Health Care Assistant

We have an exciting opportunity for a Health Care Assistant to join our Rapid Response Team.
The team provides nursing and therapy input, aiming to respond quickly to prevent deterioration in health and well being to support patients to stay at home, avoiding the need for hospital admission or long term care where possible. The successful candidate will be required to deliver a range of clinical interventions to patients within the community setting.
We are looking for someone with good interpersonal skills who is able to positively support developments within the service to improve patient care.
You will receive regular support to develop your clinical and professional skills
The post will be based in Gateshead and will be expected to travel to patients living within the borough of Gateshead and locally, if the patient is registered with a Gateshead GP.
The post holder will be expected to work flexibly over 7 days
** Previous applicants need not apply.**
** Overseas sponsorship is not available for Band 4 and below. Applications falling within Band 4 or lower cannot be sponsored.
The post holder will be responsible for supporting Rapid Response Team within Gateshead. The post holder will be expected to complete a range of delegated duties including hands on delivery of nursing procedures, patient care and some administrative duties as required to meet the service needs.
The duties will be carried out in the community setting under the supervision and guidance of a senior member of the team. However the post holder will be expected to work alone with access to professional advice and guidance when required.
The post holder will provide support to the Rapid Response team with integrated seamless services within community settings working in partnership with local authorities, other Health Care providers, GP practices and the acute Trust,
The post holder will work with the Rapid Response Lead, and the multidisciplinary team, and will liaise with multiple stakeholders in order to ensure that service delivery is in a timely and professional manner.
The post holder will play a key role in supporting the Rapid Response team with a range of interventions and nursing tasks which enable the patient to receive the optimum care health outcomes. There will be a need to understand and undertake administration within the Rapid Response team as and when required. The post holder will work with minimal supervision, demonstrating the ability to use initiative, utilise IT systems and ensure effective and timely in a professional manner.
Based in the North East of England we provide a range of hospital and community health services from our leading facilities, including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Blaydon urgent care centre and Bensham Hospital, all within Gateshead.
Established in 2005, we were one of the first foundation trusts in the country and since then have consistently achieved the highest levels of care for patients.
We now employ around 4,800 staff and currently provide 444 hospital beds across the Gateshead region.
Our values should be the ‘golden thread’ which runs through everything we do – they are the core of who we are. Our five values can easily be remembered by the simple acronym ICORE; Innovation, Care, Openness, Respect, Engagement.
We have a number of staff networks including the Global Ethnic Majority (GEM) network, D-Ability network, LGBTQ+ Network and the Women’s Network, to challenge us and help us to constantly improve. Our Armed Forces network is one of our emerging networks.
The health and wellbeing of our staff is one of our highest priorities, and we offer a range of support and initiatives as part of our ‘Balance’ programme balancegateshead.com to cater for our diverse workforce, so that your individual needs can be supported, allowing you a happy and healthy working experience with us.
** Overseas sponsorship is not available for Band 4 and below. Applications falling within Band 4 or lower cannot be sponsored.**
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Implements individual nursing care packages to patients in the community under the general supervision of a registered nurse.
Establish and maintain communication with people on routine and operational matters which includes reporting to the nurse in charge at agreed times, using appropriate communication systems, identifying significant changes in patient condition.
Maintain written records to an agreed standard and display a positive and considerate approach to patients and their families / carers. Liaison with senior staff regarding patients.
To support the point of contact ensuring patients receive care at the right time, right place, by staff with the right skills.
Support the team to provide high standards of patient care.
Provide clinical care following training and agreed protocols, e.g., simple dressings, personal care, Bp monitoring, prompting medications and support qualified staff with clinical procedures.
Develop own skills and knowledge and provide information to others to help their development. Keep up to date with the Trusts policies and procedures and attend statutory training, study days and staff meetings as required.
Assist in maintaining own and others health, safety and security and be responsible for reporting and actively co-operating in the application of the Trust’s health and safety policies and procedures.
Assist in maintaining and developing services including the provision of statistical information in line with service requirements.
Work collaboratively as a team member with colleagues, recognising and valuing each person’s contribution to the team.
Ensure own actions promote quality and alert others to quality issues.
Provide a high standard of Health and / or Social Care to patients in their own homes, depending on individual patient care as identified in the care plan.
Ensure own actions support equality, diversity, and rights.
Act in such a way that is consistent with employer’s procedures and respect each patient need for confidentiality and maintenance of his / her dignity and individuality.
Assist in assessing people’s health and well-being and related needs as agreed with the team and communicate any changes to the Senior staff in Rapid Response.
Assist in planning, delivering, and evaluating programmes to meet people’s health and well-being and participate in any health promotion activities to enable the patient to retain / regain maximal functional independence.
Perform routine tests and tasks related to investigations and reporting e.g., Undertake diagnostic tests, following training which may include: - Venepuncture, BP Monitoring, Pulse Oximetry, blood glucose monitoring.
Apply technology for measurement, monitoring and treatment e.g., ECG’s, spirometry.
Apply standard principles of infection control to all activities at all times.
Support and assist the Rapid Response Team to successfully deliver all activities relating to the day-to-day business.
Responsible for the development and delivery of high-quality administration processes to aid the delivery of safe and effective clinical services in a community setting as required.
Respond to external and internal telephone enquiries and take appropriate action because of the enquiry.
Exercise excellent communication skills with a wide range of stakeholders.
Daily use of Emis Community module
Dealing with and collating data as and when required.
Be aware of the priorities and needs of the Rapid Response Team and assisting in achieving all deadlines.
Maintain a courteous helpful attitude and respect confidentiality.
Ensure access to safe disposal of waste according to Trust Policy
Daily working in accordance with Trust Lone Worker Policy
General Professional Duties:
To support training and development.
To maintain personal professional competency and appropriate development.
To carry out the duties and responsibilities of the post in accordance with Trust policies.
Required to comply with all relevant national and local statutory and mandatory requirements including Health & Safety and Infection Control
The post will involve regular travel locally and the post holder will be required to work flexibly to support the Rapid Response Team Team. This job description is not an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities. The post holder will be asked to carry out other duties which are appropriate to the skills of the post holder and grade of the post as the priorities of the service change