Senior Health Care Assistant in Farnham

Salary: £28,352 per annum WTE based on 37.5 hours

Full time and part time positions available

Location: Farnham Hospice and Beacon Centre, Guildford

Are you passionate about delivering exceptional care? A role with Phyllis Tuckwell gives you the opportunity to make a real difference to people's lives every day. We are looking for dynamic and motivated Health Care Assistants to join our Hospice at Home team supporting patients in their own homes.

This is an exciting opportunity for enthusiastic and experienced Health Care Assistants who are looking for a rewarding role where they can provide high quality patient & family focused care within a supportive environment. The role is primarily for a responsive service for people with heightened palliative care needs and their families and carers; this may be at a point of deterioration or within the last weeks of their life.

The post holder will carry out assigned delegated tasks under the direction and supervision of qualified registered staff. They will undertake re-assessments of allocated patients and complete necessary risk assessments and actions according to their training and competency.

If you would like to feel part of a welcoming and committed team, benefit from strong peer and managerial support, and want to develop your career with excellent training and education opportunities, we would be delighted to hear from you.

About You:

• Care experience in working inpatient home as a Lone Worker
• A recognised caring qualification
• Understanding and experience of caring for dying patients with progressive disease
• Experience of multidisciplinary team

For a full list of essential requirements, please refer to the job description and person specification document.

About Us:

We are based in Farnham and Guildford, and provide bespoke, compassionate palliative and end of life care for people living with an advanced or terminal illness, across West Surrey and North-East Hampshire. Phyllis Tuckwell is a very special place to work. Our staff make a real difference to the lives of our patients and their loved ones, providing outstanding care at a time that really matters. Our Community staff are pivotal in helping deliver our vital services, ensuring every day is precious for our patients.

The impact of our services on the lives of our patients and their families can be read about on our website. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive culture, with the principles of fairness and equality at its core. We are an equal opportunities employer, who values and respects our employees' unique knowledge, skills and experiences. We warmly welcome applications from all sections of the community. All appointments are made following a fair and equitable process, based on merit, job requirements and business need.

We Offer:

• Continuation of NHS Pension or Phyllis Tuckwell Group Personal Pension Plan (matched contributions up to 7.5%)
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Blue Light Discount Card
• Access to learning and professional development opportunities (we have an on-site education team)
• Shadow shifts
• Rotation opportunities
• Clear progressive career development opportunities from Health Care Assistant to Registered Nurse.
• A Great Place to Work
• Flexible hours and flexible working
• Supportive colleagues
• Clinical supervision and support
• 97% of our staff are proud to work for Phyllis Tuckwell

We reserve the right to close the role ahead of the closing date should sufficient applications be received. Your early response is therefore encouraged. Please note that we do not hold a sponsor licence and therefore are unable to provide sponsorship. This post is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Job responsibilities:

• To maintain and support the provision of assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of nursing care, within the limits of your qualifications and under the supervision of registered staff.
• To follow care plans as documented by Registered Nurses within PT community nursing teams.
• To undertake re-assessment of allocated patients and ensure any actions needed following these assessments are completed.
• To assess and order appropriate equipment following assessment and discussion with a registered professional.
• To give practical help and advice to the bereaved families and carers, highlighting this to the registered staff and facilitate onward referral internally or externally as required.
• To ensure statutory obligations are met that are relevant to the clinical area.
• To ensure quality standards are maintained to provide the highest standards of holistic care.
• Work to the agreed models of care and work allocation.
• To work within own scope of practice and ensure adherence to all Phyllis Tuckwell policies and guidelines.
• To work as part of the multidisciplinary team, providing holistic care to patients, their families and carers.
• Highlight any changes in a patient's condition in a timely manner.
• Escalate any clinical or non-clinical incidents to the nurse in charge, and complete incident documentation via Sentinel [incident reporting system].
• Assist with investigations and risk assessments as appropriate.
• When working as a lone worker the post holder will act on own initiative to make a situation safe as possible and report any concerns.
• To be flexible with work location [including Inpatient Unit] as required by the organisation.

