Health Care Assistant - COPD

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust; St Helens; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent healthcare institution in St Helens seeks a Health Care Assistant to provide direct and indirect patient care under supervision within the COPD service. Candidates should have NVQ level 3 in Health and Social Care, driving licence, and effective communication skills. The role is full-time, fixed-term for 12 months, with a salary range of £24,937 to £26,598 per annum. Join a dedicated team committed to delivering high standards of care.

Qualifications

• Must have good communication skills.
• Driving licence and access to own vehicle required.
• Experience in a patient care health-related role is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Support tasks as part of the Specialist Nursing Team.
• Ensure patient information remains confidential.
• Assist Health Care Professionals with clinical activities.

Skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Teamwork

Basic IT skills

Flexibility

Adaptability

Time management

Education

NVQ level 3 Health and Social Care or equivalent

Care Certificate (equivalent to level 1)

Literacy and numeracy functional skills level 2 or equivalent

Job description

Go back Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Health Care Assistant - COPD

The closing date is 14 December 2025

The post-holder will carry out assigned tasks involving direct and indirect patient care across the service for patients under the care of the St Helens Community COPD Rapid Response service supervised by a Specialist Nurse.

The post holder will carry out general health care assistant duties across primary and secondary care; they must also have good communication skills and possess a broad spectrum of administrative skills including some basic IT skills.

The post holder must have a driving licence and access to use own vehicle a part of the role working across primary and secondary care.

Main duties of the job

To work as part of the Specialist Nursing Team undertaking support tasks, direct care tasks and indirect care tasks as delegated by the Lead COPD Specialist Nurse.

To accept responsibility for specifically delegated functions the specialist nurse feels are appropriate for untrained staff to undertake.

To support the specialist Nursing Staff in the maintenance of high standards of nursing care to patients.

To assist in providing an environment that is conductive to patient recovery and pleasant for patients and their families.

To ensure where entries are made in nursing documentation, that these are correct, legible and comprehensive and countersigned by a registered nurse.

To understand and adhere to all Trust Policies.

To ensure the Health and Safety of patients, relatives and other staff is considered and not prejudiced by the post-holder at any time.

Hold a driving licence and be willing to travel across the locality visiting patients in the community under the direction of the Specialist Nurse.

Support and undertake accurate and reliable administrative duties including data input, coordinating equipment across the service, ordering stock, stock control.

About us

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 10,500 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.

Our services:

Acute Care

Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.

Primary Care

Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.

Community Services

Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.

Specialist Regional Services

We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.

Achievements:

• Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
• Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
• National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme.

You will be expected to undertake the Trusts' commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Job responsibilities

To ensure that all patient information is confidential and is not disclosed to a third party except with permission of the Specialist Nurse.

To report any untoward incidents/occurrences.

To ensure that all patient care is delivered with the highest degree of professionalism.

Work towards obtaining Level 3 NVQ I Healthcare.

Take and record temperature, pulse and respiration, blood pressure, height and weight.

Assist Health Care Professionals with clinical activities.

Obtain venous sampling for patient in the community under the direction of the specialist nurse.

Support the delivery of the Domiciliary oxygen service, performing oxygen saturation monitoring, carbon monoxide monitoring, delivery and monitoring of patient with a history of type two respiratory failure in the community under the direction of the specialist nurses and reporting anomalies to the specialist nurses.

Support the delivery of the Community COPD diagnostic Hub.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• NVQ level 3 Health and Social Care or equivalent
• Care Certificate (equivalent to level 1)
• Literacy and numeracy functional skills level 2 or equivalent

Experience

• Knowledge of personal care and related procedures
• Demonstrable experience of working in a patient care/health related role
• Knowledge of relevant legislation related to healthcare
• Experience of working in a team

Skills

• Ability to communicate effectively in both verbal and written formats
• Good interpersonal skills
• Able to work within a team
• Experience of supporting junior staff and learners
• Able to accept direction and guidance
• Aware of own limitations
• Able to prioritise your own workload and manage time effectively
• Flexible, adaptable and responsive to change
• Reliable and professional
• Ability to cope in stressful and challenging situations
• Inclusive and non-judgmental
• Punctual, motivated and committed
• Effective role model demonstrating Trust values
• Basic IT skills

Other

• Frequent moderate effort for several long periods during the shift such as manual handling patients to support patient's personal care.
• Concentration, focus and frequent record keeping requirements. Carrying out time critical tasks.
• Aware that developing resilience to distressing situations is necessary without losing the ability to care compassionately.
• Aware of the process for accessing staff health and wellbeing support
• Daily exposure to distressing situations which may include challenging behaviour, care of chronic health conditions, patient end of life care/care after death.
• Able to carry out direct clinical care as required on ward or department.
• Potential blood or body fluids exposure.

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.

Employer name

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Address

Lowe House, 2nd floor suite 2, Crab Street St Helens WA10 2DJ

£24,937 to £26,598 a yearper annum pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

409-7604168

Job locations

Lowe House, 2nd floor suite 2, Crab Street St Helens WA10 2DJ