Health Care Assistant

NHS; Tring; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization is seeking compassionate Health Care Assistants to join their Rapid Personalised Care Service (RPCS). The role involves providing end-of-life care to patients in their homes, ensuring comfort and support in their final weeks of life. Candidates should possess a caring nature, with no formal medical experience necessary. Comprehensive training will be provided, and various shifts are available, accommodating the needs of the patients and staff.

Qualifications

• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in English.
• Experience working effectively in a team environment.
• Knowledge of care at the end of life and after death.

Responsibilities

• Provide end-of-life care to patients in their own homes.
• Support with personal care, nutrition, and skin care.
• Spend time talking to patients and their relatives.

Skills

Communication

Empathy

Interpersonal skills

Flexibility

Initiative

Education

Care certificate/NVQ Level 2 or equivalent

Basic Food Hygiene Certificate

Job description

Rapid Personalised Care Service (RPCS) Health Care Assistant

• Hours: Full time or Part time
• Location: In the community within the Rennie Grove Peace Locality Hertfordshire Area (Tring, Harpenden, St Albans, Watford and surrounding areas)
• Closing date: 29 June 2025 at 12 noon
• Interview date: Rolling interviews

Main duties of the job

This role is part of our Rapid Personalised Care Service (RPCS), which delivers compassionate, end-of-life care to people in their own homes during the final weeks of life. You do not need formal medical experience to apply just a caring nature, compassion, and a genuine desire to help and support others at the end of their lives. Full training and support will be provided.

About us

At Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care, our unique care provides a lifeline of compassion and support to patients, carers, and families facing progressive life-limiting illness.

We provide palliative and end of life care support, including bereavement services, within Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire and our patient services are available to adults, as well as patients transitioning into adult services (16 to 25 years.) Bereavement support is offered for all ages to families of patients and those around them, as well as throughout the community, in schools and workplaces.

We are proud to offer care in the place that best suits the individuals needs, whether that is at home, in a care home, in a short stay in our inpatient unit, out in the community, or in our purpose-built Living Well Centre facilities. As a hospice care charity, we have offered this support, free of charge, for over 40 years.

Our staff team of 340+ includes a wide range of patient-facing disciplines plus operational support based in Watford, Tring, St Albans, Chalfont St Giles and Berkhamsted. The Charity is now one of the larger UK hospice charities, reaching a GP population of 797,037 of whom 75% live in Hertfordshire and 25% in Buckinghamshire.

Job responsibilities

- The role of RPCS Health Care Assistant is in place to provide end of life care to patients in their own homes in the final weeks of life.

- We are looking for caring staff who could provide personal care to patients in their last weeks of life.

- If you think this is you then we can offer a variety of shift patterns to suit you, working across a 7 day week.

- Your normal hours of work will be a varied shift pattern (between 7am-11pm) on a rota basis from Sunday to Saturday.

- You will be visiting patients living in your local area, who wish to be cared for in their own home.

- You will provide support with washing, dressing, nutrition, and skin care.

- During your visit you will spend time talking to patients and their relatives, using your skills to ascertain the best possible care for the individual.

- Visits are mainly provided by two carers, but there are times when you will visit alone, so you must have access to your own car.

- Experience is not essential as training will be given but ideally you will have had some experience of prior caring i.e. for a dying relative, childcare etc.

Person Specification

Additional Criteria

• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in English, verbal and written
• Ability to work effectively in an emotionally demanding environment
• Drive and enthusiasm
• Ability to work autonomously and as an effective member of the team, using initiative
• Caring and empathetic approach
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Flexible and adaptable to a variety of tasks
• Ability to prioritise effectively and work, even under pressure
• Commitment to the Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care purpose
• Able to maintain confidentiality at all times
• Experience working effectively in a team environment
• Care certificate/NVQ Level 2 or equivalent
• Basic Food Hygiene Certificate
• Experience of working within the care setting
• Experience of working within a community setting
• Knowledge of and experience in care at the end of life and after death
• Relevant experience in assisting patients/people with their personal hygiene

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.