Driver/Health Care Assistant

Transformationunitgm; Norwich; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust is looking for a Driver/Health Care Assistant to join their Out of Hours Community Nursing Service, offering high standards of healthcare at home and in clinics. This role entails supporting clinical teams, driving nurses to patient visits, and ensuring effective communication and coordination within the team. The ideal candidate will have relevant qualifications and a commitment to improving patient care.

Qualifications

• Must hold a full and valid driving licence.
• Experience in a health/care setting is required.
• Previous driving experience of one year is necessary.

Responsibilities

• Support the Out of Hours Community Nursing Service in delivering healthcare to patients.
• Drive nurses to patients' visits and assist them in clinical tasks.
• Engage with systems and protocols for patient care.

Skills

Good interpersonal skills

Ability to use initiative

Good observational & reporting skills

Ability to manage stressful situations

Flexible approach

Education

NVQ 2 In Health Care Social Care or equivalent experience

GCSE Grade C or above in Maths and English or equivalent

Job description

Employer Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust Employer type NHS Site Norwich Community Hospital Town Norwich Salary £24,169 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 04/07/2025 23:59 Interview date 14/07/2025

Driver/Health Care Assistant

NHS AfC: Band 2

NCH&C is proud to be the first standalone NHS community trust in the UK to achieve an ‘Outstanding’ rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Our focus is on continually improving the quality of care we offer to local people and on improving access to that care, helping people to move seamlessly from one service to another. Praising NCH&C’s “compassionate, inclusive and effective leadership at all levels”, the CQC observed that our staff are well supported to make positive changes and innovations.

Norfolk Community Health & Care NHS Trust is committed to continuing to create a modern and inclusive work environment. As part of this commitment we actively promote flexible working opportunities where possible, to meet the needs and wishes of our workforce to maintain and improve their wellbeing. The trust offers a range of flexibility, including flexible working patterns, and we would encourage you to discuss this with the recruiting manager before or during the application process if this would interest you.

We welcome applications from people who share our values and can help us deliver outstanding care in our local community.

Job overview

To provide a supportive role to the Out of Hours Community Nursing Service in the deliveryof high standards of healthcare to patients within their own homes, care homes, thetravelling community and in clinics.

Main duties of the job

As part of the Urgent Community Response (UCR) Team you will be required:
Work in partnership with the nurse co-ordinator to support deployment of clinical teams as
directed.
Drive Nurses to visits of patients
Undertake care under the supervision of the registered nurse
Engage in the use of SystmOne including mobile working
Engage with referral to discharge standard processes
To be aware of the demand and capacity model which will reflect workload needs at anygiven time
Engage in admission avoidance when required

Working for our organisation

Apply now to join an organisation that has been awarded an Outstanding rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the highest possible rating and the first stand-alone NHS community trust in the country to be awarded the title.

Find out more about working for our organisation here:

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Coordination support
Work as part of the clinical triage team within the Out of Hours Community Nursing service, and under thedirection of a nurse coordinator, whilst on shift undertake the registering of referrals. Under supervision ofthe nurse coordinator assist in allocation of visits and to ensure visits are prioritised according to theservice and the patient need.
Ensure all documentation and recordkeeping undertaken in line with local SOP’s and Trust Policies.
Use assistive technology to support the allocation/ deployment of visits fairly and efficiently
Assist with processing of urgent referrals by using geographical knowledge with the assistance oftechnology.
Work in accordance with the local processes and standard operating procedures as set out by the Trust.
Be a knowledge resource for troubleshooting assistive technology alongside the nurse co-ordinator.
Effectively communicate with teams deployed to visits.

