Healthcare Assistant

NHS; Newton Aycliffe; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Newton Aycliffe is looking for a part-time Healthcare Assistant to join their nursing team. The role involves providing high-quality patient care including tasks like venepuncture and ECG monitoring. The ideal candidate will be an effective communicator and possess clinical skills. Training is provided to the right candidate. This position offers a supportive team environment that encourages learning and career progression, along with generous holiday entitlements.

Benefits

5 weeks holiday + bank holidays pro rata

Option to join NHS Pension scheme

Annual mandatory training and paid training courses

Qualifications

• Must be able to work within a multidisciplinary team and independently manage a caseload.
• Ability to perform clinical tasks like venepuncture, ECG monitoring, and urine testing.
• Experience of sensitive communication styles for patient interactions.

Responsibilities

• Provide patient care including venepuncture, ECG monitoring, and blood pressure recording.
• Support and assist in clinics like Diabetic and Rheumatology.
• Manage patient records and ensure accurate documentation.

Skills

Clinical Skills

Excellent communication and rapport with patients

Tools

SystmOne

GPTeamNet

Job description

We have an exciting opportunity for a 27 hour part time HCA post to join our nursing team at Bewick Crescent Surgery. We are looking for a Healthcare Assistant who is able to provide a high standard of patient care and services such as venepuncture, ECG recording, Blood pressure, and a wide variety of other HCA duties. The role is varied and covers a range of duties, and training can be given if needed to the right candidate. We are a supportive team and actively encourage and support learning and career progression. We believe in teamwork and we are looking for the correct candidates who understand this and will fit into our team ethos.

Hours are negotiable to suit business needs and patient care delivery. Salary scale is dependent upon experience and qualifications.

Main duties of the job

We would like the successful candidates to undertake a wide variety of HCA duties which will include:

• Venepuncture
• Blood pressure recording
• ECG (including 24 hour monitoring)
• Diabetic foot care assessments.
• Urinalysis
• Immunisations - Flu and Pneumonia
• NHS Health Checks.
• Chaperoning.

This is not an exhaustive list of duties and may be subject to change depending upon patient needs. Full training will be provided if required.

The successful candidate must possess the ability to work within the MDT as well as being able to work independently and manage their own caseload.

About us

Bewick Crescent Surgery is a well known large GP practice located within Newton Aycliffe. It provides care to a practice population of approximately 13,500 patients. The wider practice team consists of 5 GP partners and 4 salaried GP's as well as the nursing and admin teams. The nursing team has 2 advanced nurse practitioners and 1 nurse practitioners, 4 practice nurses, 2 nursing associates and 4 healthcare assistants.

We provide a supportive and caring team environment which radiates throughout the whole practice team. We believe in working hard to meet the needs of our patient population, and like to go the extra mile to achieve this where possible.

You will be entitled to 5 weeks holiday + bank holidays pro rata to hours worked.

Salary is dependent upon skills and experience. There is the option to join or remain part of the NHS Pension scheme.

Annual mandatory training as well as paid training courses depending upon business needs.

The successful candidate will undergo a DBS check which the surgery will pay for.

Job responsibilities

BEWICK CRESCENT SURGERY

Job Description

Role: Health Care Assistant

Location: Bewick Crescent Surgery

Responsible to: Nurse Manager

Job summary.

Provide patient care and services such as blood sampling, ECG monitoring, blood pressures etc.

Key contact for patients when visiting the surgery with efficient communication with the clinical nursing and GP teams essential. Support clinics where required e.g. Diabetic and Rheumatology, Diabetic foot checks, Complete NHS health checks.

Venepuncture taking blood samples from patients using vaccutainer system. Specialised techniques e.g. butterfly using alternate areas on body, supporting clinics including diabetes, NHS Checks and GPs requests.

Blood Pressures taking blood pressures on patients using electronic equipment. Following practice protocols, taking appropriate action with either follow up monitoring, or GP referrals. Set up home blood pressure monitoring and process results.

ECGs performing heart tracings on patients, down loading information onto computer system and extracting an A4 printout for GPs attention, taking appropriate action according to results i.e.; urgent attention, GP appointment, routine monitoring. Liaise with manufacturer for reporting equipment faults and system issues. Action when necessary. Including setting up and fitting of 24 hour ECGs and process results.

Diabetic foot care checks Screen diabetic patients for vascular and neuropathy assessments providing foot care advice when necessary. Refer onwards as required.

Urine testing urine specimens for anomalies, i.e. protein, glucose, blood, nitrites etc taking correct action. Labelling and sending samples to laboratory for appropriate testing requirements using the ICE system.

Chaperoning - at GPs request, attending patient examinations, consoling and reassuring patients when necessary.

Smoking cessatior first point of contact for patients wishing to quit smoking. Refer to the appropriate smoking cessation service.

