Healthcare Assistant (HCA) - Lymphoedema in Lichfield

Our Lymphoedema service offers a high standard of care, providing expert lymphoedema management, advice and information aimed at preventing swelling, reducing progression and complications, and empowering patients to self-manage their condition.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work within the St Giles Lymphoedema Clinic alongside Lymphoedema specialist clinicians. The HCA will undertake a wide range of duties delegated by that team and will be expected to work collaboratively and proactively with the clinicians to meet the needs of clients; ensuring the provision of high-quality care for patients living with lymphoedema and chronic oedemas.

About us

St Giles Hospice is a registered charity founded in 1983 by the Reverend Paul Brothwell, originally to improve the care of local people dying with cancer.

We now support patients, and their loved ones, living with a terminal illness.Our dedicated team provides individually-tailored care, free of charge, either at the hospice or in patients own homes across our communities.

We spend close to £10 million a year providing our specialist services. With just 18% of this funded by the Government, we rely heavily on donations and income generation from the local community.

Job responsibilities

The role entails but is not limited to:

Support the clinical team to deliver effective and responsiveclinical care and treatment programmes.

Developeffective communication skills with all partners in care, including patients,relatives and all Hospice and Primary Care colleagues, working incollaboration to overcome barriers to communication e.g. challengingbehaviours, hostility/anxiety.

At all times adhere to infection control procedures andprotocols for the department to reduce the risk of healthcare-acquiredinfections.

Befamiliar with safe management of body fluids and soiled dressings in linewith infection control procedures.

Beresponsible for disposal of clinical waste within the department in line withinfection control policies.

Toparticipate in general housekeeping, management of laundry stock levels tomaintain the working environment.

Ensuretreatment rooms for prepared to receive patients at the start of the day,clean down treatment room and equipment after each patient contact.

Escortingor assisting patients to mobilise from reception area to the treatment room.

Assistclinicians in aspect of clinical care and record keeping, i.e. recording ofvital signs, height, weight, BMI as priority.

Assistwith clinical procedures to agreedstandards/competencies set for the sphere of practice and planned by theClinical Lead to enable preparing patient prior to treatment by clinicianse.g. washing legs

Exchangeinformation with, and offer support as appropriate to patients, theirfamilies and carers and professional colleagues.

Assist in educating patients and carers on self-care, skin care, management of hosiery etc. and lifestyle practicesunder the guidance of the clinician.

Co-operatewith, and communicate clearly and professionally, any changes that may affectpatient care to the specialist clinicians.

Maintaincontemporaneous, accurate paper and electronic records ofpatient care delivered in accordance with Hospice policies.

Toalways promote the privacy and dignity of patients.

Ensurethat confidentiality of information is maintained at all times.

Managementof clinical storeroom and maintenance of clinical stock levels under theguidance of the Clinical Lead.

Orderingof clinical stock items via Sage Intacct once approved by the budget holder.

Requiredto participate within the scope of the role in any sudden unexpected evente.g. collapse, resuscitation, injury

Provide administrative clinical support to create anefficiently run team.

Workwith and support voluntary staff in the provision of care as directed.

Performrelevant audits with appropriate support.

Beaware of the health, safety and wellbeing of self, staff, patients and allothers on hospice property and comply with the St Giles Hospice Health andSafety Policy.

Toattend all mandatory training and other education and training programmes tomaintain competencies of relevant procedures and for self-development asrequired. Learn new skillsassociated with the role deemednecessary by the Clinical Lead.

Utiliseeducational opportunities to facilitate learning in the clinical environment.Participate in education and training activities as required.

Beaware of, and comply with all manner of St Giles Hospice policies,procedures, protocols and guidelines alongside observing a personal duty ofcare when using equipment or handling patients valuables.

Undertakeother duties as may be required, and which are consistent with theresponsibilities of the post.

Just so you know:

We may review applications before the applicationreview date, however, if you apply after the application review date, yourapplication may not be considered. We will accept applications until we havesuccessfully filled the role, this may be earlier than the closing date.

If you have not heard within 14 days of theapplication close date, then please consider that your application has beenunsuccessful at this time.

As part of your application your data will bemanaged in line with St Giles Hospice Privacy Policy and kept for 6 months. Ifyou would like to see this in full, please visit https://www.stgileshospice.com/privacy-policy/

Person Specification

Experience

• Good standard of education
• Experience in a healthcare setting
• Willing to undertake specific training in therapeutic treatments for Lymphoedema management
• Experience of Lymphoedema management
• Experience of tissue viability
• Experience of working in the field of palliative care

Personal Attributes

• Team player
• Able to work under pressure
• Responsible and reliable attitude towards daily service management

Skills

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• IT Literate
• Ability to be confidential
• Ability to practice hands on clinical skills

Qualifications

• NVQ Level 3 in health and social care or equivalent

Other Requirements

• Valid driving licence
• Eligibility to work in the UK
• Please note that St Giles Hospice does not hold a sponsorship licence and is therefore unable to accept sponsorship requests

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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.

£24,070.42 to £25,145.87 a yearpro rata for part time hours