Health Care Assistant (Days) Hospice at Home

Pendleside Hospice; Burnley; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Part time

Job summary

A local healthcare charity in Burnley is seeking a Health Care Assistant to join their Hospice at Home team. The role involves providing high-quality care to patients, demonstrating clinical excellence, effective communication, and collaboration with a multi-disciplinary team. Candidates should have a passion for palliative care, good interpersonal skills, and a willingness to train further. A full UK driving license and access to a vehicle are required.

Qualifications

• Demonstrate clinical excellence and maintain high standards of care.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Experience of working with adults with palliative care needs.

Responsibilities

• Assist to provide high quality care to patients in their homes.
• Prioritize and plan workload according to individual need.
• Work collaboratively with members of the multi-disciplinary team.

Skills

Clinical excellence

Compassion

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Teamwork

Education

Level 3 in Health and Social Care

Palliative and/or end of life care training

Job description

Health Care Assistant (Days) Hospice at Home

Thank you for your interest in the post of Health Care Assistant at Pendleside Hospice. We hope you find all the information you need in this pack, to help you decide if you are the right person for this inspiring and exciting role.

We have an opportunity for a Health Care Assistant to join our Hospice at Home day team. You will be able to demonstrate clinical excellence and maintain consistently high standards of individualised care, compassion and bereavement support.

This appointment is a crucial one for the Hospice and we want to be sure of finding the right person. However, we recognise it is probably also a big step for you. So if you wish to know more, we warmly welcome you to arrange an informal visit to the Hospice. You can do that by emailing alison,[e-mail] or phoning 01282 440107.

Main duties of the job

You will be able to demonstrate clinical excellence and maintain consistently high standards of individualised care, compassion and bereavement support. Our aim is to make living with dying better for patients and their families and as a Health Care Assistant you will be there for people in their time of need.

If you are enthusiastic and have a passion for palliative care you may be the person we are looking for. The role available is for 22.5 hours worked over 3 days Monday to Sunday. Flexibility will be essential to apply your skills, along with positivity and enthusiasm, you will have the communication and interpersonal skills that enable you to thrive in a friendly working environment. Level 3 in Health and Social Care is not essential but a willingness to work towards it would be required.

You must be a car driver, with access to your own car and business insurance. At Pendleside Hospice, you will find a fantastic team spirit and a commitment to developing you and your skills so that you can choose a long-term career with us.

About us

Pendleside Hospice was founded as a charity in 1988 and is one of the principal providers of palliative and end of life care services to adults in Burnley and Pendle. Pendleside is widely known throughout the area of Burnley and Pendle and is held in deep affection by the local community. It is truly a privilege to work here.

All our care is free of charge to the patients and their families/carers but, of course, it isnt free to provide and most of it is funded through the generosity of the local community in which we serve. It costs over £6 million to run Pendleside Hospice of which over £5 million needs to be raised through voluntary donations.

Job responsibilities

Main Responsibilities:

To work as part of a team assisting to provide high quality care to people with palliative care needs, their families and carers in their own home.

To support and contribute to an environment of continuous quality improvement and learning

Clinical:

Ensure that hospice policies, procedures and standards are adhered to at all times particularly those concerning confidentiality, information governance, health and safety and infection control

Work independently and with nursing colleagues to deliver individualised, quality and skilled care to patients and their carers, reporting and documenting changes in condition to an appropriate health care colleague, to enable re assessment and adaptation of care according to changes identified.

Effectively prioritise and plan workload according to individual need and in partnership with others in the team and multi-disciplinary teams.

Work autonomously with a defined work load with indirect supervision from the hospice at home shift coordinator or registered nurse.

To implement and review patient care plans according to Hospice policies and procedures.

To provide family and bereavement support to relatives and carers demonstrating a realistic attitude towards people facing a life limiting diagnosis.

To communicate effectively and work collaboratively with members of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) ensuring the delivery of coordinated service and the maintenance of positive inter-personal working relationships with all members of the MDT.

Deal with questions, concerns and complaints, from patients, their families and carers as appropriate according to Hospice policies and procedures.

To maintain up to date accurate patient records in accordance with Hospice policies, procedures and guidelines.

Maintain the effective health and safety procedures that have been implemented, and that any risks to patients/staff safety are highlighted for action.

Maintain infection control measures that are implemented ensuring that any risk associated with the prevention and control of infections are reported immediately to a senior colleague.

Record and report all accidents, complaints and untoward incidents according to Hospice policies and procedures.