Driver
Locate and drive the Out of Hours Nurse safely to designated address and back to the team’s base
Ensure the vehicle used is fuelled and maintained in accordance with the lease terms and road safetyregulations, and ready to use at the start of each shift
Ensure that the vehicle logs are completed at the end of each shift to a standard to satisfy auditors
Interact with satnav devices including training and troubleshooting
Effectively communicate with co-ordination team

HCA
Assist the nurse with moving and handling patients as required. Assist the nurse with clinical tasks whererequired
Assist in the delivery and collection of equipment
Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of consent, and gain consent as appropriate following
organisational policies
Be exposed to bodily fluids, infected material, blood products, when assisting with clinical tasks, therefore must utilise precautions and adhere to infection control policies

General
Maintain confidentially and dignity of patients at all times
Be a committed member of the out of Hours Community Nursing service and contribute productively tothe delivery of the service
Support the day service by effectively communicating information to the appropriate teams
Report any problems to the coordinator or Line Manager
Report incidents via the Datix incident reporting system
Ensure the base and cars are left secure at all times and ensure the vehicle is clean and tidy
Responsible for ensuring equipment is used safely, following relevant training, and that it is maintainedappropriately
Contribute to the requisitioning of supplies and equipment through electronic ordering systems
Share responsibility of indirect patient contact tasks, such as answering telephones, arrangingappointments, and processing referrals
Work with the team to ensure all shifts are effectively covered by coordination of time off, annual leave,and flexibility in covering absences

Person specification

Qualifications

• NVQ 2 In Health Care Social Care or equivalent experience
• GCSE Grade C or above in Maths and English or equivalent

Experience

• Driving for a minimum of one year
• Previous experience in a health/care setting
• Experience in customer care
• Knowledge of the local area

Skills, Abilities and Knowledge

• Highly motivated
• Ability to use own initiative
• Good observational & reporting skills
• Ability to manage stressful situations
• Concentrate when undertaking patient care and inputting data/patient records
• Good interpersonal skills
• A team player
• Flexible approachh to accommodate patient/service needs
• Have basic IT and standard keyboard skills
• Able to kneel bend and stoop and work in cramped environments
• Able to manoeuvre limbs of around 5-6kg
• Able to manoeuvre patients using handling aids
• Knowledge of additional specialist areas through in-house training and short courses including Palliative Care, Long Term Conditions and Diabetes Management
• Be aware of assistive technology

Communication

• Tact and diplomacy
• Empathy and sensitivity
• Ability to report and escalate issues as required
• Able to communicate effectively using the English language in both written and verbal forms

Personal and People Development

• Able to identify with the Trust’s commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults
• Resilience to stressful situations
• Able to prioritise and plan

Other

• Must hold a full and valid driving licence

Equal Opportunities - We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome all applications irrespective of age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, race or religion. Additionally, people with disabilities that fall under the Disability Confident Scheme will be offered an interview providing they meet the minimum criteria for the post (outlined in the Person Specification). All sites are Smoke Free.

Immigration Status- Norfolk Community Health & Care NHS Trust is a diverse employer and welcomes all job applications. However, potential applicants should note that although the Trust is registered with the Home Office as a sponsor organisation for migrant workers, sponsorship can only be offered against Skilled Worker visas. If you are an applicant from outside the UK and do not already hold a self-gained right to work, we recommend you check the Home Office eligibility requirements before making an application.

Please note: Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for some job roles, and this will be identified through filtering questions at the start of any job application on the Trac recruitment system.

Redeployment - Please note that in the first instance priority for this vacancy will be given to NCH&C staff who are on the Trusts Redeployment Register.

DBS - If this post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and you are not a current employee of Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust or being recruited as an Apprentice then the cost of the DBS check will be automatically removed from your first month’s salary. However if you are registered with the update service this may not be required.

Closing and Interview Dates -This vacancy may close early if sufficient applicants are received.

Data Protection -A privacy notice detailing how we will handle your data is attached to this advert as a document. Your application will be transferred to our recruitment management system (Trac) once the advert has closed and you will receive notification then detailing how Trac will handle your data.

On April 1st 2025, the Boards of Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust and Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust will come together to deliver services as a group, with a singular board operating across both organisations. Both trusts are high performing specialist community health and care providers working in the East of England. Both have a strong track record, with the highest ratings from the Care Quality Commission, best in class NHS staff survey outcomes, and a decade of experience in innovation and clinical development.

The group model provides health and care services to a population of 3.2 million in their homes and neighbourhoods. We provide care that supports people from the very beginning to the very end of their lives.

We will remain two separate employers until further notice, and this role being advertised will be employed by Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Name Robert Frank Job title Clinical Operations Manager - Out of Hours Team Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 07810836054