BANK Health Care Assistant

St Luke’s (Cheshire) Hospice; Winsford; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A local hospice in Winsford is seeking a compassionate healthcare assistant to join their multidisciplinary team. The role involves assisting patients with daily living, ensuring dignity and respect, and supporting the delivery of high-quality care. The ideal candidate will possess interpersonal skills and relevant qualifications. This position provides an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients in a supportive environment.

Qualifications

• Experience of working in a care environment.
• Able to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Shows compassion and treats people with dignity and respect.

Responsibilities

• Assist patients with daily living activities.
• Be aware of patients' communication needs.
• Report changes in patients to qualified staff.
• Participate in ward cleaning duties.
• Ensure confidentiality in patient care.

Skills

Compassion

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Basic hands-on nursing skills

Flexibility

Education

Level 2 or equivalent

NVQ in care

Care certificate

Job description

We are looking for a healthcare assistant with apassion for palliative care to work as part of our multidisciplinary team basedin Winsford. An opportunity to join the bank for our ten bedded In Care Unitand Day Hospice. If you want the time to give compassionate patient centredcare as part of a small multidisciplinary team please apply.

St Lukes is an adult hospice based in Winsford thatcares for people in mid and south Cheshire who are suffering from cancer andother life-threatening illnesses. We offer specialist treatment, care, adviceand support to many seriously ill people and their families every year. Were asmall hospice with a big heart whose ethos, values and beliefs are core toeverything we do. If you feel the same way wed love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

Through guidance fromqualified staff, be able to assist patients with all aspects of daily living,acknowledging their personal preferences, rights and choices and promotingprivacy, dignity and respect for personal values and identity.

Be aware of the communicationneeds of patients and significant others and use a range of effectiveinterpersonal skills to aid communication.

Become aware of the recognisedgrief reactions to terminal illness in patients and carers in order to be ableto offer care and support.

Recognise changes in patients,both physical and emotional and report them to qualified staff.

Following appropriatetraining, to safely undertake the following duties under guidance andsupervision of a qualified nurse or therapist:-

• Assist in the safe delivery ofmedications,Catheter care
• Gastrostomy feeds andadministration of feeds via the gastrostomy tube
• Temperature observation duringblood transfusions,Simple massage of patients

Participate in essential wardcleaning duties.

To be supportive to volunteers, students and staff on duty in the Hospice.

Ensure confidentiality in allaspects of patient care, including the safe storage of information.

To have a welcoming approachto patients and visitors, and assist in ensuring a safe and comfortableenvironment.

Assist in the monitoring andmaintenance of a healthy, safe and secure working environment ensuringcompliance with legal and regulatory requirements for patients, visitors andself.

About us

At St Lukes Hospice, our ethos is one of service; being of service to our local people and community is central to all that we do. We believe the most important privilege any person can have is the opportunity to comfort and support ones fellow human beings in their hour of need. This spirit of service at St Lukes extends not only to the patients, but also to family and friends, and we welcome diversity.

The founding members of St Lukes Hospice were driven by the same ideals that inspire us today; to reach out a warm and caring hand to those in need and to help relieve their suffering of mind, spirit or body. The founder of the Hospice movement, the late Dame Cicely Saunders, wanted hospices to remain a beacon of hope with a message of care and community. St Lukes is a lively and vibrant Hospice that has a very powerful reason to be here.

St Lukes is an incredibly inspiring place to work and volunteer. You will be joining a passionate team, dedicated to delivering care and support to local people and their families.

We all share in the sense of privilege and honour that comes from being involved in a local organisation doing such important work and each day we look for new and innovative ways to make a difference to the wider community.

Each member of staff is highly valued at St Lukes

Job responsibilities

PURPOSE: To assist nursingstaff in ensuring that the highest possible standards of patient care, whichreflects the philosophy, ethos and behaviours of St Lukes, Cheshire Hospiceand work within the policy and procedure framework as adopted by the Hospicebased on the NMC Code of Conduct and care certificate.

KeyTasks and Responsibilities

Clinical Tasks

Through guidance fromqualified staff, be able to assist patients with all aspects of daily living,acknowledging their personal preferences, rights and choices and promotingprivacy, dignity and respect for personal values and identity.