Ensure that standards relating to patient assessment, admission and discharge are applied consistently

To ensure that patient documentation is completed accurately and fully in line with the Hospice record keeping policy

Monitor the patients clinical condition, identify any significant changes and adapt according to service user need; incorporating high standards of individualised care

Report any significant changes to the relevant health care professionals e.g. Hospice Physician, patients GP. Utilise IT skills, including the use of Microsoft office, email, internet and the hospice patient record (EMIS)

Communication Skills

To communicate effectively and work collaboratively with members of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) ensuring the delivery of a coordinated service and the maintenance of good working relationships with all members of the MDT

Foster good working relationships with all Hospice departments and members of the multidisciplinary team

Communicate effectively with patients and families ensuring they contribute and consent to treatment and care plans

Give clear, concise reports on patients progress and concerns to the multi-disciplinary team and facilitate others to do so.

Ensure accurate, contemporaneous documentation of patient care, both personally and by others using electronic systems.

Communicate information to distressed and/or bereaved people in a sensitive manner

Manage situations where people are distressed or angry in an effective, safe manner

Be able to communicate effectively with people exhibiting challenging behaviours, ensuring they are respected but expectations are made as clear as possible

Have excellent telephone communication skills, taking calls from patients, carers and professionals managing their concerns effectively and sensitively

Manage complaints in a sensitive manner ensuring that the Hospice policy and procedure is adhered to.

Identify problems in communication with both the hospice and in dealings with external agencies, reporting these to the appropriate healthcare professional promptly.

Advocate for service users ensuring their views are known to the team including supporting advance care planning discussions and documentation

Work in accordance with the Hospice policies to ensure that confidentiality is maintained at all times.

Personal and People Development:

Develop and maintain relevant knowledge and skills and be responsible for own continuing professional development

Attend and complete mandatory training and any other essential training relevant to the job role

Provide mentor support to new staff, apprentices, students and volunteers

To identify and participate in the development of teaching and educational programmes (appropriate to your role)

To participate in one to one supervision with own line manager

Quality and Service Improvement

Be aware of organisational strategic direction and future issues pertaining to the provision of specialist palliative and supportive care, and contribute to and participate in organisational service development

Contribute to the identification of practices that could improve service delivery outcomes and participate in the development of appropriate action plans through:

audit

research

evaluation

education/training

Participate in the implementation and review of subsequent action plans

Take an active role in unit meetings, highlighting areas requiring quality improvement

Use and maintain resources efficiently and effectively and encourage others to do so

Health, Safety and Security

Identify risks as they arise and carry out risk assessments, taking immediate remedial action as required and updating risk assessments regularly

Adhere to the adverse event and serious incident reporting policy and take appropriate action

Be familiar with and support implementation of safeguarding policies, the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards

Promote an environment that supports infection prevention and control policies and procedures, ensuring staff practice accordingly

Use equipment safely and in accordance with instructions and departmental procedures, reporting faults as necessary

Governance

Ensure that Hospice policies, procedures and standards are adhered to at all times with particular regard to those concerning complementary therapy, confidentiality, information governance, health and safety, prevention and control infection and medicines management

Ensure the effective utilisation of the Hospices computer based patient record system, promoting the use of information technology for recording patient information, communication and information sharing; implementing procedural change as necessary

Ensure that the department is compliant with the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 and contribute to the Care Quality Commission inspection process

Contribute to effective outcome monitoring of service delivery in line with the above regulation

This document is intended to convey an outline of the post and the post-holders responsibilities. You may be asked to carry out other duties relevant to your job role.

Person Specification

Health & Physical

• Good health and attendance record
• Ability to move an handle people and equipment

Qualifications

• Evidence of recent appropriate study/development and application in the work environment.
• Commitment to on gong training and personal development.
• Level 3 in health and social care
• Palliative and/or end of life care training
• Evidence of an ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Demonstrate an understanding of confidentiality
• Commitment to the development of the role of Health Care Assistant

Experience

• Experience of working with adults
• Experience of working with adults with end of life and/or palliative care needs
• Ability to relate experience to a hospice and community setting
• Understanding of the role of Health Care Assistant
• Experience of working within a health care setting
• Experience of working in a palliative care setting

Practical & intellectual skills

• Understanding and sensitivity to the needs of palliative care patients
• Liaison with other agencies and professionals
• Ability to record clearly and effectively
• Ability to undertake a range of patient observations and procedures
• Full UK driving licence and the use of own vehicle IT/computer literacy

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.