Health Care Assistant

Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust; Northampton; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 25,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Living wage employer

Job summary

Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust is seeking a Band 3 Health Care Assistant for Cynthia Spencer Hospice in Northampton. You will care for patients under a nurse’s supervision and act as a link within the service, supervising ward volunteers.

Training and support are provided on induction and through the Care Certificate Prepare to Care programme. Responsibilities include mentoring junior HCAs, ordering supplies when needed, and assisting the Ward Manager and senior team.

Qualifications

• Good communication and interpersonal skills are essential.
• Experience of working in palliative care is advantageous but not essential; training is provided.
• Act as a role model within the ward and supervise junior HCA's and volunteers.

Responsibilities

• Supervise ward volunteers and mentor junior staff.
• Support the team under supervision of a qualified nurse.
• Assist Sisters/Charge Nurses or Ward Manager with ordering of clinical supplies when required.

Skills

Communication skills

Mentoring/supervision

Teamwork

Job description

An exciting opportunity has arisen at Cynthia Spencer Hospice for a Band 3 Health Care Assistant who has an understanding and interest in specialist palliative care.

Working as an effective member of the team, providing care for patients under the supervision of a qualified nurse, promoting good communication that supports the rights of the patients. You will be expected to take on a link role within the service; this will be agreed with the SPC Ward Manager and the senior nursing team. You will be expected to supervise and mentor ward volunteers. There will be occasions when HCA's are required to assist Sisters/Charge Nurses or the Ward Manager with ordering of clinical supplies usually in the absence of the Matron's Assistant. The post holder will be a senior HCA within the service, therefore it is essential they act as a role model within the ward environment and supervise and guide junior HCA's and volunteers.

Please note that sponsorship is not available for any part-time position as it does not meet the UKVI eligibility criteria for a Skilled Worker visa.

Main duties of the job

Experience of working in palliative care whilst an advantage is not essential, as support & training will be provided as part of local induction. Good communication and interpersonal skills are essential for these posts as you will be required to communicate sensitively and compassionately with patients and family.

The hospice provides 24/7 delivery of specialist palliative care to patients of any age over 18 years, with life limiting disease providing care over a 24 hour period. Varying shift patterns includes late and/or early shifts, nights, weekends and bank holiday working. The post you are applying for is based at Cynthia Spencer Hospice, Northampton. The post holder may occasionally be required to work at Cransley Hospice, Kettering, to meet staffing needs.

At NHFT we are proud to offer you a Prepare to Care programme to help you transition into this new role. This includes generic skills and service specific skills to ensure a solid foundation on which to build your career. The Care Certificate will run in conjunction with the Prepare to Care Programme for those who have not already previously attained this qualification.

NHFT is an NHS Community and Mental Health Foundation Trust, providing physical, mental health and specialty services in hospital settings and in the community. We provide over 200 services across the county - as well as some specialist services in bordering and nearby counties. We work together with our partners to ensure that everyone who comes through our doors receives compassionate, person-centred care, regardless of their background or circumstances.

NHFT promotes a culture of learning, to improve the care and safety of our patients and colleagues. We have achieved our 'outstanding' rating by encouraging opportunity, innovation, development and growth across our workforce.

At NHFT we believe that work should be rewarded in every sense which is why we are proud to an accredited living wage employer.

We aim to support financial wellbeing and create an environment where are people feel valued and able to thrive.