Healthcare Assistant in Ipswich

To provide healthcare services to the practice population, including long term condition reviews, ECGs, dressings, vaccinations, advice and treatment within the professional competence of the post holder. Extra training will be provided for new duties undertaken as required. The post holder should have or be working towards the Care Certificate Standards. The position will be part time up to a full time post. Interviews will take place on the afternoon of Wednesday 9th December 2026.

Main duties of the job:

• To assist in patient care and practice related duties as directed by and under the supervision of a registered healthcare professional.
• The HCA will work collaboratively with the general practice team to meet the needs of the patients, including the housebound, following practice policy and procedures.

About us:

Cardinal Medical Practice has a fantastic and highly rewarding opportunity for a dedicated and motivated Healthcare Assistant to join our progressive and innovative training practice, which encourages the development of all staff and where you will have support and investment in your career progression. Patient care is paramount to the Partners alongside the well-being of the team within the practice. Cardinal Medical Practice offers a chance to the right candidate to be part of an amazing team who aren't afraid to think outside of the box and can offer incredible prospects and a happy, friendly place to work. Our strong emphasis on education and development makes us well suited for newly qualified clinicians as well as those who are far more experienced. We are flexible and keenly support and promote staff work-life balance and development. Located on the outskirts of Ipswich town centre, Cardinal Medical Practice was formed as a result of a merger between Chesterfield Drive, Deben Road and Norwich Road Surgeries offering services to approx 28,500 patients. The practice has a clinical team of 4 GP Partners, 12 Salaried GPs, 3 GP Registrars, Advanced Nurse Practitioners, Paramedics, Physicians Associates, Practice Nurses, Nurse Associates, Healthcare Assistants, Care Co-ordinators and additional healthcare professionals. The team is supported by Management and a large administrative team.

Job responsibilities:

• Clinical Skills: Undertake annual review checks as part of the management of long-term conditions: Diabetes, CKD, PAD, Mental health.
• Process urine samples and take action in line with practice protocol.
• Undertake ECGs including 24 hour ECGs.
• Undertake blood pressure checks, including 24 hour BP checks and act on results in accordance with practice hypertension protocol.
• Take bloods and prepare/submit blood forms.
• Apply dressings and undertake basic wound care.
• Remove sutures and staples.
• Undertake NHS Health-checks and act on results, i.e. QRisk score in line with practice protocol.
• Measure and record following physiological measurements in routine presentations: blood pressure, pulse, temperature, height and weight - body mass index.
• Undertake ear syringing as part of the referral pathway to ENT.
• Monitor stock levels and order supplies as necessary.
• Prepare and maintain clinical room and equipment before, during and after patient care interventions.

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, such training to include:

• Maintain continued education and learning by attending all mandatory training and other events as deemed necessary by the practice.
• Participate in the annual performance review (appraisal), including taking responsibility for maintaining record of own personal and/or professional development.
• Work as an effective and responsible team member, supporting others and exploring the mechanisms to develop new ways of working.
• Work effectively with others to clearly define values, direction and policies impacting upon care delivery.
• Co-operate and participate as required in any research projects and clinical audits within the practice.

Infection prevention:

• Follow consistently high standards of infection prevention practice, especially with reference to hand decontamination.
• Be aware of and follow all practice infection prevention guidelines and procedures relevant to the work.

Confidentiality:

• Maintain patient confidentiality by taking account of the following: 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, to 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 and free from hazards.

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 which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings, priorities and rights.

Quality:

• The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will: Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk.
• 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 team's performance.
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients' needs.
• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources.

Cardinal Medical Practice is an equal opportunities employer and the post-holder is expected to comply with all relevant policies and procedures in this area together with all other policies and procedures as initiated by the practice.

Work Visa/Permits/Leave To Remain: If you are a non-resident of the United Kingdom or European Economic Union, you are required to have a valid work visa and leave to remain in the UK, which is renewed as required. The practice is unable to employ or continue to employ you if you require but do not have a valid work visa and/or leave to remain in the UK.

Code of Conduct: All staff are required to work in accordance with CMP's code of conduct.

Complaints: From time to time, complaints may occur, no matter how professional the approach of our staff. All complaints are investigated promptly, and the full co-operation of staff is required.

Clinical Governance and Risk management: The practice believes everyone has a role to play in improving and contributing to the quality of care provided to our patients. The post-holder is expected to take a proactive role in supporting the practice's clinical governance agenda by:

• Taking part in activities for improving quality such as clinical audit.
• Identifying and managing risks through incident and near miss reporting and undertaking risk assessments.
• Following policies, guidelines and procedures.
• Ensuring entries in patient records are comprehensive, accurate and timely.

Information Quality Assurance: The post-holder is expected to take due diligence and care in regard to any information collected, recorded, processed or handled during the course of the work and that such information is collected, recorded, processed and handled in compliance with practice requirements and instructions.

Freedom of Information: The post-holder should be aware of the responsibility placed on employees under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and is responsible for helping to ensure that the practice complies with the Act when handling or dealing with any information relating to practice activity.

The practice operates a Smoke Free policy and all employees must comply with this.

Uniform: The post-holder will be expected to comply with infection prevention arrangements and will be provided with the appropriate uniform to enable this.

This Job Description will be subject to review in the light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid or inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works. Other duties, of a similar nature and appropriate to the job grade, may be assigned from time to time.

Qualifications:

• Care Certificate Level 2 or 3.
• Health & Social Care GCSE English and Maths or equivalent.
• Qualified in Phlebotomy.
• Experience of Long Term Condition reviews.
• Experience of working as a Healthcare Assistant.
• Experience of working within a nursing team.
• Experience of working in primary care.
• 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.