Job role: Health Care Assistant
Company name: NHS Jobs
Salary: £23,731.84 to £24,726.33 per year
Job Reference: B0082-24-0066
Read also: Health Care Assistant needed in NHS Jobs
About the Job:
Main duties of the job
As a Healthcare Assistant (HCA) you will work independently under the supervision and guidance of the Registered Nurses to provide support and assist with a variety of clinics, working in partnership with members of the wider multi-disciplinary team (MDT) and alongside patients and carers. The role will involve basic health checks, phlebotomy and other tasks appropriate to the role, under the guidance and supervision of clinicians at the practice. The role will be varied with the post holder supporting good screening of patients and health promotion as well as supporting some basic wound management and vaccinations. The post holder will be an active part of wider team meetings and support the practices to improve services offered to patients.
About us
Invicta Health is a non-profit company, with a passion for primary care. We have a wide range of services such as hub-based GPs services, GP surgeries, services in Urgent Care Centres and A&E, a Community Primary Care mental health service, GP staff training service and the list is growing all the time.
We are formed by a federation of General Practitioners working in Canterbury and South Kent Coast areas of East Kent. Our aim is to provide local, high quality services for local people by collaborating with other established organisations in the health and social care community.
What perks can we offer you?
- NHS Pension
- Learning and Development opportunities
- Progression opportunities
- Competitive annual leave entitlement
- Incremental pay progression
- Flexible working
- Approved blue light card provider
- Salary Sacrifice Schemes
- Car Lease Scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main Responsibilities
- Assist clinicians in emergency management of patients.
- Assistance at clinics as required, ensuring patient care by chaperoning.
- Attend clinical supervision sessions and any other appropriate meetings.
- Work to contribute new ideas to improve patient care.
- Enable patients to access appropriate professionals in the practice team.
- Maintain the Clinical asset register, making sure to accurately log new equipment and remove faulty equipment.
- Ensure stock items are ordered, safely stored, rotated, and provided in Clinical Areas. This includes equipment, and oxygen.
- Maintain clinical equipment efficiently and ensure servicing/calibration is undertaken, updating the calibration records as necessary.
- Prepare and maintain environments and equipment before, during and after patient care in line with infection, prevention and control guidance.
- Assist with minor operations, this includes setting up the clinic, assisting the clinician, sending samples and document management.
- Deliver Dermascope Clinics as required (gateway requirement). This includes seeing and assessing patients independently and taking responsibility for onward referrals.
- Support with the long-term conditions register, including the running of clinics for example Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), Hypertension, Stroke and Mental Health.
- Keep up to date with any changes or advances within the HCA profession, completing annual competency reviews and necessary training.
- Accurately input and extract information onto/from the Practice clinical system when required.
- Maintain patient records in accordance with national guidelines.
- Work to recognise changes in a patients condition and take appropriate action.
- Check the practice fridges daily, recording the temperature to maintain the cold chain. Report any issues where relevant.
- On completion and sign off of a relevant risk assessment and training fill the liquid nitrogen flask daily, reporting any issues when relevant.
- Record patient information clearly, concisely and adhering to national and local guidance.
- Communicate effectively, sensitively, and compassionately with colleagues, patients and carers, recognising their needs for alternative methods of communication.
- Liaise with and feedback effectively to the nursing team and other members of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT).
- Contribute to the education of students from various health and social care professions and support other staff to gain new skills and knowledge.
- Under the direction and supervision of a Practice Nurse, undertake ear syringing (gateway requirement).
- Undertake phlebotomy as and when required.
Wound Management
- Undertake suture and clip removal (gateway requirement).
- Undertake basic wound dressing and complex wound dressing following adequate training (gateway requirement).
Screening
- Carry out holistic screening and assessment using national assessment tools.
- Recognise changes in the patient’s observation which must be reported and acted on.
- Undertake ECG and BP testing (gateway requirement).
- Undertake NHS Health checks (gateway requirement).
- Undertake screening including BP checks, height, weight, BMI, urine testing, pulse oximeter, glucose monitoring.
- Undertake Dementia assessments (gateway requirement).
- Conduct annual diabetes checks, to include foot checks BP, weight, height and lifestyle advice, referring to required healthcare professional where appropriate (gateway requirement).
- Recognise simple blood test results (blood glucose, BP), highlighting any abnormal results to the relevant clinical and document actions taken.
- Support the Lead Nurse with the receiving and inputting of results, arranging any required follow up appointments as per practice policy.
- Support the nursing team with a range of tasks including venepuncture and specimen collection.
Health Promotion
- Appreciate and promote the principles of ‘Healthy Living’.
- Measure and record patients BMI.
- Offer lifestyle advice on smoking and exercise and refer as appropriate.
- Provide nutritional advice on weight management, coronary heart disease (CHD) and diabetes.
- Provide relevant health promotion literature and advice to patients and carers.
- Understand a patients motivation to adapt their lifestyle and assess required support.
Vaccinations and Immunisations (gateway requirement)
- Administer injections under an individualised prescription or Patient specific directive.
- Ensure safe storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs.
- Deliver Flu vaccinations under indirect supervision (registered nurse must be on site).
- Administer B12 injections under indirect supervision (registered nurse must be on site).
- Deliver Pneumonia vaccinations under indirect supervision (registered nurse must be on site).
- Within the community carry out finger prick INR tests, confirming results and Warfarin dosage required with Practice Nurse and advising patient of required dosage.
Infection Control
- Support the Infection, Prevention and Control lead through the following measures:
- Follow procedures aimed at reducing the risk of passing on the organisms that can cause infections.
- Demonstrate a duty of care in following best practice in adherence to guidelines which is a fundamental requirement in underpinning the management of Infection, Prevention and Control.
- Apply infection control measures within the practice according to local and national guidelines. This includes:
- Dealing with blood and body fluid spillages
- Decontamination of instruments and clinical equipment
- Reporting and treatment of sharps injuries
- Segregation and disposal of waste materials
- The collection and handling of laboratory specimens
- Universal hand hygiene precautions
- Monitor and change sharps bins within the practice when requested.
- Assist patients and colleagues in adopting recommended infection control measures and health and safety measures.
- Effective cleaning and sterilisation of clinical equipment and working surfaces, preparing treatment/consulting rooms prior to use.
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