Senior Healthcare Assistant (SHCA) - Hospice - Community Based in Hampshire

Due to our Hospice at Home (H@H) service expansion, we are looking for two senior healthcare assistants to join the team, each working 23 hours (2 shifts) per week. We're looking for someone motivated and passionate, with previous experience working as a HCA. The ideal person would have experience working in the community setting, with patients at the end of life.

The successful applicant will be part of a multi-disciplinary team, providing palliative and end of life care to patients and families in the community; on occasions you may be required to work within the Hospice Inpatient Unit. The applicants must be enthusiastic, flexible, and have a passion for palliative and end of life care, have excellent communication skills and work well as part of a multi-disciplinary team.

This role involves working shifts, including both long days and night shifts (07:30-20:00 / 19:30-08:00) and regular weekends. A full UK driving license and access to a vehicle are essential, as you will be travelling across the community. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults, children and young people. All staff are expected to share this commitment. Successful candidates will be required to undergo relevant background checks, including a DBS check and provide satisfactory references before starting the role. Candidates must have the right to work in the UK. We are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.

Main duties of the job

The role is based within the Hospice at Home team where the postholder is required to support the H@H Team to deliver 24/7 specialist palliative care to enable patients to be supported in the last 2 weeks of life, to stay at home where possible and desirable and provide support to their carer(s). The team will provide a rapid response to facilitate discharge from hospital to home and reduce hospital admissions. The post holder will carry out assigned tasks involving direct patient care in support of and supervised by a Registered Nurse (RN) and will maintain a high standard of care within a patient's home.

Key responsibilities:

• Deliver personalised palliative care and symptom management at home, visiting patients 24/7.
• Support the SMH Living Well Service, including MND and long-term neurological conditions.
• Maintain high standards of care, communication, and record-keeping.
• Collaborate with healthcare professionals, patients, families, and carers to ensure a seamless, compassionate service.
• Assist the RN with general and specific care of patients within the hospice and community, including practical nursing care and emotional support to patients and their carer(s).

About us

St. Michaels Hospice is a registered charity providing specialist palliative and end of life care services since 1992, for the people of North Hampshire. We are dedicated to providing care to people throughout North Hampshire who are affected by life limiting illness to attain the highest possible quality of life by providing a choice of specialist care and support. As a charity, we depend on the kindness and support of our local community to continue offering our services free of charge.

Job responsibilities

The role is based within the Hospice at Home team where the postholder is required to support the H@H Team to deliver 24/7 specialist palliative care to enable patients to be supported in the last 2 weeks of life, to stay at home where possible and desirable and provide support to their carer(s). The team will provide a rapid response to facilitate discharge from hospital to home and reduce hospital admissions. The post holder will carry out assigned tasks involving direct patient care in support of and supervised by a Registered Nurse (RN) and will maintain a high standard of care within a patient's home.

Responsibilities

• Assist the RN with general and specific care of patients within the hospice and community, including practical nursing care and emotional support to patients and their carer(s).
• Efficiently undertake duties requested by the qualified nurses.
• Report any observed deterioration or change in patient symptoms to the RN.
• Continually assess/re-assess the manual handling needs of patients to ensure patient and staff safety.
• Ensure that Infection Prevention and Control standards are maintained at all times.
• Contribute to care plans under the guidance of the RN.
• Accurately document care delivered, supporting the RNs with the completion of nursing documentation as directed.
• Support the RN with the completion of the CHC Fast Track documentation within the limitation of the SHCA role.
• Respond with sensitivity and empathy, providing basic emotional support.
• Provide care for the deceased patient's body after death, meeting any specific patient's wishes and instruction, ensuring the safe and timely removal of the body from the home working within the procedures in place within the community.
• Contribute to the ordering and storage of clinical stores required for hospice at home.
• Ensure that equipment is kept clean and in good working order, is checked routinely and that any defect or malfunction is reported.
• Work as directed by the Hospice at Home Lead.

Clinical Skills

Undertake clinical tasks under direction of registered nurses, and within assessed competencies, which may include:

• Assist with personal care of the patient.
• Assist with patient transfers and mobility.
• Vital signs observations, e.g., temperature, blood pressure, pulse rate, respiration rate, pulse oximetry.
• Blood Glucose.
• Urethral Catheter insertion and care.
• Urinalysis.
• Simple wound dressings.
• Venepuncture.
• Care for the person's body after death.

Communication and MDT working

• Hold the hub phone and deal with all enquiries with a consistent level of courtesy and consideration.
• Work collaboratively alongside other members of St. Michaels Hospice and other organisations caring for those at the end of their life.
• Attend and participate in handovers, IPM's, caseload reviews and team meetings.
• Support patients and family members to foundation level 1 psychological support during the end of life (NICE approved four tier model of psychological support).
• Offer emotional support to patients and/or carers particularly during breaking of bad news and at time of death, recognising own limitations and referring to the RN as appropriate.
• Report any feedback, concerns and complaints, issues around safeguarding from patients, their relatives, or others acting on their behalf.
• Ensure all safeguarding concerns are raised in line with SMH policy and escalated to the SMH Nominated Healthcare Professional for Safeguarding or their deputy or a member of the Safeguarding Committee.
• Understand and maintain confidentiality, adhere to GDPR and data protection rules.

General

• Respect the property of the patients and their carer(s) at all times.
• Complete competency documents related to this role.
• Attend clinical supervision.
• This role involves working shifts across long days, including both day and night shifts. The pattern of work will be working flexible across Monday to Sunday as part of the Hospice at Home team, working patterns are changeable and will be routinely reviewed to meet ongoing demand and service development.
• Contracted hours are worked over a 4-week roster period.
• A full UK driving license and access to a vehicle are essential, as you will be travelling across the community within the hospice's catchment area. A pool car is available although sometimes you will be required to use your own car for which mileage can be reclaimed.
• Be aware of the security of the Hospice building out of office hours.
• Adhere to the SMH lone working policy.
• Continually risk assess the working environment, reporting new concerns or risks to the RN and/or H@H Lead.

Person Specification

Skills, Knowledge, Abilities

• IT literate.
• Awareness of palliative care principles and philosophy.
• An understanding around basic patient personal care.
• Ability to perform the following activities: Vital signs observations, Urinalysis, Blood Glucose.
• The ability to work well with others.
• Be confident in the use of electronic patient record IT systems, e.g., EPR, CHIE.
• Ability to perform the following activities: Urethral Catheter insertion and care, Simple wound dressings, Venepuncture, Care for the person's body after death.
• Recognise death and dying in patients.

Qualifications

An RQF or NCFE Level 2 qualification in health and/or social care (NVQ, T-Level, BTEC) or at least 2 years experience working as an HCA in a healthcare environment. Educated to GCSE Grade 4.