Healthcare Assistant

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust; Huddersfield; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 22,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Huddersfield is seeking a dedicated Healthcare Assistant to join their Ophthalmology Outpatient team. The role involves providing compassionate care, supporting patients, and working collaboratively with the healthcare team. Candidates should possess excellent communication skills and be committed to high standards of patient care. Training will be provided for specific Ophthalmic investigations, ensuring a supportive environment for personal and professional development.

Qualifications

• Enthusiastic and committed to providing high standards of patient care.
• Must display excellent communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality personalised care under the direction of Registered Healthcare Professionals.
• Assist with safe moving and handling of patients.
• Maintain accurate records of care.

Skills

Communication

Compassionate Care

Initiative

Job description

To work as part of the Ophthalmology Outpatient team in providing compassionate care to patients, service users, carers, and families. This is a pivotal role that is essential in providing care and support to patients and service users through direct and indirect care, working within clearly defined limits and attainment of agreed competence.

Be able to work without constant direct supervision using initiative within the level of competence for the post.

Act as a role model at all times, reflecting the Trust values and behaviours and delivering high standards of care. Be self-aware and open to receive and learn from feedback.

Act as an advocate on behalf of patients and service users, recognising, respecting, and responding to the diverse needs of our population.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, dynamic, and committed Healthcare Assistant and will welcome any forward-thinking, caring individual who is committed to providing a high standard of patient care to our patients.

You must display excellent communication skills and be confident to deal with patients, families, carers, and members of the multidisciplinary team.

You will be given the appropriate training to undertake specific Ophthalmic investigations under the instruction and supervision of clinicians and nurses in charge.

We employ more than 6,500 staff who deliver compassionate care from our two main hospitals, Calderdale Royal Hospital and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, as well as in community sites, health centres, and in patients' homes. We also are incredibly proud to have almost 150 volunteers here at CHFT.

We provide a range of services including urgent and emergency care; medical; surgical; maternity; gynaecology; critical care; children's and young people's services; end of life care; and outpatient and diagnostic imaging services.

We provide community health services, including sexual health services in Calderdale from Calderdale Royal and local health centres. These include Todmorden Health Centre and Broad Street Plaza.

We continue to modernise and invest in our health services to build on our strong reputation. Foundation trusts are public leaders in improving quality in health services. They are part of the NHS yet decisions about what they do and how they do it are driven by independent boards. Boards listen to their Council of Governors and respond to the needs of their members, patients, staff, and the local community.

Foundation trusts provide what the health service wants, yet are also free to invest quickly in the changes to the local community needs, in striving to be the best, and in putting their patients first.

Patient Care Duties

• Under the direction of the Registered Healthcare Professional, provide high-quality personalised care in accordance with agreed local and national standards using a wide range of skills.
• Achieve and maintain core and specific competencies as per HCSW Development pathway and agreed by manager.
• Assist with the safe moving, handling, and mobilisation of patients when required.
• Communicate effectively with kindness, warmth, and compassion, recognising when there are barriers to communication where support may be required.
• Act as a patient and staff advocate, escalating concerns and challenging poor behaviour or practice appropriately.
• Maintain accurate records of care within the area of responsibility.
• Involve patients and carers/relatives in the delivery of care.
• Provide reassurance and support to patients, carers, and family.
• Support the maintenance and cleanliness of the clinical environment by attending to general tidiness of the area, including unpacking and storage of stock deliveries. Report any estates issues appropriately.
• Support clinical teams to fulfil cleaning responsibilities as identified in the National Cleaning Standards framework.
• Contribute to minimising the effects of disruptive abusive behaviour and the protection of individuals from abuse.
• Answer the telephone and relay messages appropriately.
• Support administrative functions as directed by the nurse in charge.
• Develop own skills and knowledge and contribute to the development of others.
• Assist with the induction of new Health Care Support Workers.
• Recognise and respond appropriately to urgent and emergency situations.
• Ensure the effective and efficient use of resources and contribute ideas to cost improvement programmes.
• Report any incidents, concerns, complaints, or accidents to the Nurse in Charge, completing adverse incident forms as required.
• Attend and participate in team/ward/department meetings.
• Support the psychological and emotional wellbeing of patients, carers, and families.
• To ensure that no action or omission on your part is detrimental to the condition, safety, well-being, and interest of the patients.

Clinical Duties

• Undertake other tasks appropriate to the clinical environment with necessary training and as directed by the Ward Manager or Department Lead.
• Undertake physiological observations: blood pressure, pulse, temperature, respirations, and oxygen saturations as directed by the nurse in charge and record appropriately on EPR and Medisight.
• Attend training in the use of equipment and devices appropriate to role and report faulty equipment promptly.
• Departmental equipment cleaned and labelled.
• Participate in audit activities at the request of the Ward manager / Department lead.
• Act as a chaperone to support privacy and dignity of patients when required.

Patient Safety and Experience

• Understand the importance of individual role and contribution in ensuring that patients, service users, and carers have a positive experience of care.
• To ensure appropriate escalation of concerns and use of incident reporting system.
• Take responsibility for adapting communication style to meet the needs of patients, service users, and carers, adopting basic de-escalation techniques when needed.
• Ensure up-to-date knowledge of risks in the area and any key safety messages as communicated by the Ward Manager/Department Lead.
• Ensure active participation in safety initiatives in the ward or department such as safety briefs.
• Ensure compliance with infection prevention and control practices, reporting any concerns to the nurse in charge.
• Understand own contribution in creating a psychologically safe environment by displaying appropriate behaviours and treating colleagues and service users with respect and civility.

Communication

• Establish and maintain good working relationships with members of the multi-disciplinary team.
• Ensure effective communication using professional language and ensuring that conversations take place in an appropriate setting.
• Communicate with patients, service users, and carers at a pace and tone that is understood, using communication aids as required.
• Ensure high standard of written communication in areas of responsibility.
• Takes an active part in Team Meetings.
• Give clear and concise advice to people on the procedures in place e.g., PALS, complaints.
• Introduce self to patients.