Ambulance Driver ( FTC)

The Methodist Church in Britain; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 17,000 - 22,000; Full time

Job summary

The Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth is seeking an ambulance driver for a six-month fixed-term role on the St Johns Hospice palliative crew. You will manage transfers between home, hospice and hospital, with contact with patients and carers.

A clean Class 1 driving licence is essential, along with experience transporting palliative or vulnerable patients. You will work in a small team, often without close supervision, and may cover extra hours to ensure safe transport.

Qualifications

• Experience of transporting patients or vulnerable adults.
• Experience of working with palliative care patients.

Responsibilities

• Plan and carry out transfers between home, hospice and hospital, including inpatient and appointment transfers, after a daily briefing on arrival.
• Respond promptly to planned and unplanned transport requests, liaising with day care and referrals staff.
• Keep clear, prompt and safe communication with the hospice day care team at all times, in transit and on site.
• Contact patients or carers to confirm pick-up times and warn of delays, including Covid screening questions by phone where needed.
• Liaise closely with the clinical team when a patient's condition or transfer plan changes.
• Follow plans for patients who deteriorate in transit, ensuring documents such as DNACPR forms and transport risk assessments are in place.
• Keep a clear, accurate log of transfers and notable events.
• Check, maintain and replace ambulance equipment, supplies and disposable items.
• Store hard-copy patient information securely on site and remove it from the ambulance when stationary.
• Report incidents and accidents in line with hospital and hospice policies and procedures.

Skills

Transport aids

Vehicle maintenance

Scheduling tools

Verbal and written communication

Job description

This six-month fixed-term ambulance driver role sits on the St Johns Hospice palliative ambulance crew, within The Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth. The work covers planned and unplanned transfers between home, hospice and hospital, with contact with patients and carers, journey booking and planning, and records of each trip. Drivers work in a small team, often without close supervision, and may need to cover extra hours. A clean Class 1 licence and experience of transporting palliative or vulnerable patients are essential.

What the job involves

• Plan and carry out transfers between home, hospice and hospital, including inpatient and appointment transfers, after a daily briefing on arrival
• Respond promptly to planned and unplanned transport requests, liaising with day care and referrals staff
• Keep clear, prompt and safe communication with the hospice day care team at all times, in transit and on site
• Contact patients or carers to confirm pick-up times and warn of delays, including Covid screening questions by phone where needed
• Liaise closely with the clinical team when a patient's condition or transfer plan changes
• Follow plans for patients who deteriorate in transit, ensuring documents such as DNACPR forms and transport risk assessments are in place
• Keep a clear, accurate log of transfers and notable events
• Check, maintain and replace ambulance equipment, supplies and disposable items
• Store hard-copy patient information securely on site and remove it from the ambulance when stationary
• Report incidents and accidents in line with hospital and hospice policies and procedures

Experience

• Experience of transporting patients or vulnerable adults in some capacity
• Experience of working with palliative care patients

Skills & knowledge

• Knowledge of transport and communication aids, such as satellite navigation and hands-free phones
• Knowledge of how the vehicles work and basic vehicle maintenance
• Understanding of scheduling and organisational tools and structures
• Communicates effectively, verbally and in writing

Checks & eligibility

• Clean Class 1 driving licence

Other

• Able to work without direct supervision
• Motivated and enthusiastic
• Flexible to work additional hours as necessary for the safe transport of vulnerable adults

Nice to have

• Basic first aid
• Experience of hard-copy or database booking and recording systems
• Understanding of the hospice's work and the needs of its patients