Healthcare Assistant (HCA) - Creech, Taunton

Symphony Healthcare Services (Symphony) has a vacancy for a fixed term, part time Healthcare Assistant (HCA) to work at Creech Medical Centre in Creech St Michael, near Taunton in Somerset. You will have significant experience of working in primary care and be competent in all healthcare assistant duties. Ideal applicants will have a genuine passion for patient care, the ability to communicate effectively, combined with sound organisational skills to ensure they manage their own time and workload well, while delivering timely patient care. The vacancy is a permanent, part-time contract of 15 hours per week. Working pattern to be discussed at interview. The rate of pay for this role is £12.65 to £12.95 per hour. Starting salary will be offered based on previous experience.

Main duties of the job

• Healthcare Assistant (HCA) supports the clinical team by performing delegated tasks like taking blood, ECGs, and blood pressure, assisting with minor procedures, providing basic wound care, and conducting health checks, all while managing administrative duties like restocking rooms and handling samples, working under the direct supervision of nurses and GPs.
• The role bridges patient care and operational support, focusing on patient comfort, health promotion, and maintaining clinical environments.

Clinical Duties:

• Taking and recording blood pressure, temperature, pulse, respirations, and weight.
• Taking blood samples (venipuncture) and processing lab samples.
• Performing new patient checks, BMI checks, and assisting with chronic disease management.
• Applying dressings and removing sutures/staples after initial.

Administrative & Support Duties:

• Keeping consulting rooms stocked, clean, and tidy.
• Recording patient data and managing information.
• Acting as a communication point for patients and the clinical team.

About us

Established in 2016, Symphony Healthcare Services (Symphony) provides NHS primary care provision across 21 sites within Somerset, linked to 14 general practice contracts. The organisation cares for approximately 132,000 patients and employs around 600 staff. Symphony is a subsidiary of Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and manages its services through the support of a central team (including HR, finance, corporate and operational governance). Providing NHS services is at the heart of what we do. Specifically, our vision is to be at the forefront of sustainable, high quality general practice, collaborating with our communities to improve experiences and health outcomes. We work closely with our practice teams to grow, enhance, and transform our services for the benefit of patients and staff. Symphony welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds and underrepresented groups. When undertaking recruitment and selection for our services, Symphony is committed to equality opportunity for all. Symphony offers an NHS or NEST Pension, a fantastic range of employee benefits and salary sacrifice schemes, along with flexible working from day of employment and an agile approach to hybrid working (where applicable).

We look forward to hearing from you and receiving your application.

Job responsibilities

• New patient health checks
• BMI
• Urinalysis
• ECG
• Recording INR
• Monitoring using Coagucheck and INR Star
• To undertake Doppler testing
• Blood Pressure Monitoring following practice hypertension guidelines, issue HBPM in accordance with practice policy
• Phlebotomy including perform annual blood tests, BP, BMI, ACR as requested for patients with chronic diseases
• Urinalysis MSU, ACR in accordance with practice policy.
• Wound Care suture removal in accordance with practice policy
• Weight Management
• Processing and management of laboratory samples requested by GPs/Nurses
• Administer influenza vaccines according to PSD
• Administer B12 injections according to PSD
• Undertake Spirometry for GP to interpret results.
• Surgical equipment and vaccine re-stocking and stock rotation
• Clearing and re-stocking consulting rooms
• Preparing and maintaining environments and equipment before, during and after patient care interventions including assisting GPs during the performance of minor operations, coils and implants
• Assisting in the assessment and surveillance of patients health and well-being
• Help to raise awareness of health and well-being and how it can be promoted

Please read the full job description and person specification for this role in full, which is attached under 'Supporting Information' before applying.

Person Specification

• Qualifications: NVQ Level 2 in Health & Social Care, Care Certificate, HCA Training
• Knowledge and skills: Ability to demonstrate excellent communication skills
• Experience: Previous experience of working as a HCA or equivalent, Previous experience of working in Primary Care or similar NHS setting
• 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.