Community Support Worker in Suffolk

We are seeking to appoint a motivated Community Support Worker to join the Primary Care Home Hub (PCH) based at Beccles Hospital. The team delivers community health care to patients in their own home in the Waveney area which includes Beccles, Bungay, Halesworth, Southwold and Kessingland. This role focuses on the provision of reablement interventions, delivering care, support and encouragement to patients in order to promote independence. Responding to patient and family needs, preventing unnecessary hospital admission, and supporting end‑of‑life care at home. The Primary Care Home is a multidisciplinary team of nurses, therapists, assistant practitioners, health care assistants, and community support workers delivering nursing, therapy and reablement/rehab services to adults in their own homes.

Key Job Details

This post is 34.5 hours per week, 3 x 11.5 hour shifts. The post attracts paid enhancements for out of hours, bank holiday and weekend working. The service operates 7 days a week from 07:00 to 20:30. Applicants will be required to work a variety of shifts including weekends and bank holidays. At times you may be required to work alongside other PCHs from different locations to cover staff sickness or capacity pressures. If not previously achieved you will undertake the nationally recognised Care Certificate programme on commencing employment. The service uses SystmOne as a clinical IT system to support mobile working.

Job Responsibilities

• Work with patients towards self‑care and independence.
• Support and deliver aspects of activities of daily living, including management of dietary and fluid intake, continence care, toileting, using sheaths, catheters and continence pads.
• Take, record and report vital signs (blood pressure, respiration, pulse rate, oxygen saturation) and perform urinalysis; recognise and report deteriorating patient condition.
• Undertake skin assessments and perform like‑for‑like dressing changes as required.
• Provide walking aids, fit small aids and equipment as directed.
• Prompt, assist and manage medication as directed by the Medication Administration Record chart; report any medication problems or compliance issues.
• Participate in caring for patients at end‑of‑life when appropriate.
• Ensure a high standard of record keeping in line with ECCH standards.
• Communicate effectively with patients, relatives and carers with respect for confidentiality and diverse cultural backgrounds.
• Support family members at all times and consider the effects of illness on the family.
• Enable individuals and families to express their needs and preferences, taking appropriate action to overcome communication barriers.
• Safeguard confidentiality of all personally sensitive information.
• Contribute to clinical governance through participation in clinical audit.
• Create an environment conducive to effective working and support staff to deliver high‑quality clinical services.
• Work as part of the multidisciplinary Primary Care Home to deliver planned and unplanned services.
• Implement care plans taking into account own competencies.
• Report any concerns or changes in a patient’s condition to a registered nurse or appropriate health care professional without delay.
• Take responsibility for the safe use of clinical equipment.
• Contribute to the effective use of resources.
• Engage in personal development, maintain competence, knowledge and skills commensurate with the role.
• All staff must demonstrate the organisation’s values and signature behaviours in the care they provide.

Qualifications

• Evidence of personal development; Care certificate (or willingness to complete).
• Training in communication skills; Level II NVQ or equivalent experience in health or social care.

Experience

• Previous experience of NHS, social care or voluntary organisation.
• Aware of the needs of older people.
• Experience of working in a community setting.
• Experience of multidisciplinary team work.
• Understanding of reablement.

Additional Criteria

• Good interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent time management and IT skills.
• Willingness and ability to work across different sites and travel around the community.
• Ability to work without direct supervision; approachable, reliable, respects confidentiality.
• Willingness to learn new skills and embrace the organisation’s culture, values and signature behaviours.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and a submission for Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service will be required to check for any previous criminal convictions.