Healthcare Assistant – Ashford (full time/part time)

Do you want to develop your healthcare assistant’s skills into a specialist role and be part of a pro-active multi-disciplinary and professional team, who put excellent patient care as their priority? Do you have a passion for working collaboratively in an environment of thriving on positive change and making a difference to those with palliative and end of life care needs? Are you passionate about supporting and empowering patients to live well until their very last moment in their life? If so, then the role of Healthcare Assistant at Pilgrims may be just the job for you!

We are seeking well-motivated and forward thinking professionals to join our multi-disciplinary team, in supporting patients across east Kent. The successful candidate will join a busy and dynamic ward where they will be assisting the Nursing team in ensuring that patients receive the highest standard of care in a safe and pleasant environment.

• Working under the direct supervision of the registered nurse administers as directed in the patients’ care plan, basic nursing care to patients in order to meet their fundamental health care needs.
• Assisting patients with personal care whilst maintaining privacy and dignity at all times.
• Assisting patients to eat and or drink as independently as possible.
• Undertaking some tasks independently without direction and supervision i.e. making beds and cleaning of equipment.
• Maintaining accurate records at the point of care using the hospice’s electronic record and reports relevant information directly to the registered nurse.
• Using and storing all equipment safely and correctly in accordance with Hospice and manufacturer’s instructions.
• Attending mandatory training.
• Ensuring patient’s safety at all times and that any care given is in line with training received and follows either verbal direction from a registered nurse or is directed via written nursing care plans or multidisciplinary goal setting sheets.
• Assisting in transferring deceased patients to the relevant areas in the hospice setting.
• Assisting in giving the deceased last offices respecting their spiritual, cultural and religious needs.
• Releasing the patient into the care of the relevant undertakers.
• Ensuring safe custody of patient’s property.
• Actively participating in the prevention of cross infection, understanding and adopting into practice the principles of infection control in accordance with hospice policy.
• Assisting in the monitoring, storing, and disposal of equipment and hazardous materials in accordance with health and safety.
• Reporting any incident or near miss immediately to the nurse in charge of the ward.
• Recognising and appropriately responding to changes in patients conditions.
• Actively contributing to service development.

We provide an extensive range of physical and psychological support measures through our health and wellbeing programme, to ensure your success, including:

• A supportive and friendly working environment.
• Regular quality interactions with our clinical and medical teams.
• Strong working relationships with other members of the multi-disciplinary teams.
• On-going training and CPD/career development.
• Access to a range of resources to ensure our staff have access to help and support where and when they need it.
• Regular self-care and development sessions.

We are recruiting for both full and part time positions. As our wards operate on a shift working basis, candidates need a flexible approach to working hours, including the ability to work nights and weekends.

About us: As an award-winning employer, Pilgrims provides end-of-life care services to patients and their families across east Kent. Our commitment is to provide open, compassionate care and expertise for patients and their families – both in the community and in-patient units.

Our Vision: “Of a community where people with a terminal illness and their family and friends are supported and empowered to live well in mind and body until the very last moment of their life”.

We recognise that our workforce is integral to the delivery of our Vision and our charitable aims. Pilgrims Hospices continues to create a highly skilled, motivated, engaged and healthy workforce by providing an environment where staff and volunteers feel highly motivated to perform their roles to a consistently high standard, and actively role model our charitable behaviours and values.

To achieve our Vision, we have a shared set of values and behaviours that enable us to be the people and the charity that patients and their loved ones need us to be. They form our CODE, which guides us in our daily working and decision making:

• Compassionate: We treat everyone with compassion and care.
• Open: We communicate openly, honestly and effectively.
• Dynamic: We are dynamic, improving and developing our service.
• Empowered: We empower people to achieve their outcomes.

Other benefits: As an Employer of Choice, our commitment to supporting our employees and volunteers is a key priority. Our Health and Wellbeing Strategy is an important step in ensuring the sustainability of our workforce, and clearly outlines our strategic intentions to improve employee capability, resilience, and engagement, to adapt to and embrace change as the health sector continues to develop.

Our hospices offer:

• Modern, friendly and highly professional working environments.
• Opportunities for professional development through a range of extensive learning.
• Alignment with NHS pay rates and continuity in membership of the NHS pension scheme.
• A sense of achievement in supporting a worthwhile cause.
• A sense of wellbeing.
• A good work-life balance.
• Locations across well-populated areas of east Kent – all providing very good road and rail links.
• NHS and financial discounts i.e. Blue Light Card.
• Cycle to Work Schemes.
• Free hospice parking.

We invest in our employees, which is one of the key things that makes us an award-winning employer of choice. If you think this is your ideal role and want to join us and contribute to providing high quality patient care and support to those at the end of their life, please apply now.

All applicants must have the right to work and will be asked to provide documentary evidence.