Senior Healthcare Support Worker

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Job overview

Are you an experienced Healthcare Support Worker ready for a new challenge? An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our Centralised Outpatients Department!

Our busy outpatients department sees on average 7000 patients per week in clinics covering:

• Gate 5 - Vascular, Rheumatology, Haematology, Renal, Colorectal and Upper GI clinics.
• Gate 12 - Orthopaedics, Medicine (Cardiology, Diabetes, Respiratory and Endocrinology)
• Gate 24 - Dermatology, Upper GI surgery and Colorectal
• Gate 36 - Neurology, Infectious Diseases, ENT and Care of the Elderly
• Cossham Hospital - covers all of the specialties listed above.

We want to recruit a Senior Healthcare Support Worker who has a passion for working in the healthcare sector and who can demonstrate enthusiasm for learning and development and safe patient care, in accordance with NBT's Trust Values. You will be a high performing individual who is flexible and driven by the exciting challenges that lie ahead!

You will need to be flexible to accommodate the various shift times and patterns within the Trust and occasionally cover clinics in our off site facilities in Cossham, Yate, Thornbury, and South Bristol.

The successful candidate would need to meet the education requirements for this role and currently be working at the Senior Healthcare Support Worker level.

It is likely that this advert will close early if we receive a high volume of applications.

Main duties of the job

A Senior Healthcare Support Worker (SHCSW) is a core member of the team delivering direct care to patients and supporting registered practitioners to deliver high quality, compassionate health care to people in accordance with assessed needs and a care plan.

You will carry out a range of clinical and non-clinical healthcare, or therapeutic tasks, under the direct or indirect supervision of the registered healthcare practitioner, in accordance with the Trust values.

There will be opportunities to develop your knowledge and skills, specific to your 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.

Working for our organisation

Our vision is that by enabling our teams to be the best that they can be, we will provide exceptional healthcare, personally delivered.

North Bristol NHS Trust values all people as individuals. We aim to be an anti-discriminatory organisation and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We welcome applicants from all underrepresented groups.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For a full overview of the Job Description, please refer to the PDF Job Description attached as an additional document to this advert.

Nursing Care:

• Obtain consent prior to giving care in accordance with Trust policies.
• Duties are delegated to you in line with care plans
• Not all duties are routine, and you will need to use your knowledge, experience and understanding to take decisions within your area of responsibility
• To carry out a range of clinical duties with minimal / no supervision, including for example, blood pressure monitoring, oxygen saturation levels, body temperature, pulse rate and respiration rate, glucose monitoring, collection and testing of urine samples / faecal samples / sputum samples and wound swabs ensuring delivery of high-quality patient care at all times. NB: this list is not exhaustive and will vary depending on area of work.
• Participate in patient assessment providing high quality holistic patient care and escalating concerns about patients to other clinical staff
• Practice safe standards of care to patients following Trust guidelines and policies and policies and be able to concentrate for periods throughout the day with occasional interruptions.
• Provide clinical care in accordance with the infection prevention and health and safety policies and procedures.
• Maintain the work environment in line with Trust infection control and patient safety policies
• Develop the skills to actively facilitate self-care and independence with patients.
• Promote health education specific to the clinical area and in line with national and local policies.
• Maintain accurate records relating to communication with patients, relatives, and members of the Multidisciplinary team regarding all aspects of care demonstrating a range of appropriate communication skills.
• Ensuring equipment and stores are well maintained, taking appropriate action if the equipment is faulty
• Work effectively as part of a team.

Person specification

Education/Training/Qualifications

• One of the following:
• Level 3 (SCQF – 6):
• City and Guilds 3
• Level 3 RQF
• NVQ 3 • BTEC National Diploma
• Experience equivalent to the above qualifications
• Level 2 Functional skills in English and Math’s, or equivalent
• Completion of Level 3 NVQ/ RQF Diploma in Healthcare Support (that maps to the Apprenticeship Standard for Senior Health Care Support Worker) OR equivalent experience together with Level 2 qualification and working towards Level 3

• Completion of venepuncture and physiological measurements competencies

Knowledge and Experience

• At least 12 months prior experience as a support worker
• Experience or working in healthcare and ability to demonstrate best practice and act as a role model
• Evidence of ability to work as a member of a team
• Good time management skills and prioritising work

• Evidence of working in an acute hospital setting

Skills and Abilities

• Effective and appropriate communication skills both written and verbal
• Able to complete appropriate documentation accurately
• Demonstrate an awareness of healthcare work and policies and procedures
• Ability to work with minimum supervision to a high standard
• IT skills, basic word, Email, keyboard skills
• Ability and willingness to undertake appropriate training within given time frames
• Flexible and adaptable to change, able to work a range of shifts and moving across wards/unit dependant on clinical need
• able to demonstrate calm, caring patient manner / attitude
• Enthusiasm and commitment to working within the healthcare setting

If you apply for this vacancy and have not received a communication from North Bristol NHS Trust within three weeks of the closing date, please assume that on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful.

Please note that North Bristol NHS Trust does not reimburse travel expenses relating to interview attendance.

If you feel you meet the requirements of the Disability Act / Two Ticks scheme and require further support/advice, please contact us on tel 0117 414 1151.

North Bristol NHS Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

The successful applicant(s) will normally commence at the minimum of the scale unless they have previous NHS service at the same band. Progression through the scale is by annual increments.

We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are currently underrepresented in NBT’s workforce at Band 8a and above. These include people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people and LGBTQIA+ people.

Please note that stringent pre-employment checks are undertaken on all successful applicants prior to commencement in post.