Staff Bank Healthcare Assistant - Central and West Cornwall

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

Job summary

A healthcare service provider is seeking flexible Healthcare Assistants for short-term vacancies across Cornwall. The role includes tasks like taking blood, wound care, and assisting with patient health promotion. Candidates must hold a Level 2 qualification in Health and Social Care and have a minimum of 12 months' experience. This position allows for flexible working hours and locations, ideal for those looking to balance work and personal life.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 12 months previous experience of working as an HCA in a health setting.
• Experience in wound care, ECG, and diabetic foot checks.
• Knowledge of computer record systems.

Responsibilities

• Participates in management programmes for long-term conditions.
• Assists patients in self-care and health promotion.
• Undertakes advocacy to support patients navigating services.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Ability to manage own time

Problem-solving

Flexibility and adaptability

Education

5 GCSEs Grade 4 or above including English and Maths

NVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care

Care Certificate or equivalent

Tools

SystmOne

EMIS

Job description

Staff Bank Healthcare Assistant - Central and West Cornwall

Overview

Note to all prospective candidates - the advert stipulates the location is Truro, which is where Kernow Health CIC's HQ is located. However, Staff Bank shifts can arise at any of the GP Practices located throughout Cornwall. For this advert, we are inviting applications from those who wish to work in Central and West of the county, which would include the following areas: Truro, Constantine, Mullion, Camborne, Hayle and Penzance.

Kernow Health CIC proudly hosts the Staff Bank on behalf of all General Practices in Cornwall. We are looking for dedicated and flexible Healthcare Assistants to cover short-term vacancies at GP practices as and when required. As part of our flexible workforce, you will help to ensure that practices have sufficient cover to deliver their services while helping to support patients on their health and wellbeing journey.

Working via the Staff Bank will offer you the flexibility to travel within an agreed radius from your home address, on days that suit you, which enables you to balance your work and home life.

Our only expectations are that those who are registered with the Staff Bank work at least 3 shifts within a 6-month period and keep up to date with mandatory training which we pay you to complete.

Main duties of the job

Should you already be working for a Practice, this is an opportunity to pick up additional hours within your current PCN or perhaps via another Practice that is looking for your expertise. You can also join as a locum worker (self-employed) or a casual worker (zero-hours contract).

Working under the direction of the Nursing team in a GP Practice, you will undertake a variety of tasks. This may include taking blood, treating wounds, diabetic foot checks, urinalysis or carrying out ECGs depending on the requirements of the practice and patient needs.

Health Care Assistants in General Practice frequently work autonomously to support the delivery of multi-disciplinary clinics. You will hold a minimum of Level 2 in Health and Social Care together with previous experience of working in a similar role or environment. Training can be provided for additional competencies where appropriate. You will be comfortable working across different GP practice settings and locations and working with different IT systems and processes such as EMIS and/or SystmOne.

We are looking for caring, compassionate and enthusiastic Health Care Assistants with an interest in patient care who have excellent communication skills and a desire to help others.

Job responsibilities

The duties will vary according to the practice requirements and the individual competencies, but an outline is provided below:

• Participates in programmes for the management of long-term conditions, e.g. hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes
• Assists patients and where appropriate encourages self-care and self-management of self-limiting conditions through health promotion
• Understands and works within own scope of practice and refers to other healthcare professionals where appropriate
• Works within own competency and relevant practice policies and procedural guidelines e.g. infection control, chaperoning etc.
• Encourages and supports individuals, families and groups to address issues which affect their health and social well being
• Early symptom recognition and presentation (including case finding) by the provision of outreach services, signposting to services and self-care opportunities
• Raises awareness among the population of symptoms, services and self-care/ self-management of long-term conditions
• Undertakes advocacy to support patients to overcome barriers to accessing services and support them to navigate diagnostic and treatment processes where appropriate
• Undertakes liaison with patients GPs
• Represents the interests of individuals and families when they are not able to do so themselves
• Help to process data in connection with QOF recalling patients to attend clinics as and when necessary
• Assist in and perform routine tasks related to patient care as directed by senior nursing staff, GPs or other members of the practice team, which may include:
• BP monitoring
• Health Checks
• Urinalysis as required
• Processing and management of laboratory samples requested by GPs/Nurses
• Clearing and re-stocking consulting rooms
• Preparing and maintaining environments and equipment before, during and after patient care interventions including assisting GPs during the performance of minor operations depending on competency
• Ensure clinical waste collection runs smoothly as required and reporting any problems appropriately
• Preparing medical equipment by ensuring infection and control procedures are adhered to as required
• Carry out hypertension reviews as required
• Assisting in the assessment and surveillance of patients health and well-being
• Wound care including Dopplers and compression therapy and removal of sutures/clips (depending on competency)
• Influenza vaccinations including pneumonia and shingles (depending on competency)
• Administering injections e.g. B12 under PSD (depending on competency)
• Smoking prevention as applicable (depending on competency)
• Diabetic feet (depending on competency)
• Ear Syringing (depending on competency)
• Spirometry and reversibility (depending on competency)
• Vaccine/cold chain storage, monitoring and recording (depending on competency)

For more information on key duties and responsibilities please see the attached job description.

Qualifications and experience

• 5 GCSEs Grade 4 or above, or equivalent including English and Maths
• NVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care or equivalent practice experience
• Care Certificate or equivalent
• NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care
• A criminal record check satisfactory to the organisation
• Minimum of 12 months previous experience of working as an HCA in a health setting
• Experience in a range of clinical areas for example wound care, ECG, urinalysis, spirometry, injections and diabetic foot checks
• Previous and regular experience of Phlebotomy
• Experience of preparing and processing laboratory samples
• Experience of working autonomously under direction of a Senior Nurse
• Previous experience of working in general practice
• Knowledge and experience of computer record systems including SystmOne or Emis
• Experience of administering injections including flu vaccinations and pneumococcal vaccinations

Personal qualities

• Flexible and adaptable
• Self-directive
• Highly motivated
• Maintaining a professional attitude at all times
• Displays understanding and caring attitude

Skills and abilities

• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal
• Ability to manage own time and workload
• Ability to problem solve
• Ability to plan and organise
• Able to work under own initiative

Other

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. Depending on experience Variable dependant on the Practice