Healthcare Assistant

Bidvane; Ashford; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 25,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Care Certificate training

Flexible working arrangements

Job summary

Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Healthcare Assistant to support people at home within the Urgent Care Services team. You will assist with short-term health, therapy and care packages alongside nurses and therapists, delivering prescribed care and undertaking delegated clinical activities.

In this role, you will help assess and respond to patient needs, support rehabilitation, and promote independence.

Qualifications

• QCF Level 3 in healthcare or equivalent.
• Recent healthcare experience through education or work.
• Full UK driving licence or valid EU licence where applicable.

Responsibilities

• Provide short-term community health, therapy and care support to acutely unwell individuals.
• Deliver elements of prescribed care under guidance of nurses and therapists.
• Contribute to ongoing assessment, implementation and evaluation of patient care.
• Undertake delegated clinical activities after competency-based training.
• Support patients to increase independence in daily activities.
• Monitor health needs and support rehabilitation programmes.
• Assist with individual and group therapeutic interventions where appropriate.

Skills

Patient care

IT skills

Attention to detail

Clinical knowledge

Communication skills

Health & safety

Education

QCF Level 3 in Healthcare

Equivalent experience

Job description

This Healthcare Assistant post sits within the Urgent Care Services team at Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust, supporting people to recover and stay independent at home. The work centres on short-term health, therapy and care support, delivering prescribed care packages alongside nurses and therapists, with delegated clinical tasks such as observations, wound care and falls prevention. The vacancy is open initially only to staff already employed by Kent and Medway NHS organisations or on their staff bank. A full driving licence is required.

What the job involves

• Provide short-term health, therapy and care support to people in the community who are acutely unwell, recovering from illness or injury, or moving home after a hospital stay
• Deliver elements of prescribed care packages under the guidance of nurses and therapists
• Contribute to the ongoing assessment, implementation and evaluation of patient care
• Undertake delegated clinical activities such as baseline observations, glucose monitoring, urinalysis, wound care, equipment provision and falls prevention, after competency-based training
• Support patients to increase their independence with everyday activities
• Monitor health needs and support rehabilitation programmes
• Assist with individual and group-based therapeutic interventions where appropriate

Qualifications

• QCF Level 3 in healthcare, such as an NVQ Level 3 apprenticeship, BTEC or equivalent international qualification
• Or demonstrable experience at an equivalent level

Experience

• Recent healthcare or health care assistant experience gained through education, work experience or previous employment

Skills & knowledge

• Customer-focused approach that gives patients, clients and families the best possible experience
• Competent use of IT systems and databases
• Attention to detail, spotting problems, and knowing own limits and when to elevate
• Up-to-date knowledge of clinical practice and evidence-based procedures
• Understanding of the role and remit of a healthcare worker
• Signposting patients and families to other services to support behaviour change and better health

Checks & eligibility

• Full UK driving licence, or full EU driving licence not exchanged from a non-EU country
• Currently employed by a Kent and Medway NHS organisation or on its staff bank, at this stage

Nice to have

• Care Certificate, or willingness to complete it within the first 3 months of starting
• Awareness of developments within the NHS

What’s offered

• Support to achieve the Care Certificate within 3 months of starting if not already held
• Competency-based training for delegated clinical activities
• Experience across a broad range of clinical settings
• Working alongside experienced professionals
• Openness to conversations about flexible working arrangements