offer a generous relocation package (subject to eligibility assessment) and flexible working options, including bank assignments for most roles. For more information on these and other benefits of working for us, see our Benefits, Reward and Wellbeing page
Become part of our team. We care for you as much as you care for others.
CNWL NHS Foundation Trust are committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults.
Due to the high response levels we receive for some vacancies, we may expire any of them prior to the advertised closing date and advise you to submit your application as soon as possible.
Our Agenda for Change employment contracts are subject to a contractual 13 week probationary period.
If you are offered a job, information will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.