Health Care Assistant Community Hospital Copeland Unit / Loweswater in Whitehaven

An exciting opportunity has arisen to recruit motivated and enthusiastic Band 2 Health Care Assistants to work within the Copeland Unit, based at the West Cumberland Hospital. These are fixed term positions for 12 months with a view to becoming permanent as the Copeland unit has moved to a new purpose built unit with increased bed capacity. Copeland ward aims to address the challenges of an aging population and increasing demand on health and care services by providing more patient-centred hospital care and empowering people to take control of their health and wellbeing.

This role requires you to demonstrate the skills and knowledge to support the provision of high quality care, to support patients with complex needs within the community ward setting. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who is looking to work at band 2 level concentrating on providing the fundamentals of care, working closely with health and social care colleagues to promote independence, facilitate hospital discharge (which can be complex) and promote independence through reablement and management of long-term conditions. There is also an opportunity to work and gain experience on the Loweswater Suite, which is a specialised 4-bed Palliative care unit integrated within the Copeland Unit.

Main duties of the job:

• The shifts are predominantly 12 hours with a half hour break included; however the rota is completed based on service need and this may change to support this. Shifts include nights, weekends and bank holidays.
• As a Health Care Assistant in a multi-disciplinary team, you will work with other health and social care professionals to develop the ethos of multi-disciplinary, integrated care and seamless services, ensuring that patient care is delivered to the highest possible standard.
• Working under the direction of a registered health care professional, you will undertake a range of delegated patient nursing and care duties including clinical observations and recording patient information.
• This will include supporting patients with personal hygiene and activities of daily living.
• Working on many occasions unsupervised, you will assess patients, plan and implement care in the hospital setting, provide advice and education to patients, carers and colleagues, and maintain associated records.
• Carry out nursing procedures.
• Flexible working is required to meet the needs of the patient group.

About us:

At NCIC, we have an ambition to deliver outstanding healthcare services to the population of North Cumbria. The Trust is committed to creating a centre of excellence in providing rural and remote healthcare and provides a wide range of community and acute services throughout our county. Our 5 key principles demonstrate our belief in the delivery of 'safe, high quality care every time':

• Being a clinically led organisation
• Quality and safety at the heart of our Trust
• A positive patient experience every time
• A great place to work
• Managing our money well

As an organisation we are serious about supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our local community and are very much focused on being an inclusive and compassionate place to work. Across the North East and North Cumbria we are working together to deliver our ambition to be the greenest region in England by 2030. All staff are expected to support sustainability.

Job responsibilities:

Please see attached job description and person specification for further information regarding the role and the essential and desirable criteria required to be met by applicants.

The essential criteria for this role includes the requirement to have a care certificate or the willingness and ability to undertake this.

Disclosure and Barring Service: 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. The cost of the DBS must be met by the successful candidate(s) through salary deduction.

Person Specification:

• Level 2 qualification in health and social care or equivalent relevant experience.
• National Care Certificate or commitment to complete within 12 weeks of commencing employment.
• Basic literacy and numerical skills.
• Functional skills level 2 Maths and English or equivalent.
• Undertaken relevant additional training for Clinical Support Workers.

Experience and Knowledge:

• Will complete all training whilst in role to undertake basic personal and care procedures for patients.
• Insight into behaviours and skills of a carer and the need for effective teamwork.
• Understanding work related boundaries.
• Awareness of GDPR and the need for confidentiality.
• Experience of working within a healthcare role.
• Familiarity with current NHS and social care policies.
• Some knowledge of safeguarding.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and active listening skills.
• Ability to adopt appropriate styles and methods of communication.
• Caring and empathetic.
• Time keeping, planning and prioritisation skills.
• Basic IT skills to use electronic patient records and other Trust systems to update basic patient information from personal care and associated activity.
• Motivated and with a pro-active approach.
• Ability to work independently as a member of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Committed to providing high quality patient care.
• Committed to undertake job related training, professional development to maintain and improve knowledge, skills and competence to ensure high standards of patient care.
• Commitment to work through the competencies model.
• Basic analytical skills.
• Personal resilience.
• Ability to work calmly and effectively under pressure.
• Ability to demonstrate the compassionate values and behaviours needed for dignified care.
• Desire to encourage and support patients to remain as independent as possible.
• Ability to deal with a wide range of people at all levels, including clients, carers, family, health and social care colleagues and other professionals.
• Dependent upon the service, ability to travel between the sites from which the Trust undertakes its business or attend meetings or training off-site.

Personal Circumstances:

• Willing to work flexible hours including nights, weekends and bank holidays.
• Flexible and versatile approach to meet the needs of the service.

Other Requirements:

• Promote equality and value diversity.
• Adhere to Trust Values and professional behaviours.