GP Practice Health Care Assistant

We are looking for an experienced GP Practice Healthcare Assistant (HCA) who can provide essential support to the clinical team, including GPs, practice nurses, and other healthcare professionals. The role involves a range of patient-facing and administrative duties, supporting both clinical care and the smooth running of the practice.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

• Experience of working in a Health Care Setting
• GCSE Level 4 English and Maths (or equivalent)

DESIRABLE CRITERIA

• Previous experience of using SystmOne Clinical IT system
• Excellent understanding of QOF

The Healthcare Assistant will deliver and assist clinical staff in the provision of treatment, preventative care, health promotion and patient education while also supporting the administrative team on an as-required basis.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will run clinical sessions throughout core hours, Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm. Clinics will include, but are not exhaustive to: annual chronic disease monitoring health checks, vaccination and injection administration under patient specific direction signed by GP, NHS health checks, ECGs, wound care, suture/staple removal, phlebotomy, sample processing & BP monitoring.

The Healthcare Assistant role also includes: treatment room stock control, infection control processes, administration using the clinical system (SystmOne), assisting the Practice Nurse in administrative duties.

About us

Staithes Surgery is a coastal practice with 3100 registered patients. We are part of Whitby Coast and Moors Primary Care Network. Our clinical team includes three GP Partners, one salaried GP, Practice Nurse and Care Coordinator & clinical pharmacist. Staithes Surgery is a dispensing practice, providing dispensing services to registered patients living more than one mile from their nearest pharmacy. Staithes Surgery is a warm and welcoming team, with all staff working together to provide excellent care and treatment for our patients. We endeavour to provide a positive, supportive environment for both patients and staff, promoting wellbeing and encouragement.

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY

To support the practice nursing and administrative teams in the delivery of clinical and administrative services, working as part of the practice multi-disciplinary team, delivering care within their scope of practice to the entitled patient population.

All staff have a duty to conform to the following:

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I)

A good attitude and positive action towards Equality Diversity & Inclusion (ED&I) creates an environment where all individuals can achieve their full potential. Creating such an environment is important for three reasons: it improves operational effectiveness, it is morally the right thing to do and it is required by law.

Patients and their families have the right to be treated fairly and be routinely involved in decisions about their treatment and care. They can expect to be treated with dignity and respect and will not be discriminated against on any grounds including age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion, or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

Patients have a responsibility to treat other patients and our staff with dignity and respect. Staff have the right to be treated fairly in recruitment and career progression. Staff can expect to work in an environment where diversity is valued, and equality of opportunity is promoted.

Safety, Health, Environment and Fire (SHEF)

This organisation is committed to supporting and promoting opportunities for staff to maintain their health, wellbeing, and safety. The post holder is to manage and assess risk within the areas of responsibility, ensuring adequate measures are in place to protect staff and patients and monitor work areas and practices to ensure they are safe and free from hazards and conform to health, safety and security legislation, policies, procedures, and guidelines.

All personnel have a duty to take reasonable care of health and safety at work for themselves, their team, and others and to cooperate with employers to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements.

Confidentiality

The organisation is committed to maintaining an outstanding confidential service. Patients entrust and permit us to collect and retain sensitive information relating to their health and other matters pertaining to their care. They do so in confidence and have a right to expect all staff will respect their privacy and maintain confidentiality.

Quality and Continuous Improvement (CI)

To preserve and improve the quality of this organisation’s outputs, all personnel are required to think not only of what they do but how they achieve it. By continually re-examining our processes, we will be able to develop and improve the overall effectiveness of the way we work.

Induction

We will provide a full induction programme and management will support you throughout the process.

Learning and development

The effective use of training and development is fundamental in ensuring that all staff are equipped with the appropriate skills, knowledge, attitude, and competences to perform their role. All staff will be required to partake in and complete mandatory training as directed.

Teamwork

Teamwork is essential in multidisciplinary environments and the post holder is to work as an effective and responsible team member, supporting others and exploring the mechanisms to develop new ways of working and work effectively with others to clearly define values, direction and policies impacting upon care delivery.

Managing information

All staff should use technology and appropriate software as an aid to management in the planning, implementation and monitoring of care and presenting and communicating information.

Service delivery

Staff will be given detailed information during the induction process regarding policy and procedure. The post holder must adhere to the information contained within the organisation’s policies and regional directives, ensuring protocols are always adhered to.

Security

The security of the organisation is the responsibility of all personnel. The postholder must ensure they always remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity immediately to their line manager.

Professional conduct

All staff are required to dress appropriately for their role.

Leave

All personnel are entitled to take leave. Line managers are to ensure all their staff are afforded the opportunity to take a minimum of five weeks' leave each year and should be encouraged to take all their leave entitlement. Public holidays will be calculated on a pro-rated basis dependent on the number of hours worked.

PRIMARY KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The following are the core responsibilities of the Healthcare Assistant. There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks; this will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels:

• Undertake new patient health checks
• Support the Practice Nurse with health promotion programmes
• Carry out baseline observations such as pulse oximetry, blood pressure, temperature and pulse rate, recording findings accurately
• Facilitate routine and 24-hour BP monitoring, advising patients accordingly
• Undertake wound care, dressings and other clinical tasks as required
• Support the Practice Nurse with the management of chronic disease clinics
• Carry out BMI checks as directed
• Act as a chaperone as required
• Undertake venepuncture
• When trained, administer flu vaccinations
• Carry out ECGs as requested
• Ensure specimens are recorded and ready for onward transportation
• Provide support during minor operations as required
• Ensure all clinical rooms are adequately stocked and prepared for each session
• Ensure fridges are cleaned routinely in accordance with extant guidance
• Ensure temperature checks are carried out twice daily on vaccine fridges
• Ensure clinical waste is removed from clinical areas and sharps bins replaced in accordance with the organisation’s IPC policy
• Deliver opportunistic health promotion where appropriate

Person Specification

Experience

• Experience of working in a healthcare setting
• Experience of working with the general public
• Experience of working in a primary care environment

Clinical Knowledge and Skills

• ECGs
• Venepuncture
• Chaperone procedure
• Ability to record accurate clinical notes
• Wound care/removal of sutures and staples

Skills

• Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
• Clear, polite telephone manner
• Effective time management (planning and organising)
• Ability to work as team member and autonomously
• Good interpersonal skills
• Ability to follow clinical policy and procedure
• Competent in the use of Office and Outlook
• Polite and confident
• Flexible and cooperative
• Motivated
• Problem solver with the ability to process information accurately and effectively, interpreting data as required
• High levels of integrity and loyalty
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
• Ability to work under pressure/in stressful situations
• Able to communicate effectively and understand the needs of the patient
• Commit to ongoing professional development
• Punctual and committed to supporting the team effort

Other requirements

• Occupational Health clearance
• Flexibility to work outside core office hours

Qualifications

• GCSE grade 5 or above (A to C) in English and Maths
• Healthcare qualification (level 3 or 4) or working towards gaining equivalent level
• Previous completion of the HCA Care Certificate - as detailed within GP Mythbuster No 57 - HCAs in General Practice

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.