Driver Care Assistant

Job Introduction

Role Purpose

The transportation of vulnerable people as directed, by wheelchair accessible minibus or other vehicle, between their homes and day care, school or elsewhere with or without the assistance of a Passenger Assistant.  

 To deliver a high quality, efficient passenger transport service; for passengers many of whom are vulnerable because of age, special needs and or disability, with regard for their comfort, safety and wellbeing.

Main Responsibilities

To show empathy when transporting passengers with a range of special needs. To treat passengers as individuals, helping where necessary and gently encouraging them to attend services when required.  

Drivers are required to access passengers’ homes and to assist them to and from the vehicle, preserving the passenger’s dignity and respecting the other residents and their property. 

To observe all Transport Regulations to ensure compliance with the Public Service Vehicle Operators Licence. 

To be responsible for the vehicle whilst in operation including the safety of all passengers, including passengers travelling in wheelchairs.

To work in partnership with Passenger Assistants where employed. 

To ensure roadworthiness by being responsible for daily vehicle safety checks and reporting any concerns accordingly. 

To observe and comply with the Council’s Health and Safety Regulations/Policy and Working Procedures. 

To inform and liaise with the Passenger Transport office regarding any incidents, accidents or near misses involving passengers, or the vehicle. 

Deliver excellent customer care to passengers and their families, internal and external organisations and members of the public, to promote the reputation and core values of BCP Council.

To be responsible for keeping the vehicle and equipment clean and in good condition. The cleaning of vehicles may include dealing with spillages of bodily fluids. 

To maintain vehicle log sheets and complete other written reports as required. 

To be flexible about working hours and be aware that on occasions additional hours will be required without notice because of operational circumstances.  

Drivers may be required to attend training sessions and meetings outside of normal working hours this may include evenings and weekends. 

To participate in risk assessments and to provide information to the Passenger Transport office about passenger’s attendance, address, mobility, behaviour and operational practices so that Passenger Schedules remain up to date and accurate.  

To participate in making suggestions to Passenger Transport office for improvements to routes and services.  

To show professionalism by being proactive in the calm resolution of operational challenges including medical emergencies.

To be proactive in assisting with customer queries, provide them with advice and guidance, keeping line managers informed and escalating concerns where necessary.

To make appropriate decisions when faced with road closures/accidents/diversions to minimise disruption and to ensure the day-to-day operational service is maintained. 

To undertake such other duties as may be required from time to time commensurate with the level of the post. 

To comply with all decisions, policies and standing orders of the Council and any relevant statutory requirements, including the Equality Act, the Health and Safety at Work Act and General Data Protection Regulations.

The Ideal Candidate

Specific Qualifications and Experience

Over 21 years of age, with at least 2 years driving experience and a full PCV driving licence including category D or D1 (without restriction) valid to drive in the UK.

A current Drivers Certificate of Professional Competence and a commitment to maintain it by completing the required update training.

Proven experience of working in a customer facing role ideal within a social care or educational environment.

A knowledge of the characteristics, disabilities, and medical conditions of service users

 Knowledge of the geography of the BCP conurbation.

Personal Qualities & Attributes  

Patient, caring and empathetic with an understanding of vulnerable people of all ages with a range of physical and mental disabilities including dementia and SEND. 

 Physically capable of assisting service users with limited mobility in line with moving and handling procedures.

 Warm, friendly and cheerful personality. Excellent communication skills, taking care to listen and communicate effectively to passengers who may struggle to communicate verbally.  

 Ability to work well as a lone worker or part of a small team. 

 The ability to respect the views of others and work as part of a team.

 The ability to deal with unexpected issues remain calm under pressure.

 Positive and confident.

 Dedicated and reliable and punctual.

For an informal discussion about this role please contact David Harrop at david.harrop@bcpcouncil.gov.uk 

 About BCP Council

BCP Council provides services to a diverse community of 400,000 residents and employs more than 5,000 people.  Our area includes over 15 miles of beautiful world-renowned coastline.  We can offer career defining roles to transform and improve services.  By working with us, you can help deliver a vision of a thriving, word-class, prosperous and inclusive place for generations to come.

Our Benefits

We offer an excellent benefits package for further details see here: Jobs and apprenticeships | BCP (bcpcouncil.gov.uk)

As a result of the creation of BCP Council in 2019, we are working on simplifying our terms and conditions of service and will be creating a single pay structure which is to be applicable for all employees. It is important to us that we offer benefits that our colleagues value as part of their total employment package and we are reviewing these to make sure we have it right. We are in the process of establishing a timescale for implementation and colleagues joining us will be included in these changes. Expected to be in place 2024.

DBS

BCP Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the community and expects all staff and volunteers to share the same commitment. Applicants to this post will be required to complete the appropriate level of Disclosure & Barring Service Check. Please refer to the Job Description or Role Profile for more details.