Health Care Assistant in Huddersfield

We are looking to employ an enthusiastic, reliable, compassionate, and experienced Healthcare Assistant (HCA) to support our GP surgery on a part-time basis.

The roleinvolves assisting the clinical team with patient observations, blood pressurechecks, blood taking, NHS health checks, and other clinical duties within theindividual's training and competence.

The successful candidate will have excellentcommunication and organisational skills, understand and maintain patient confidentiality andprovide safe, respectful, patient-centred care.

We are looking for someonewho is committed, flexible, and able to work effectively as part of our team tosupport the delivery of high-quality patient care.

Role is for minimum of 18 hours per week, days to work will include working Tuesdays and Thursdays,

Main duties of the job

• Venepuncture
• Pulse rate and rhythm
• Urinalysis and preparation ofspecimens for investigation by the pathology laboratory
• Height and weight body massindex
• ECG
• Basic dressings

Ordering maintaining stocklevels and control in treatment area.

• Conduct chronic disease healthreviews
• Prepare and maintainenvironments during and after patient care interventions
• Provide chaperone services forpatients and clinicians
• Assist in raising awareness ofhealth and well-being, and how it can be promoted
• Give accurate and appropriateinformation to patients and groups within own competency
• Re-stocking consulting rooms
• Diabetes checks including footchecks
• Pre-diabetes and diet/lifestyleadvice

About us

We are a very busy village surgery with around 6,300 patients.

Almondbury is a three partner practice, supported by two salaried GPs, two ANPS , a nursing team and experienced admin staff.

The HCA role is advertised to add to the established nurse team to fulfil an essential role in the provision of treatment, preventative care, screening and patient education.

Job responsibilities

To work under indirect supervision of the practice nurses, to undertake duties delegated by the practice nurse team leader or a suitably qualified regulated professional.

To work collaboratively with the general practice team to meet the needs of patients, following practice policies and procedures.

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

• Communicate effectively with other team members
• Communicate effectively with patients and carers, recognising their needs for alternative methods of communication
• Take responsibility for own developmental learning and performance, including participating in supervision
• To recognise and understand the roles and responsibilities of individuals working in the primary health care team
• Be aware of the legal issues pertinent to the role of an HCA
• Participation in annual staff review and development, including taking responsibility for maintain a record of won personal and/or professional development
• Undertaking modules in the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) programme or equivalent, as appropriate
• Health, safety and security
• Use the personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines
• Identify the risks involved in work activities and undertake them in a way that manages the risks
• Use appropriate infection control procedures and maintain work areas in each clinical room so that they are clean, safe and free from hazards reporting of any potential risks identified, including:
• Assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the practice Health & Safety Policy.
• Hand washing
• Universal hygiene procedures
• Collection and handling of laboratory specimens
• Segregation and disposal of waste materials
• Decontamination of instruments and clinical equipment
• Reporting and treatment of sharps injuries
• Dealing with blood and body fluid spillages
• Assist patients and colleagues in adopting sound infection control measure
• Understand and apply the principles of the cold chain
• Ensure safe storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs within area of responsibility
• Know the general principles of first aid and resuscitation to be able to undertake initial actions as appropriate
• Be aware of statutory child health procedures and statutory local guidance and referral criteria
• Know the health and safety policies and procedures within the workplace, including fire procedures, maintaining documentation, monitoring and maintaining of equipment and furniture within your area of responsibility
• Use the computer monitor safely
• Be able to identify the risks to health of microbiological and chemical hazards within the working environment according to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
• 4. Service improvement
• Be aware of and, if appropriate, assist in current clinical audit
• Work with colleagues in the team on the development of current and new services and other initiatives
• Deal with stock and maintain equipment
• Deal with requests from patients and clinical staff for health information leaflets
• 5. Quality The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will:
• Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk in the care of patients
• Ensure own actions are consistent with clinical governance systems
• Practice in accordance with agreed standards of care
• Enable patients to access appropriate professionals in the team
• Ensure stock items under your control are ordered and available in the treatment and consulting rooms
• Know how clinical governance affects the HCA role and bring to the attention of more senior staff any specific risk situation
• Know the practice's policies, especially the whistle-blowing policy, available in the practice staff handbook
• Be able to manage your own time effectively
• Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision
• Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance

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

• Act in ways that recognise the importance of people's rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with procedures
• Respect the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients and carers
• Understand basic legal and communication issues regarding child abuse, family violence, vulnerable adults, substance abuse and addictive behaviour
• Act as a chaperone
• Undertake, record and follow guidelines for the tasks for which you have received appropriate training:
• Urinalysis and preparation of specimens for investigation by the pathology laboratory
• Measuring and recording following physiological measurements in routine presentations:
• Blood Pressure
• Pulse Rate and Rhythm
• Temperature
• Height And Weight - Body Mass Index
• Venepuncture
• ECG
• Health Checks
• Spirometry-on completion of accredited course
• Peak Flow Measuring
• Urinalysis and pregnancy testing
• Simple or review dressings
• Processing and management of laboratory samples requested or taken by GPs. Nurses
• Preparing and maintain environments and equipment before, during and after patient care interventions including assisting GPs during the performance of minor operations
• Assisting in the assessment and surveillance of patients health and well-being
• Helping to raise awareness of health and well-being and how it can be promoted
• Assisting with the collection and collation of data and needs related to health and well-being.
• Prepare and maintain environments and equipment before, during and after patient care interventions
• Assist in raising awareness of health and well-being, and how it can be promoted
• Give accurate and appropriate information to patients within own competence
• Undertaking specific clinical activities for named patients that have been delegated and taught specifically in relation to that individual
• Undertaking any other clinical activity that has been delegated and taught
• Develop wound dressing skills

The healthcare assistant also provides support for other members of the primary healthcare team and contributes towards the coordination of the team activities.

Tasks include

• Sterilising, cleansing and maintenance of surgical equipment, enduring regular servicing is undertaken and documented.
• Vaccine/cold chain storage, monitoring and recording
• Surgical equipment and vaccine re-stocking and stock rotation
• Clearing and re-Stocking consulting rooms
• Assist nursing team in the stock control and ordering necessary medical supplies
• Ordering and maintain the health promotion and information materials available in the practice and on display in the waiting rooms, ensuring such displays are tidy and contemporary.
• Maintaining and order stock
• While 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 the 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 careers, 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 s 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.
• Record information and activities undertaken with patients and carers in an accurate and timely fashion using manual or computer systems as appropriate
• Maintain confidentiality or information relating to patients, relatives, staff and the practice
• HCA to discuss and develop own learning needs with Practice nurses and undertake appropriate learning
• The HCA must complete all mandatory training within agreed time scale.

To attend training and development courses according to practice requirements and availability of mentorship support and funding available.

To participate in training at in-house sessions with the nurse team. Participate in annual performance reviews..

The HCA will be expected to move equipment to another clinic setting in accordance to health and safety regulation

Requirement to concentrate during periods for checking patient detailed, clinical records and performing procedures.

Requirement to record information in the patients records, machines, sample forms and specimen bottles.

These records must be a 100% accurate to avoid errors that may delay patient diagnosis or management.

Ability to perform during busy unpredictable work patterns.

Awareness of situations which may cause distress i. e. staff situations, distressed patients or relatives.

Situations where patients complain and express their feelings about services or previous experiences.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• GCSE grade A to C in English and maths, or equivalent qualification. Venepuncture qualification. Qualified and up to date ECG trained.
• Trained to perform spirometry.

Experience

• Experience of working within primary care in HCA role.
• Experience of working in a GP practice
• 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.