Update patient records using the correct read codes after every consultation. Always check demographic data as per protocols. Use templates wherever available for data entry.

Vaccinations: Administer B12, pneumococcal and flu vaccinations as required.

NHS checks: first point of contact for patient. Collate family history, take required measurements, monitor BP and take relevant bloods. Refer to GP when required.

Minor Operations Clinic: support the clinician in performing the minor operations clinic by setting up room, equipment and ensuring relevant injections are there for the patients attending.

Ear Irrigation: checking patients ear, and irrigating with water to remove wax, ensuring ear drums are intact and informing the patient of risks and aftercare.

General Duties

E‑mail: Read them daily and take necessary action on any message received.

Tasks and notifications: Read daily and take necessary action on any tasks or briefings.

GP Team Net: check daily. Acknowledge items when required. Update training record & upload certificates.

Standard worksheets/station logs: check your workstation log daily for updates; update/create worksheets as appropriate. Maintain the current standard of work sheets.

Receive and make calls as required. Divert calls and take messages as appropriate, create a task for all messages to nurses, GPs and Practice/Assistant Practice Manager. Do not use paper. Log all dialogue with patients in Systmone.

Deal with all telephone calls including appointments, divert as necessary.

Ensure your training records are kept up to date transition to GPTN.

Ensure all surgery policy documents are the most recent version and remove old versions from all work stations.

Attend meetings and training events as required.

Remove room name plate from door when not in use. Ensure the name plate follows you to avoid patient confusion.

Other Duties

• Be able to analyse patient information and take appropriate action in order to accommodate patients needs and requirements.
• Recognise when follow up appointments may be necessary. Using set protocols as a guide to patient care. Have the ability to refer patients to the correct clinicians where appropriate.
• Perform administration procedures by updating patient records and information data.
• Liaise with GPs/Nurses/ internal clinicians and staff as needed and appropriate to do so.
• Adhere to Health and Safety requirements e.g. COSHH, reporting of accidents and incidents.
• Maintain confidentiality and data protection throughout.
• Maintain a high standard of training in order to meet practice requirements and deliver a gold standard care package to patients. Ensure all competency assessments are undertaken prior to delivery of service.

Skills Required

• Clinical Skills
• Excellent communication and rapport with patients

Person Specification

Experience

• Communication
• Able to demonstrate sensitive communication styles, to ensure patients are fully informed and consent to treatment.
• Maintain patient confidentiality at all times
• Communicate with and support patients who are receiving bad news
• Communicate effectively with patients and carers, recognising the need for alternative methods of communication to overcome different levels of understanding, cultural background and preferred ways of communicating.
• Anticipate barriers to communication and take action to improve communication.
• Maintain effective communication within the practice environment and with external stakeholders.
• Act as an advocate for patients and colleagues.
• Ensure awareness of sources of support and guidance (e.g. Carer support leaflets, NHS checks leaflets) and provide information in an acceptable format to all patients
• Good Clinical Practice
• Recognise and work within own competence and refer onwards as required
• Produce accurate, contemporaneous and complete records of patient consultation, consistent with legislation, policies and procedures.
• Support and participate in shared learning across the practice , students and wider organisation.
• Assess the impact of policy implementation on care delivery in the HCA rooms
• Understand and apply legal issues that support the identification of vulnerable and abused children and adults, and be aware of statutory child/vulnerable patients health procedures and local guidance.
• Ensure accurate completion of all necessary documentation associated with patient health care and registration with the practice.
• Assist in the updating of Practice protocols, standard operating procedures and policy.
• In participation with the Bewick Protocols, ensure the maintenance of equipment and stock levels meet patient requirements and clinics
• Always use templates and read code entries ensuring patient data is accurate and timely.
• Good IT skills: Outlook, GPTeamNet, SystmOne, scan and e‑mail.
• Able to embrace change and adapt to it.
• Able to follow agreed protocols/standard work consistently.
• Take responsibility for keeping up to date with SOPs, Policies etc.
• Good attention to detail and pride in the standard of work produced, eg updated standard work sheets when change occurs
• Able to use and maintain standard worksheets and policies/SOPs.
• Continued Professional Development (CPD) identified and booked in/maintained e.g. vaccination updates, safeguarding. GPTN updated whenever training has been completed.
• Desirable (Above Standard/Outstanding Performance)
• Able to recognise areas for improvement and make relevant suggestions.
• Able to recognise potential issues/problems and offer solutions.
• Able to feedback honestly and openly to colleagues, Managers and clinicians.
• Able to train/coach others, eg in differing skills, new techniques
• Takes responsibility for own learning and development, eg identifying areas for improvement, training required, using allocated PLT time for personal development, mandatory training etc.
• Outstanding patient skills, eg going the extra mile, consistently good feedback from patients and colleagues, working for the team

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.