• To understand and work within the Health and Social Care Act 2008, PT business plan, philosophy and behaviour framework.
• Work as part of the multidisciplinary team, providing holistic care to patients, their families and carers.
• Deliver a safe and high standard of care in accordance with Phyllis Tuckwell policies and guidelines.
• To maintain accurate, legible and contemporaneous records on all patients, to ensure documentation meets agreed PT standards and adheres to Caldicott Guidelines.
• To participate in any audits being undertaken and ensure the results and actions from them are shared with the team.
• At all times maintain confidentiality regarding patients, relatives/carers and other staff.
• At all times act as an ambassador for Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice to patients, relatives, colleagues and members of the public.
• To ensure a team environment is maintained by developing effective relationships and being considerate towards colleagues.

• To be familiar with guidelines and regulations relevant to the role and care setting, particularly those relating to clinical and information governance, health and safety at work, and ensure they are met.
• To effectively maintain and support the clinical area and monitor resources, including clinical supplies and equipment.
• Manage your own time effectively to meet PT aims and objectives.

• Maintain and support the professional development and safe practice of others through peer support, leadership, supervision and teaching.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of PT guidelines, policies and procedures.
• To identify and develop own knowledge and clinical skills, through continual professional development, clinical supervision, discussion with other members of the MDT, and through PT Annual Appraisal Process.
• To undertake training related to demonstrating competencies as per the programme.

• Participate in research and audit within the PT environment.
• Assist in implementing the findings of evidence-based practice.

Role holders are required to understand their responsibilities in the safeguarding context, ensuring that Phyllis Tuckwell reduces the risk of harm or abuse of adults and children at risk. You are required to adhere to Phyllis Tuckwell's Safeguarding Policy (held on the NEST), which supports the local authority's multi-agency safeguarding policy, the law (Care Act 2014) and Mental Capacity Act 2005 (including Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards). Inform the appropriate PT professional where there is concern that an adult or child may be at risk of harm, abuse, or neglect.

Phyllis Tuckwell is committed to an Equal Opportunities approach, valuing, and respecting everyone as individuals, with diverse opinions, cultures, lifestyles, and circumstances. This job description is underpinned by Phyllis Tuckwell's philosophy, culture, and core values, which actively embrace diversity and inclusion and promotes total team spirit. This job description is current and subject to yearly review in consultation with the jobholder. It is liable to reflect and anticipate necessary changes to support the PT strategy.

• Commitment to providing high quality, individualised holistic care to patients and their relatives/carers
• Demonstrates an understanding of the importance of Health and Safety and clinical governance
• Demonstrates an awareness of patient confidentiality and the principles of information governance
• Ability to write professional, concise records in clinical patient documents
• Understand the importance of reporting any changes in a patient's care to colleagues
• Demonstrates an understanding of the importance of PT policies and procedures
• Has an understanding of multi-disciplinary team working
• Ability to work as part of a team and be willing to learn.
• Demonstrate ability to work unsupervised as appropriate, under the direction of a registered member of staff.

• Evidence of care skills from working in a care home/other care environment or patients own home.
• Understanding and experience of caring for dying patients with progressive diseases
• Worked as an HCA for a minimum of two years
• Care experience in working in patients home as a Lone Worker and able to understand the risks involved with lone working.

• Care Certificate
• Evidence of undertaking health care courses or other life skills
• Has NVQ/QCF/ Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF)/ City & Guilds level 3 or above

• Computer literate in basic IT skills- email, Word and a willingness to increase IT skills as all systems are electronic.
• A full UK driving license and access to a vehicle with Business Insurance

• Motivated and Enthusiastic
• Flexible
• Role model for others in the team
• Ability to show interpersonal sensitivity to others
• Ability to cope with stressful situations
• Self-awareness and has coping strategies
• Openness to learn
• Good communication and interpersonal skills

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.