Lymphoedema Health Care Assistant

Hours: 22.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday 08.30am to 4.30pm

Department: Lymphoedema

Location: Teesside Hospice, 1 Northgate Road, Middlesbrough, TS5 5NW

We are unfortunately unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

Towork as an effective part of the outpatients lymphoedema clinic assisting inthe provision of a high level of specialist lymphoedema care under thedirection of a Lymphoedema Practitioner.

Main duties of the job

Thecare provided will be in accordance with the values set out by the hospice thusensuring that we can achieve the vision and mission of Teesside Hospice.

At Teesside Hospice, we believe in making every momentcount. Our team is dedicated to providing exceptional, specialist care andsupport to patients and their families during challenging times.

People are at our core. We offer a supportive environmentwith opportunities for professional growth and development and are alwaysaiming for the highest standards and working environment. Our teams workpositively together, collaborating to ensure our patients get the best care,and staff enjoy a fulfilling career knowing they make a real difference inpeople's lives.

Our values are Compassionate, Skilled, Accountable,Trustworthy and Principled - working here means being part of a community thatfocuses on empathy, respect and teamwork. We're there for everyone who needs usand are on a mission to change the way society and healthcare systems care forpeople.

Join us at Teesside Hospice and be part of a place whereyour skills and compassion can truly shine.

Teesside Hospice is committed to eliminating discrimination and values diversity in the workplace.

This role requires a DBS check. Wewill do this for you.

About us

At Teesside Hospice, we believe in making every moment count. Our team is dedicated to providing exceptional, specialist care and support to patients and their families during challenging times.

Job responsibilities

• Tomaintain patient confidentiality and abide by Information Governance Standardsat all times.
• Tomaintain a healthy and safe environment for all patients, staff and visitorsand demonstrate awareness of risk management and infection prevention andcontrol.
• Toparticipate in agreed programmes of care ensuring that all care given isclearly and accurately documented in line within standards and seekingsupport from senior staff as necessary.
• Followingtraining and assessment of competence to educate the patient on how to self-managelymphoedema.
• Toteach the patient on the cornerstones of lymphoedema management, includingskin care, exercise, fitting of compression hosiery and self-lymphaticdrainage. Record limb volumes.
• To manage your workload/tasks as designatedby the registered clinician leading the team.
• Toactively participate in clinical audit.
• Toensure the maintenance of confidentiality including accurate and timelyrecords.
• Toliaise with and provide relevant information to other members of the multidisciplinary team, both internally andexternally.
• Tomonitor stock levels and order products as required.
• Tohave an awareness of costs of supplies and clinic budget.
• Withdirection/supervision from Lymphoedema Practitioner, following a care planonce competencies completed, perform higher level of skills:
• 2) KinesioTape
• 3) IntermittentPneumatic Compression Therapy
• 4) Knowledgeof Cellulitis and its management
• 5) Tounderstand contra-indications in Lymphoedema management, to be aware of redflags and when to raise concerns with a Lymphoedema Practitioner.
• 6) Tounderstand how Lymphoedema management can be modified in Palliative Care.
• 7) Underdirection of the Lymphoedema Practitioner and following the care plan, fitcompression garments in the patients home/Care Home following the Loneworker Policy.
• Toadhere to Teesside Hospice policies, procedures, guidelines and standards atall times and to promote these to others.
• Adoptthe role of link worker / link practitioner as required by the hospicemanagement team.
• Attendand participate in an annual appraisal and regular reviews of performance andobjectives, identifying gaps in knowledge/skills and developing a plan toenhance service and self-development.
• Toencourage and promote the philosophy of Teesside Hospice and present a goodpublic image, to co-operate with all staff in maintaining good relationshipswith outside agencies in order to uphold the charitys image and to winincreased support for its work.
• Tobe able to communicate effectively with all members of the team and todevelop excellent relationships with community teams as appropriate to therole.
• Toparticipate in mandatory Clinical supervision or reflective practice asnecessary as directed by the clinical leader.
• Toattend staff meetings and participate in other meetings as appropriate.
• Toundertake risk assessment and management to ensure that staff, families, andvisitors are safe.
• Tobe aware of the adult and child protection procedures and policy withinTeesside Hospice, to attend all safeguarding training and to adhere to theLocal Safeguarding Procedures at all times.
• Toparticipate in the induction of new staff to the department and wider hospiceas necessary.
• Tosupport student nurses during their placement at Teesside Hospice and workalongside them as directed by the registered nurse.
• Tobe able to carry out effective complaint, accident and incident reporting.
• Toplay an active part in the Clinical Governance framework within the hospice.
• Tobe aware of the Infection Prevention and Control policies and work inaccordance with IPC procedures at all times.
• Tobe aware of, and responsive to, the changing nature of the Hospice and adopta flexible and pro-active approach to work.
• Toundertake administration changes in accordance with hospice policy
• Toensure that your behaviour upholds the values of the hospice and strive tosupport the vision and mission of Teesside at all times.

Education & Training

• Attendall mandatory training courses i.e. Resuscitation, Moving and Handling, andHealth and Safety training.
• AccessTHCF in-house training programme to further develop your knowledge.
• Attendand complete relevant Lymphoedema Training, including Lymphoedema Theory andPractice.
• Attendand complete clinical skills training relevant to Lymphoedema and chronic illness.
• Maintain own Portfolio, and complete corecompetencies.

Person Specification

Skills & Abilities

• Good listening and excellent interpersonal skills/communication skills.
• An ability to manage challenging situations.
• Ability to work on own initiative.

Qualifications

• Minimum level NVQ level 2 or 3 in Health & Social Care.
• A good standard of general education.

Personal Attributes Key skills

• Self-awareness and an ability to recognize stress and use coping mechanisms.
• Flexible, approachable and trustworthy.
• Commitment and interest in learning and personal development
• Commitment and interest in developing knowledge / skill in Lymphoedema and its management

Experience

• An understanding of what a person-centred approach.
• Some experience of working with patients with life limiting illness or end of life care.
• Understanding of and adherence to patient confidentiality
• Understanding of safeguarding and preventing patients from abuse.
• Understanding of infection prevention and control.

  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.