Vacancy: Healthcare Assistant

Responsible to:

• Practice Nurses / GPS (for clinical matters)
• Practice Manager / Assistant Manager (for all other matters)

Accountable to:

• Practice Partnership

Job Summary

The post holder must work as part of a team, have the ability to organise and prioritise their own workload on a day to day basis, and observe strict rules about confidentiality at all times. They must also know the limits of their own capabilities and seek direction from a Practice nurse, GP, or Manager.

Working under the supervision of practice nursing team and strictly in accordance with specific practice or national guidelines and protocols, the healthcare assistant will assist the practice clinical team in the provision and delivery of prescribed programmes of patient care.

Main Responsibilities

The following are the core responsibilities of the Healthcare Assistant.  There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks. This will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels:

• Provide efficient, professional care to patients
• Carry out BMI checks
• Facilitate routine and 24-hour BP monitoring according to protocols, advising patients accordingly
• Undertake the collection of intravenous blood samples
• Carry out baseline observations such as pulse oximitery, blood pressure, temperature, pulse rate, recording findings accurately
• To test urine specimens using appropriate equipment and record results
• INR checks
• To remove sutures
• Undertake simple wound care and dressings
• Preparing and maintaining environments and equipment before, during and after patient care interventions such as minor operations.
• Assisting GPs during the performance of minor operations.
• Assisting in the assessment and surveillance of patients’ health and well-being
• Chaperoning duties
• To perform ECG’s
• To perform audiograms
• Undertake NHS health check clinics
• Undertake smoking clinics
• Administer flu vaccinations
• Carry out ear irrigation
• To maintain and re-stock clinical areas
• To ensure stock levels of vaccines, dressings etc as agreed with the practice nurses
• To order clinical supplies, instruments and drugs as required
• To ensure specimens are recorded and ready for collection by the pathology service
• To record and document histopathology results 
• Surgical equipment and vaccine re-stocking and stock rotation
• Ensure fridges are cleaned routinely in accordance with extant guidance
• Ensure clinical waste is removed from clinical areas and sharps bins replaced in accordance with the practice IPC policy
• Deliver opportunistic health promotion where appropriate
• To perform other clinical tasks as trained and agreed to meet the needs of the practice.
• Support the practice nurses with the management of chronic disease clinics
• Support the practice nurses with health promotion programmes
• Organise and implement new systems/protocols as required for efficient, smooth running of nursing team
• Attend and participate in team, staff meetings and other meetings as required
• Assist with mentoring/training new staff, as directed by Assistant or Practice Manager
• Any other ad hoc duties as required

Confidentiality

• In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters.   They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately
• In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers.  They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation.  All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential
• Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data

Health & Safety

The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others’ health, safety and security as defined in the practice health & safety policy, the practice health & safety manual, and the practice infection control policy and published procedures. This will include:

• Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines
• Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks
• Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills
• Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way, free from hazards
• Actively reporting health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised
• Keeping own work areas and general/patient areas generally clean, assisting in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness consistent with the scope of the job holder’s role 
• Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum annually)
• Reporting potential risks identified
• Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

Equality and Diversity

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

• Acting in a way that recognises the importance of people’s rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation
• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues
• Behaving in a manner that is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Personal / Professional Development

• The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, with such training to include:
• Participation in an annual individual performance/appraisal review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development and follow up any learning outcomes.
• Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work 
• Attend and contribute to Practice Learning Events. 

Quality

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will:

• Alert colleagues to issues of quality and risk, escalating to the Patient Services Supervisor or a clinician where appropriate
• Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision, ensuring that effective, high quality patient care is at the heart of all actions.
• Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the team’s performance
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs
• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources

Communication

The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

• Communicate effectively with other team members
• Communicate effectively with patients and carers
• Recognise people’s needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly

Contribution to the implementation of services

The post-holder will:

• Apply practice policies, standards and guidance
• Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work
• Participate in audit where appropriate

Person Specification – Healthcare Assistant

Qualifications	Essential	Desirable
Healthcare qualification (level 3 or 4) or working towards gaining equivalent level	X
The Care Certificate for General Practice (CC)	X
Phlebotomy certification	X
Ear syringing certification		X
Experience	Essential	Desirable
Experience of working in a primary care environment	X
Experience of working with the general public	X
Experience of working in a healthcare setting	X
Clinical Knowledge & Skills	Essential	Desirable
Wound Care / Removal of sutures & staples	X
ECG's	X
Venepuncture	X
NHS health checks inc. height, weight, BP, pulse	X
Chaperone procedure	X
BP Checks	X
INR Checks	X
Smoking Cessation		X
Flu Administration	X
Testing Urine Specimens	X
B12 Administration	X
Spirometry		X
Ability to record accurate clinical notes	X
Skills	Essential	Desirable
Excellent communication skills (written and oral)	X
Strong IT skills	X
Clear, polite telephone manner	X
Competent in the use of Office and Outlook		X
EMIS user skills		X
Effective time management (Planning & Organising)	X
Ability to work as a team member and autonomously	X
Good interpersonal skills	X
Ability to follow clinical policy and procedure	X
Personal Qualities	Essential	Desirable
Polite and confident	X
Flexible and cooperative	X
Motivated	X
Problem solver with the ability to process information accurately and effectively, interpreting data as required	X
High levels of integrity and loyalty	X
Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations	X
Ability to work under pressure / in stressful situations	X
Effectively able to communicate and understand the needs of the patient	X
Commitment to ongoing professional development	X
Effectively utilises resources	X
Punctual and committed to supporting the team effort	X
Other requirements	Essential	Desirable
Flexibility to work outside of core office hours	X
Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check	X
Occupational Health Clearance	X