Healthcare Assistant Sunflower Centre

NHS; Yeovil; On-site; GBP 27,000; Part time

Job summary

A charity in Yeovil is seeking a part-time Healthcare Assistant for their Sunflower Centre. The role involves providing holistic palliative care, supporting patients with personal needs, and working within a multidisciplinary team. The position offers a competitive salary and various employee benefits.

Benefits

33 days holiday including bank holidays

Ability to buy and sell annual leave

NHS pension scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Life assurance cover of 2x salary

Health Cash Plans

Enhanced parental leave

Excellent learning and development opportunities

Free on-site parking

Qualifications

• Experience as a healthcare assistant or similar role.
• Relevant CPD evidence.
• Experience in palliative care preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide patient-centered, holistic, and quality-driven specialist palliative care.
• Assist in planning and delivering patient programmes and activities.
• Support patients with hygiene, personal needs, and dietary requirements.

Skills

Communication

Teamwork

Time Management

Conflict Resolution

Education

English/Mathematics GCSE grade C or above

NVQ 3 in Health and Social Care

Job description

If you are qualified to Level 3 in Health and Social Care (or equivalent), this opportunity may be of interest to you.

St Margaret's Hospice Care has a fantastic opportunity for a Healthcare Assistant to join our Sunflower Centre (SFC) Day Services Team. This role is based in Yeovil.

You will join us on a part-time, permanent basis. In return, you will receive a competitive salary of £26,419.59 per annum pro-rata (which equates to £10,710.60 per annum for 15 hours per week).

This role has a working pattern of Tuesday and Wednesday, 08:30 - 16:30 (15 hours). There may be occasions where it may be required to split the 15 hours over 3 days (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) to cover absence.

Main duties of the job

Our Healthcare Assistants provide outstanding patient care to those with life-limiting illnesses, making each day count for those who rely on St Margaret's services. You will join a well-established, experienced multidisciplinary team of clinicians and volunteers.

Our service offers a holistic, multi-faceted approach to specialist palliative care assessment, treatment, and support to ensure that patients with life-limiting illnesses have access to a wide range of services and activities to meet their needs.

Your day-to-day work will include:

• Planning and delivering individual patient programmes and group activities.
• Supporting and assisting patients with their hygiene and personal needs.
• Supporting patients with dietary requirements and assisting with eating and drinking as needed.
• Assisting in minimizing patients' anxiety, pain, and discomfort under the guidance of qualified staff.
• Promoting independence within the limits of disease progression.
• Handling administration and coordination tasks to facilitate smooth day-to-day operation of SFC.

About us

Be part of a welcoming, community-minded charity. Our mission is to provide excellent specialist palliative care for patients and support to their families. Everyone contributes and plays a part towards our goal. Our staff and volunteers will tell you how the patient is at the heart of everything they do. If you're looking for a role where you can make a real difference as part of a supportive team, we could be a perfect match.

Holiday entitlement

• 33 days holiday including bank holidays, rising to 35 days after 1 year, increasing with service (pro-rata for part-time)
• Ability to buy and sell annual leave
• NHS employees can continue with their NHS pension scheme*
• Non-NHS employees will receive 5.5% employer and 5% employee contributions

Award-winning Employee Assistance Programme offering:

• Vitality & wellbeing health portal for non-emergency care
• Unlimited 24/7 online GP consultations for employees, partners, and dependents, plus expert case management
• Confidential 24-hour Employee Assistance support
• Counselling and support services
• Legal, financial, and medical advice

And more:

• Life assurance cover of 2x salary
• Health Cash Plans
• Blue Light Discount Card
• Enhanced parental leave*
• Excellent learning and development opportunities
• Free on-site parking in Yeovil and Taunton
• Volunteering and fundraising opportunities

*Eligibility criteria apply

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose

• Provide patient-centered, holistic, and quality-driven specialist palliative care and support.
• Enable, empower, and care for patients as part of the Sunflower Day Centre East service.
• Work within a multidisciplinary team under the guidance of registered staff to meet patient needs.

Clinical Responsibilities

• Assist in planning and delivering patient programmes and activities with healthcare professionals.
• Support patients with hygiene, personal needs, dietary requirements, and mobility using specified appliances.
• Help minimize patients' anxiety, pain, and discomfort under qualified staff supervision.
• Report any changes in patients' conditions to qualified staff.
• Promote independence within disease limits.
• Respond to family and carer needs as appropriate.
• Maintain accurate documentation and use equipment safely, reporting defects.
• Liaise with volunteers and support their roles.
• Perform administrative tasks to ensure smooth daily operations.
• Follow hospice policies and contribute to housekeeping duties.

Educational Responsibilities

• Participate in mandatory clinical, health, and safety training.
• Attend internal and external training to provide high standards of care.
• Recognize own limitations and work within competency levels.
• Promote health education with patients.
• Engage in professional development and performance reviews.
• Follow infection control practices and policies.

Professional Responsibilities

• Work according to organizational policies and participate in induction.
• Support volunteers and students.
• Adhere to health and safety policies, reporting incidents appropriately.
• Identify areas for service improvement with clinicians.

Communication and People Skills

• Liaise effectively within multidisciplinary teams, patients, families, and carers.
• Maintain respectful, non-judgemental, caring attitudes.

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

• English/Mathematics GCSE grade C or above (or equivalent).
• NVQ 3 in Health and Social Care or equivalent.
• Experience as a healthcare assistant or similar role.
• Relevant CPD evidence.
• Experience in palliative care preferred.
• Enthusiastic, motivated, reliable, and punctual.

Working with Others

• Experience in multidisciplinary teams.
• Effective communication skills.
• Understanding of teamwork and dealing compassionately with distressed patients and families.
• Conflict resolution skills.

Outcome and Results

• Time management and prioritization skills.

Leading in Your Area

• Understanding pressures on patients with life-limiting conditions and their families.
• Flexible working approach.
• Positive attitude towards equality and diversity.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975, requiring an application for a DBS check for any criminal convictions.