Healthcare Assistant

The Methodist Church in Britain; London Borough of Hackney; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27 days holiday + holidays

Pension scheme

Cycle to work

Health plan

Education & development

Staff discounts

Job summary

St Joseph's Hospice is recruiting a healthcare assistant for its inpatient team, based on one of its two palliative care wards. The role centres on direct care for patients and their families, including personal care, mealtimes, emotional support and last offices after a death.

The position involves working with palliative care specialists within a multidisciplinary team, with support for ongoing staff education and a clear commitment to high standards of care.

Qualifications

• Caring experience, paid or voluntary.
• Commitment to high standards of care.
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team.

Responsibilities

• Deliver personal care and support patients and families.
• Provide emotional support and sit with dying patients.
• Maintain infection control and assist with meals and menus.
• Assist with admissions, outpatient appointments, and transport.
• Write care records and participate in handovers.

Skills

Excellent communication

Teamwork

End-of-life care

Infection control

Nutrition support

Telephone use

Education

Some care experience

Job description

St Joseph's Hospice is recruiting a healthcare assistant for its inpatient team, based on one of its two palliative care wards. The role centres on direct care for patients and their families, including personal care, mealtimes, emotional support and last offices after a death. It stands out for working alongside palliative care specialists in a multidisciplinary team, with support for ongoing staff education. Candidates need some prior caring experience, paid or voluntary, and a clear commitment to high standards of care.

What the job involves

• Deliver personal care and advise on patients' health needs, seeking advice from the multidisciplinary team when needed
• Provide emotional support to patients, their relatives and friends
• Sit with dying patients and carry out last offices in line with their wishes or beliefs
• Take patients to the mortuary when required, with dignity and sensitivity
• Keep the ward tidy and maintain infection control practice in line with policy
• Help patients at mealtimes, support their food choices, order daily menus and advise on diet changes with the registered nurse and dietitian
• Assist with admissions, escort patients to outpatient appointments and act as their advocate
• Take patients on outings such as to the garden or tea bar
• Ensure the safe custody of patients' property and the safe handling and storage of oxygen
• Maintain nursing stock and equipment and assist with ordering
• Write care records in daily nursing reports, countersigned by a registered nurse, and take part in handover
• Report and record accidents, incidents and complaints to the registered nurse, and help induct new staff, auxiliaries and volunteers

What’s required

Experience

• Some experience of caring, paid or voluntary

Skills & knowledge

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work well within a team
• Ability to care for people approaching the end of life
• Ability to meet patients' physical, social and psychological needs
• Sound understanding of health and safety, nutrition and hydration, and infection control
• Ability to use the telephone

Other

• Commitment to providing a high standard of care

What’s offered

• 27 days' holiday plus public holidays, rising to 33 days with service
• Subsidised café and early access to retail sales events
• Season ticket loans
• Continuation of the NHS Pension Scheme or a salary-exchange pension scheme
• Santander cycles discount and cycle to work scheme
• Health Cash Plan
• Access to employee assistance programme (EAP) services
• Opportunities for education and development