Healthcare Assistant

Integrated Care System; Reading; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A supportive healthcare organization in Reading is seeking full-time Healthcare Assistants to deliver compassionate care to residents with various needs. Responsibilities include assisting with personal care, ensuring residents' safety, and reporting health changes. Ideal candidates will possess a strong commitment to caregiving and be willing to pursue necessary qualifications. Training and support will be provided to help candidates excel.

Qualifications

• Experience in delivering care in a care environment or personally.
• Commitment to work towards a suitable qualification, e.g. QCF.

Responsibilities

• Provide care and support to residents according to care plans.
• Report changes in residents' health and behaviour.
• Assist with personal care like washing and dressing.

Skills

Compassion

Communication

Observation

Education

NVQ/QCF Level 2 qualification

Basic numeracy and literacy skills

Job description

Optalis operates two nursing homes - Bluebell House in Wokingham and The Hollies Care Home in Burghfield Common. We provide support to older people living with dementia, and nursing care for people aged 65 and over who are living with long term health conditions.

We're here to help people enjoy their later life, whether that means participating in meaningful activities, remembering their past in positive ways, or simply relaxing in our garden or exploring pursuits that matter most.

Peoples' preferences, needs and wishes are central to the support we provide. We work with people we support and their loved ones to plan their care and support, to make sure that we know and understand what is important. We have strong working relationships with our local health and social care teams to ensure that our care and support adjusts as peoples needs change.

Main duties of the job

Optalis took over Bluebell House in September 2023 and The Hollies in February 2025. We have been working hard to reinvigorate the buildings, as well as build great teams to deliver care to our residents. We are now at a stage to expand the team as we welcome new residents, so have a requirement for Healthcare Assistants at both locations.

We are hiring for full-time Healthcare Assistants - our shifts are 12 hours long so can offer either 4 long days or nights per week.

• Bluebell House shifts are 8am-8pm / 8pm-8am
• The Hollies shifts are 7am-7pm / 7pm-7am

There will be opportunities for overtime around sickness and annual leave to supplement your income.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to;

• Provide care and support to residents in accordance to care plans
• Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our residents
• Assisting with personal care (washing, dressing, toileting)
• Supporting with moving and positioning
• Reporting changes in health and behaviour
• Communicate with residents, families, colleagues and social care professionals
• Assisting nurses with duties

Previous experience would be beneficial to help you adapt to a busy environment, but a positive attitude, compassion and a desire to get involved are crucial to what we look for in our people. Full training and support will be provided for all successful candidates, including classroom sessions, online learning and shadow shifts to develop you to support our residents to the highest level.

About us

Optalis is a LATCo (Local Authority Trading Company) jointly owned by Wokingham Borough Council and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

Optalis delivers adult social care on behalf of the two local authorities. We have over 50 services across the WBC and RBWM boroughs, supporting adults with learning disabilities to live independently, providing dementia and nursing care for older people and offering reablement services to help people return home from hospital.

We provide stable employment and opportunities to develop yourself and advance your career.

Optalis is not an agency and we do not offer sponsorship with our roles.

Job responsibilities

We are looking for our Healthcare Assistants to be caring and compassionate. You could workwith residents who have significant care needs, so its important that they are made to feelsafe and comfortable.

HCAs are the first face of Optalis and must be observant and have excellent communicationskills when dealing with residents and their colleagues.

To be calm under pressure and flexible enough to deal with a variety of tasks and a quicklychanging schedule.

Communicating effectively and respectfully with patients and those important to them,sometimes in difficult circumstances.

Accurately recording observations in accordance with the residents conditions, informing theNurse on duty of any changes and responding accordingly.

To provide physical and social care for residents whilst promoting the company policy of independence, choice, rights, fulfilment, privacy, dignity and equal opportunity.

Person Specification

Experience

• Previous experience of delivering care (either in a care environment or personal)

Qualifications

• A commitment to work towards a suitable qualification e.g. QCF
• Basic numeracy and literacy skills
• Completion of NVQ/QCF Level 2 qualification

Entitlement To Work

• Must hold entitlement to work - either as a British national or a valid work visa with at least 6 months remaining.
• We are not offering sponsorship with this role.

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.