Healthcare Assistant

We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated Healthcare Assistant to join our friendly and supportive team within Granard House Outpatients and the Markus Private Care Centre. This is an excellent opportunity for a committed individual who is passionate about delivering high-quality, patient-centred care within a specialist cancer setting. We are looking for a flexible and proactive Healthcare Assistant with excellent communication skills, initiative, and a genuine commitment to enhancing the patient experience.

About the Service

Our services operate Monday to Friday. Granard House Outpatients and the Markus Private Care Centre provide a wide range of nursing and outpatient services for Royal Marsden patients. The Infusion Unit (Supportive Therapy Unit) supports ambulatory patients and those receiving elective supportive treatments such as blood transfusions, intravenous antibiotics, and other therapies.

Main duties of the job

• To carry out in a responsible and efficient way the nursing care for patients which has been drawn up in conjunction with the co-ordinator of the shift.
• To demonstrate the ability to develop a greater awareness and understanding of the needs of patients with cancer and the different treatment modalities and work autonomously under supervision of a registered nurse.
• As an integral member of the nursing team, work with team members to ensure the maintenance of an efficient, safe, clean and pleasant environment for all patients.

Working for our organisation

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is a world-leading cancer centre. Our role is to offer our patients the best cancer care available anywhere in the world, and to continue to make a global contribution to finding better ways of diagnosing and treating cancer. We employ over 4,500 staff in a diverse range of careers including nursing, medical, science, radiography, pharmacy, occupational therapy, finance and administrative services. We have two hospitals – one in Chelsea, London, and one in Sutton, Surrey – as well as a Medical Daycare Unit in Kingston Hospital.

At The Royal Marsden, we deal with cancer every day, so we understand how valuable life is. When people entrust their lives to us, they have the right to demand the very best. That's why the pursuit of excellence lies at the heart of everything we do. At the heart of the hospital is our dedicated team. We offer a stimulating and dynamic working environment, a wide range of staff benefits, learning and development opportunities and clear career pathways. There are opportunities to work flexibly across a range of areas and specialities and we welcome flexible working requests from point of hire to support employees' work-life balance.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To practice the Care Certificate and support junior staff to achieve the standards.
• Communicate with tact, empathy, overcome barriers to understanding e.g., patients with physical impairment, mental health conditions or learning disabilities.
• Monitoring and recording patients’ vital signs (including blood pressure, pulse, temperature, oxygen saturation) and reporting any abnormal results to registered nursing staff.
• Assess comfort of patient and instigate emergency procedures.
• Measuring and recording patients’ height and weight.

Role Overview:

The Healthcare Assistant is an integral member of the Outpatients Department, supporting the care of patients attending for clinical review, treatment, and follow-up. The post holder will work closely with consultants, nursing staff, and allied health professionals to deliver high standards of patient care. In this fast-paced environment, the Healthcare Assistant will assist with both clinical and administrative duties as delegated by registered nursing staff. The role supports the coordination and management of patients attending the department for treatment and medical reviews, contributing to the efficient running of clinics and ensuring a positive patient experience. Strong teamwork, flexibility, and effective communication are essential. The post holder will work collaboratively with the wider multidisciplinary team and will have opportunities to develop new skills and competencies under the supervision of the nursing team.

Key responsibilities include:

• Assisting consultants and nursing staff with the smooth running of outpatient clinics.
• Escort and chaperone patients where appropriate, ensuring patients feel safe, supported, and well informed during their visit.
• Perform venepuncture, venous blood sampling, and cannulation in line with competency and Trust policy.
• Undertake clinical tasks relevant to patients attending OPD, following competency sign-off. This may include performing ECGs, urinalysis, MRSA screening swabs, recording allergies on the Electronic Patient Record (EPR), venepuncture, and cannulation.
• Demonstrate an understanding of infection prevention and control principles, including attendance at mandatory training and adherence to Trust policies and procedures.
• Take responsibility for maintaining high standards of infection control practice and supporting a culture where safe practice is upheld and appropriately challenged when required.

Why Join Us

This role is essential to the smooth running of the Outpatients Department and offers a rewarding opportunity to contribute to the care of patients undergoing cancer treatment. You will join a dedicated team committed to delivering compassionate, high-quality care in a specialist setting. If you are a motivated individual with a passion for patient care and a desire to make a meaningful difference to patients’ lives, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Person specification

Education/Qualifications

• NVQ in Health and Social Care Level 2, working towards Level 3
• Completed Care Certificate
• Demonstrable experience of working in a hospital setting
• Evidence of ongoing professional development

Experience

• Experience of working in a hospital setting for a duration long enough to have obtained relevant competencies for a Band 3 position.
• Experience of working with computers (keyboard skills, data entry)
• Experience of working with oncology patients

Skills Abilities/knowledge

• Clinical skills (e.g., phlebotomy)
• Evidence of effective interpersonal skills
• Evidence of good organisational skills
• Self‑motivated to work under minimal supervision
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Good communication skills, written and verbal
• Patience and understanding of patient’s needs;
• Ability to remain calm and demonstrate tact and diplomacy whilst under pressure
• Evidence of commitment to customer care initiatives
• Awareness of the importance of patient confidentiality
• Literacy and numeracy skills
• Awareness of health and safety at work (e.g., Manual Handling skills, Infection Control measures)
• Ability to use own initiative
• Understanding of working with patients who are critically and chronically ill
• Venepuncture and cannulation

Other Requirements

• Flexibility to meet the needs of the service (e.g., shift work)
• Able to work on both sites and to be flexible to meet the needs of the role

The Royal Marsden values diversity and is committed to the recruitment and retention of underrepresented minority groups. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates and candidates with disabilities. As a Disability Confident Employer, we are working to create a workplace that enables all staff to reach their full potential. We are committed to this because we know that greater diversity and inclusion will lead to an even greater positive impact for the people we serve.

Due to the high volumes of applications we receive, we reserve the right to close any adverts before the published closing date once we have received a sufficient number of applications. We advise you to submit your application as early as possible to prevent disappointment. All applicants will be contacted by email to the address supplied on your application. Applicants are advised to check their email accounts regularly and to ensure that email filters are set to allow our emails.

Flu Vaccination – What We Expect of our Staff

At The Royal Marsden we have an immune compromised patient population who we must protect as much as we can against the flu virus. Each year, seasonal flu affects thousands of people in the UK. Occurring mainly in winter, it is an infectious respiratory disease capable of producing symptoms ranging from those similar to a common cold, through to very severe or even fatal disease. The wellbeing of our staff and patients is of the utmost importance to us, and it is the expectation of The Royal Marsden that all patient‑facing staff have an annual flu vaccination, provided free of charge by the Trust.