Community Healthcare Assistant

The Methodist Church in Britain; Chedgrave; On-site; GBP 19,000 - 23,000; Full time

Job summary

The Beauchamp House community nursing team in South Norfolk is seeking a Community Healthcare Assistant to visit patients in their homes, supporting long-term conditions, palliative and rehabilitation care, and facilitating early discharge. The role requires NVQ 2 in health and social care or equivalent, a full UK driving licence, and flexibility to work across seven days.

You will deliver clinical activities under supervision, plan visits, and maintain patient records in SystmOne, liaising with

Qualifications

• NVQ 2 in health and social care or equivalent.
• Experience of working with the general public.
• Experience in a healthcare setting.
• Literacy skills.

Responsibilities

• Deliver interventions for patients with long-term conditions, palliative care and rehabilitation in patients' homes.
• Support early discharge from hospital and prevent unnecessary admissions as part of an integrated team.
• Provide competency-based care such as diabetes care, insulin administration, wound care, venepuncture and catheter care under supervision.
• Plan and prioritise visits and keep patient records (SystmOne).
• Liaise with health professionals and other agencies for joined-up care.
• Communicate with patients and carers, addressing barriers.
• Cross cover other teams as needed.
• Share responsibility for store cupboards, pool cars and equipment.
• Handle telephone tasks, appointments, referrals and data input.

Skills

Communication skills

Independence

Organisational skills

Listening skills

Stress management

Team player

Education

NVQ 2 in health and social care

Job description

This Community Healthcare Assistant post sits in the community nursing team at Beauchamp House, part of the South Norfolk Health Improvement Partnership. The work is visiting patients in their own homes across villages served by Loddon and Poringland GP surgeries, supporting long-term, palliative and rehabilitation care and early discharge. The service runs seven days a week, so flexibility and cross cover to other South Norfolk teams are expected. Applicants need NVQ 2 in health and social care or equivalent and a full UK driving licence with vehicle access.

What the job involves

• Deliver interventions for patients with long-term conditions, palliative care and rehabilitation needs in their homes
• Support early discharge from hospital and prevent unnecessary admissions as part of an integrated team
• Give competency-based care such as diabetes care, insulin administration, wound care, venepuncture and catheter care under qualified supervision, reporting responses to treatment
• Plan and prioritise own visits and keep patient records, including daily SystmOne inputting
• Liaise with health professionals and statutory and non-statutory agencies to provide joined-up care
• Communicate with patients and carers, overcoming barriers such as hearing or cognitive impairment
• Cross cover other South Norfolk teams based on clinical need
• Share responsibility for store cupboards, pool cars, cleaning specialist equipment and housekeeping
• Share indirect patient contact tasks such as answering phones, arranging appointments, processing referrals and inputting activity data
• Deliver health promotion and education, for example smoking cessation and falls prevention
• Apply consent, infection control and safe equipment use, including daily exposure to bodily fluids
• Complete mandatory training, appraisal, clinical audit, risk assessments and incident forms

What’s required

Qualifications

• NVQ 2 in health and social care or equivalent

Experience

• Experience of working with the general public
• Experience of working within a healthcare setting
• Evidence of ongoing learning
• Literacy skills

Skills & knowledge

• Effective communication in written and verbal English
• Ability to work alone
• Good organisational skills
• Good listening skills
• Ability to manage stressful situations
• Team player

Checks & eligibility

• Full UK driving licence with access to a vehicle

Other

• Able to kneel, bend, stoop and work in cramped environments
• Able to manoeuvre patients using handling aids and limbs of around 5-6kg
• Able to identify with the Trust's commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults
• Awareness of own limitations

Nice to have

• NVQ 3 in care
• Experience of working in a community setting
• Experience of working in people's homes
• Experience of working with people at the end of life
• Knowledge of multi-disciplinary team roles