Wellbeing and therapy healthcare assistant - band 2 | Medway Community Healthcare CIC in Rochester

The Wellbeing & Therapy healthcare assistant will work within the new Wellbeing & Therapy Centre, supporting the planning and delivery of a full timetable of holistic, therapeutic and educational groups. The post holder will support the Wellbeing & Therapy Practitioner in delivering holistic palliative wellbeing and therapy.

We are looking for someone with a strong work ethic, the ability to use their own initiative and a passion to deliver good care. The post-holder will assist the Wellbeing & Therapies Practitioner in delivering holistic palliative wellbeing and therapy to patients in the Wellbeing & Therapy Hub, providing appropriate support to patients and their carers.

The post-holder will work with the Wellbeing Team, including the Wellbeing & Therapies Practitioner and volunteers, performing all duties as identified, supervised by the Therapy Team Lead. They will attend to patients' holistic needs as required and support the delivery of the Wellbeing & Therapies program, ensuring that patients' care and comfort are maintained whilst present in the hub.

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’ll provide well-established, in-service training, one-to-one supervision, and appraisals with regular support. You’ll be able to develop your skills in a friendly and supportive team.

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. MCH encourages all staff to be double COVID vaccinated to protect themselves, their colleagues, their family and their patients.

Communication and Relationship Skills

• With all members of the Hospice multidisciplinary team assisting the planning, implementing and evaluating patient care.
• With patients, families and visitors, providing active listening and supportive care in helping to guide them through their illness trajectory.
• With other professionals; to provide and receive information, which will require empathy, fact or persuasive skills or where there are barriers to understanding.

Knowledge, Training and Experience

• Appreciation of the principles of Palliative Care.
• NVQ Level 2 or equivalent experience.
• Knowledge of personal/holistic care and related procedures.
• Experience of working with or caring for people with advanced illness.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work with emotionally distressed people and unpredictable situations.
• Ability to use own discretion and initiative in complex situations.
• Analytical and judgement skills to observe and monitor the wellbeing of the patient to contribute to the process of evaluating care.
• To maintain appropriate documentation and escalate any concerns or issues in respect of a patient’s wellbeing/condition.

Planning and Organisational Skills

• To deliver wellbeing support in line with the patient’s care plan, organising own day-to-day tasks under supervision, reporting back to the Wellbeing and Therapy Practitioner as required.
• To support the Wellbeing & Therapy practitioner in the planning of a range of activities and programs in line with the timetable.
• To participate in the running of groups as determined by the Wellbeing & Therapy Hub timetable.

Physical Skills

• The job holder will provide therapeutic and personal care duties to patients as required.
• Responsible for the safe use of equipment and maintaining stock orders within the Wellbeing and Therapy Hub.
• To assist the Wellbeing & Therapy Practitioner with on-site security of the unit and to contribute to activities that ensure the safety of the physical environment of the Hub for staff, patients and visitors.
• Relevant IT skills.

Responsibilities for Patient Care

• To provide wellbeing and therapy support to patients and their carers whilst present at the Wellbeing and Therapy Centre.
• To assist in delivering a specific area of holistic care.

Responsibilities for Policy and Service Development Implementation

• To be aware of and provide care in line with the Caldicott Principles and Data Protection regarding patient information and follow local and relevant organisational policies that ensure safe practice and effective delivery of care.
• To attend training provided for clinical staff and assist with advice to new and volunteer staff.

Responsibilities for Financial and Physical Resources

• Responsible for the safe use of equipment.
• Maintaining stock orders under the direction of the Wellbeing & Therapy Practitioner.
• To be aware of cost implications of stock usage.

Responsibilities for Human Resources (HR)

• To adhere to MCH policies.
• To attend ad hoc reflections provided for MCH staff.

Responsibilities for Information Resources

• To maintain patient confidentiality.
• To adhere to CALDICOTT – Data Protection.

Responsibilities for Research and Development (R&D)

• To assist in audits and changes in service department as necessary.

Freedom to Act

Work within environment under guidance and supervision of senior staff.