Healthcare Assistant - Mental Health Inpatients

Overview

We are currently looking for a proactive Healthcare Assistant, who will join our team on Denbigh Ward. This is an inpatient unit for the assessment and treatment of patients with the primary diagnosis of dementia and behaviours that challenge and Dementia. If you are looking for a dynamic role where you are able to showcase your high level of patient care, as well as your strong team work ethic, this is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate added value in a challenging environment. Reporting to the Denbigh Ward Manager, you will assist the team to deliver personal care to our patients who have a variety of Mental Health care needs for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT). Working with a team of passionate and dedicated Health Care professionals, you will be responsible for delivering a high level of care to the patients in our wards. This post is open to professionals with the right attributes to enhance a team. This post involves rotational shifts across a 24 hour period.

You may be required to undertake and successfully complete the new national Care Certificate within a 12 weeks\\\’ timeframe if you meet our criteria. You will receive full training and support and The Care Certificate sets out 15 national care standards that must be achieved by all health and social care staff to demonstrate that they have the skills and knowledge needed to provide safe and excellent quality of care. It is a foundation programme which can provide the first steps to career development within the NHS. Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health & social care organisation dedicated to providing high quality care with compassion to improve the health & wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting & empowering them to lead a fulfilling life. Our clinical teams deliver many NHS services not only via inpatient and primary care setting but also with the community. These services include Children, Adult & Older Peoples mental & physical health, Forensic & Specialist mental health, Learning Disabilities, Primary Care & Liaison psychiatry, Substance misuse, Social care, Research & Development.

Responsibilities

• Ensure that the ward environment is clean and tidy at all times. To liaise with the ward housekeeper regarding cleanliness.
• To promote and support registered staff with the physical health, comfort and wellbeing of service users, including physical observations and taking blood pressure, temperature and pulse under their guidance and supervision.
• To ensure good working relationships with colleagues by contributing to the effective running of the ward, through engaging in clinical discussions and attending appropriate meetings including contributing to ward hand-overs.
• Empower service users by ensuring that they receive relevant information about their treatment, medication, available services, advocacy services, ward routines and safety procedures under the guidance of a registered nurse.
• To ensure food and fluids are served to service users according to policy
• Support the nurse in charge in inpatient units in maintaining essential clinical stocks.
• To promote a positive service user experience throughout their stay through proactive listening, being responsive to issues raised and through resolving issues and concerns raised by service users with colleagues and senior members of the team.
• To be responsible for maintaining and conducting oneself in a professional manner towards service users, carers, colleagues and other agencies, at all times.
• To participate in working collaboratively with other Trust services and external agencies to provide seamless care for service users.
• To observe and report to a registered member of the team, any changes which may indicate an alteration in the general well being and safety of a service user. This would include observations around the service user\\\’s presentation, behaviour, mood and verbal content.
• To provide service users with personal care, where and when required, and demonstrate empathy, dignity, respect and compassion at all times.
• To understand the importance of the relatives/carers contribution to care and conversing with the service users and their relatives/carers, establishing their needs and assisting them as necessary.