Be aware of the communicationneeds of patients and significant others and use a range of effectiveinterpersonal skills to aid communication.

Become aware of the recognisedgrief reactions to terminal illness in patients and carers in order to be ableto offer care and support.

Recognise changes in patients,both physical and emotional and report them to qualified staff.

Following appropriatetraining, to safely undertake the following duties under guidance andsupervision of a qualified nurse or therapist:-

• Assist in the safe delivery ofmedications
• Gastrostomy feeds andadministration of feeds via the gastrostomy tube
• Simple massage of patients

Participate in essential wardcleaning duties.

To be supportive to volunteers, students and staff on duty in the Hospice.

Ensure confidentiality in allaspects of patient care, including the safe storage of information.

To have a welcoming approachto patients and visitors, and assist in ensuring a safe and comfortableenvironment.

Assist in the monitoring andmaintenance of a healthy, safe and secure working environment ensuringcompliance with legal and regulatory requirements for patients, visitors andself.

Educational

To increase the knowledge ofrisks and cross infection in patient care and work accordingly.

Participate in role specificstatutory & mandatory teaching sessions organised for staff and volunteers

Follow appropriate training toact as a mentor for other nursing assistants from other care settings.

Introduce volunteers andvisitors to the layout of the Hospice.

Be aware of the writtenpolicies and procedures of St Lukes ,Cheshire Hospice in order to maintain asafe environment.

Take responsibility for ownlearning and development by recognising and taking advantage of allopportunities to learn. Complete the care certificate with support from staffwithin 3 months

Personnel

To follow agreed policies ofSt Lukes ,Cheshire Hospice with regard to sickness and absence, grievance anddisciplinary procedures.

Complete self-certificationforms following an episode of sickness or absence.

Report to Senior Nurse onduty.

Participate in ward meetings.

Recognise the potentiality ofstress creating aspects of the work, accept and give support to others.

Assist in maintaining a closeworking relationship with volunteers

Health &Safety & Security

Under health andsafety legislation, each individual has a legal responsibility for their ownwelfare and for the health and safety of others and to co-operate inmaintaining their place of work in a tidy and safe condition, therebyminimising risk. The Hospice has a Health & Safety Policy which applies toall staff.

Similarly, it iseach persons responsibility to ensure a secure environment and bring anybreaches of security to the attention of their manager.

St LukesCheshire Hospice has given its full commitment to the adoption and promotion ofthe key principles of equal opportunities contained within current legislationand St Lukes Cheshire Hospice Equality & Diversity Policy.

Confidentiality

In the course ofyour duties, you will have access to confidential material about members ofstaff, volunteers, other hospice business and patients. The Hospice has Data Protection Policy whichapplies to all staff.

St LukesCheshire Hospice iscommitted to safeguarding adults and children and expects all staff to share inthis commitment. Staff have a responsibility to ensure that they are aware ofspecific duties relating to their role and should familiarise themselves withthe Hospices Safeguarding Policies. Safeguarding training is mandatory for allstaff.

St LukesCheshire Hospice has given its full commitment to the adoption and promotion ofthe key principles of equal opportunities contained within current legislationand St Lukes Cheshire Hospice Equality & Diversity Policy.

This job description is not exhaustive and is subject to review in conjunction withthe post holder and according to future changes/developments in the service.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Educated to Level 2 and/or equivalent working
• Experience of working in a care environment
• NVQ in care
• Care certificate

Other requirements

• Able to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Shows compassion and treats people with dignity, respect and kindness
• Flexible approach to work
• Organised and reliable
• Self aware and cares for own wellbeing
• Enhanced DBS disclosure
• Flexibility to work as part of a team that provides 24hr care 365 days of the year

Experience

• Excellent interpersonal & communication skills both verbal and written
• Ability to empathise and treat people with dignity and respect
• Basic hands on nursing skills
• Basic understanding of Hospice values and ethos
• Some understanding of palliative/terminal care
• Good understanding of holistic care for patient and family
• Willingness to develop skills and abilities to accommodate the changing needs of the service
• A willingness to learn and increase knowledge base

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.