Health Care Assistant- COAU | East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust; Blackburn; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A large integrated health care organization in Blackburn seeks a health care assistant for the Children’s observation and assessment unit. The role involves providing personal care to children, assisting with various duties, and maintaining cleanliness within the ward. Flexibility in work hours, including nights and weekends, is essential. Ideal candidates should have strong communication skills and a caring approach.

Qualifications

• Experience in a health care setting preferred.
• Ability to work long days, nights, and weekends as required.
• Ability to communicate effectively with children and families.

Responsibilities

• Assist Registered Nurses with child care.
• Provide personal care to children.
• Maintain cleanliness in the ward.

Skills

Caring professional approach

Effective communication

Team player

Flexibility

Job description

A unique opportunity for a health care assistant to work on the Children's observation and assessment unit.

Children's observation and assessment unit (COAU) is a 11 beds/11 waiting seats unit, offering a 24 hour service seeing on average 40 children in a 24 hour period, hence has a fast turnover of children staying on average 4 hours to which they are either admitted to the ward or discharged home.

Children are referred in from GP surgeries, Emergency Dept, NWAS or other health care professionals and our open access children and young people.

This role requires a caring professional approach. Working within a fast flowing extremely busy unit requires someone who communicates well, is a team player and who can face challenging situations on a day to day basis with a calm but effective response.

You will be required to work long days, twilight's and nights, covering weekends and bank holidays and be flexible towards the needs of the service. Therefore you may be required at times to work within other areas of family care and ELHT.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist the Registered Nurses in implementing and evaluating care given in partnership with children and their families
• Accompany children and families to other departments for appointments or investigations
• Assist families to care for their child’s needs in terms of hygiene and nutrition
• Take an active role in the multi‑disciplinary team of Nurses, Doctors, Dietitians, Physiotherapists, and our play Team attending ward meetings and weekly Share to Care updates
• Provide Housekeeping duties.
• Participate in all mandatory training
• Work alongside the rest of the team to ensure the ward is kept clean and tidy
• Ensuring all areas are fully stocked

Full List of Responsibilities

1. Provide personal care to patient’s e.g. assist with hygiene needs, toileting.
2. Manoeuvre patients as required, using mechanical aids as appropriate following training.
3. Ward testing of urine and stool specimens. Follow procedure for sending/taking specimens to path lab.
4. Ensure when exposed to body fluids, that adequate precautions are taken to minimise the risk of cross infection, in relation to the safe disposal of body fluids, including blood products.
5. Presentation of food and drink and assist patients as required.
6. Maintain a clean and tidy environment for the patient.
7. Escort children and parents to and from investigations/theatre.
8. Clearing and cleaning of trolleys and equipment with support.
9. Responsible for cleaning beds/cots, preparation of same and disposal of soiled linen.
10. Display a flexible approach to working across the unit, to include out‑patients clinics as required.
11. Taking prescriptions to and collection of medicines from pharmacy.
12. Organises own work with support from trained staff.
13. Understand and participate in ordering of supplies, including online ordering.
14. Safe storage of supplies.
15. In absence of ward clerk participate in filing of notes, collection/delivery of notes from and to other departments.
16. Support families and ensure parents facilities are in order.

Communication

1. Take part in ward hand‑overs, reporting any changes to qualified staff.
2. Liaise with other departments e.g. linen, catering, stores as required.
3. Inform patients/relatives of general housekeeping rules e.g. meal times, parents facilities etc.
4. Liaise with patients/families across multi‑cultural backgrounds.

Education

1. Participate in annual appraisal/development review, identifying training required.
2. Attend in‑service training as appropriate.
3. Participate in staff meetings on a regular basis.
4. Participate in annual mandatory training.

Research and Audit

• Assist with research/audits as appropriate.

Health and Safety

• Adhere to uniform policy, ensuring clear identification on duty.
• Safeguard welfare and safety of patients, visitors and staff, in accordance with Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.
• Ensure all Health and safety policies are adhered to.

Trust Policies & Standards of Conduct

• All members of the Trust have a mandatory obligation to be aware of and abide by the following:
  1. Risk Management – proactive role towards risk management in all actions, including risk assessment, action and reporting of incidents, near misses and hazards.
  2. Records Management/Data Protection Act – legal responsibility for all records; if in doubt consult manager.
• Health and safety requirements – statutory duty of care for personal safety and that of others; cooperate with management and report any circumstances compromising health, safety and welfare.
• Confidentiality and information security – uphold confidentiality of all records held by Trust, indefinitely.
• Trust policies – observe and adhere to the provisions outlined.
  1. Research – comply with reporting requirements and duties of research governance.
  2. Equal opportunities – treat all patients and colleagues with dignity and respect irrespective of background.
  3. Child protection – responsibility for safeguarding and promoting welfare of children.
  4. Infection control – personal responsibility for adhering to infection control policy.

Established in 2003, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) is a large integrated health care organisation providing high‑quality acute secondary healthcare for the people of East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen. Our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care. We provide high quality services and treat over 700,000 patients a year from the most serious of emergencies to planned operations and procedures. We employ over 8,000 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work and achievements.

Family care division as a whole continues to improve, innovate and facilitate new ideas and is constantly striving to ensure the best possible experiences and outcomes for families and children and young people.

This advert closes on Tuesday 25 Nov 2025