Diabetes support worker | Medway Community Healthcare CIC in Hale

We are looking for a diabetes support worker to work as part of the community diabetes specialist team, supporting community nursing teams and working alongside other healthcare professionals to improve diabetes care. The community diabetes team works to support and improve outcomes for those living with all types of diabetes. We see patients in their homes, care homes and in clinical settings, as well as via telephone calls. The community diabetes team also provides structured education to patients, as well as healthcare professionals delivering care to those with diabetes. The community diabetes team liaises closely with the local hospitals, GPs, care homes and other health care professionals via post, email and telephone.

Responsibilities include:

• Blood glucose testing
• Phlebotomy (HbA1c, kidney function, cholesterol levels)
• Baseline observations (blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, oxygen saturations, height, weight)
• FreeStyle Libre education, application, and data collection
• Insulin administration
• Diabetes foot assessment
• Insulin education and delegation

In accordance with delegated tasks, organise own workload, contact patients via telephone to arrange appointments - ensuring family members are available where necessary, contact care-home/care-agencies to schedule annual training dates. Maintain accurate, legible and up-to-date records on all patients in accordance with Diabetes and Community Nursing services, as well as organisation policies and procedures. Work with Community Nursing and Neighbourhood Nursing teams to support those patients with diabetes who may not be under the specialist diabetes service but need support with reviews and insulin administration. To work alongside patients and their families to promote independence following hospital discharge, or a new request from the GP to commence insulin.

This is your chance to join a progressive and innovative service in a social enterprise that is patient and staff focused. We encourage staff to get involved in exploring new ways of working and service development. We will provide well established, in-service training, one to one supervision, and appraisals with regular support.

Are you currently working within health or social care and want a new challenge to develop your experience and be part of transforming local care for Medway? Do you have a desire to work alongside the diabetes team in the community to improve diabetes care? Are you dynamic, proactive and thrive to make a difference? Do you hold a full driving licence?

Qualifications and experience required:

• NVQ Level 3
• Minimum 2 years experience working within Diabetes
• Minimum 2 years experience working in a community setting
• Experience in delivering structured education in a group setting
• Demonstration of personal and professional development
• Evidence of ongoing professional development
• Willingness to undertake ongoing professional development
• Insulin administration or a desire to complete this competency

Communication skills include providing and receiving routine information requiring tact or persuasive skills; providing advice, instruction or training to groups; can communicate information regarding the patient's medical condition and individualised treatment programmes in an easy to understand, reassuring way, enabling and motivating where necessary, this includes the patient, family and carers. Ensure clear, concise, accurate and legible records and all communication is maintained in relation to care delivered adhering to local and national guidance. Working collaboratively with other team members, colleagues, and services.

Skills and abilities include:

• Experience of delivering training and education to groups (including patients and other professionals)
• Experience of audits and spreadsheets
• Exercise personal responsibility and work independently within defined parameters of practice
• Ensure that only those activities for which competence has been achieved are undertaken without supervision
• Evidence of excellent organisational skills
• Good verbal and written skills
• Self-motivating and able to work unsupervised
• Advanced problem-solving skills (IT skills)
• Planning and organisational skills: Plan and manage competing demands of job role
• Work in an effective and organised manner demonstrating excellent time management and organisational skills to effectively deliver person-centred care for an allocated group of individuals
• Deliver effective care following treatment plans determined by the Registered Nurse or registered care professional and provide feedback on progress against the plans

About Disability Confident: A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer.

Would you like to work flexibly? In the NHS, we are reminded every day of how important work-life balance is. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us, for our patients and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement.

Informal visits can be arranged on request. We will offer you the choice of two pension schemes; the NHS Pension scheme and the Scottish Widows group pension scheme.