About this role
## Job summary
The Band 3 Healthcare Support Worker (HCSW) is a key member of the Hospital at Hometeam, supporting the delivery of safe, high-quality, acute-level care to adults in their ownhomes within the London Borough of Hillingdon. Working on a 7-day, 12-hour rotating shiftpattern, the postholder works under the direction and supervision of the Band 6 SeniorNurse (on shift), providing delegated clinical support, personal care, and a defined portfolioof enhanced clinical skills.
### Main duties of the job
Band 3 Healthcare Support Workers (HCSWs) in the Hospital at Home Service work closely with frail older adults, their families, friends, and carers in their own homes, and play a vital role in shaping how patients experience acute-level care in the community. Band 3 HCSWs are expected to be kind, responsive, professional, and informative, and contribute to the quality of the service by:
Delivering compassionate personal care including washing, dressing, continence care, pressure area care, and mobility assistance, as delegated in each patient's individual care plan. Supporting the administration of prescribed oral, topical, and inhaled medications under formal delegation from the supervising Band 6, within verified competency and CNWL governance arrangements
Recording and reporting patient vital signs using the NEWS2 early warning score at every visit, and responding to any deterioration by escalating to the supervising Band 6 immediately. Supporting patients and carers in the correct use of remote monitoring and wearable technology, and reporting technical faults or clinical concerns without delay.
Operating safely as a lone worker in patients' homes within the CNWL Lone Worker Policy, activating the lone worker device before every visit, and completing a home environment risk assessment for each new patient
### About us
Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL) is one of the largest and most diverse NHS trusts in England, providing integrated mental health, community health, and substance misuse services At CNWL, we believe that our staff are our greatest asset. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to deliver outstanding care. Our four organisational values -- Compassion, Respect, Empowerment, and Partnership -- guide everything we do, and we expect all our staff to demonstrate these values in every interaction with patients, carers, and colleagues.
What we offer our staff: -Agenda for Change pay.Generous NHS pension scheme.Minimum 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays (rising with length of service)Flexible working opportunities and support for work-life balance.Access to the CNWL Staff Health and Wellbeing programme including free staff counselling, physiotherapy, and occupational health services.Cycle to Work scheme and season ticket loan.Access to NHS discounts including Blue Light Card.Comprehensive induction programme and role-specific training.Support for continuing professional development and career progression within CNWL and the wider NHS.Regular supervision, appraisal, and a personal development plan.A supportive, values-driven team committed to making a difference for the people of Hillingdon.
## Job description
### Job responsibilities
Patient SafetyBand 3 Healthcare Support Workers in the Hospital at Service contribute to the provision of safe and reliable acute community services by:
Working at all times under the supervision and formal delegation of the Band 6 Senior Nurse on shift, never acting independently outside their individually verified competency portfolioWorking to the standards set out in the Code of Conduct for Healthcare Support Workers and Adult Social Care Workers in England (Skills for Health 2013) and in accordance with CNWL SCARF valuesSafeguarding frail older adults and others at risk by recognising and responding when a patient or carer may be at risk of abuse, neglect, or harm during home visits; recognising the limits of the HCSW role and escalating all safeguarding concerns immediately to the supervising Band 6 without delayEscalating safety concerns including deteriorating observations, abnormal NEWS2 scores, changes in patient presentation, home environment hazards, and patient or carer distress promptly and without hesitation, acting as an effective advocate for patients in their own homesActivating the CNWL lone worker device before every home visit, completing a basic home environment risk assessment for each new patient, and reporting any safety concerns to the Band 6 on shiftBeing open and transparent about their own practice, including any procedural concerns, errors, or near-misses; reporting all incidents via Datix in line with CNWL PSIRF policyIdentifying areas where safety or quality improvements can be made and raising these with the Band 6 or Band 7Maintaining accurate, legible, and contemporaneous care records on S1 / Docabode at the point of care during every home visit, in line with CNWL documentation policyMaintaining full compliance with all mandatory and statutory training requirements, including annual reassessment of all four enhanced clinical skills: phlebotomy, female catheterisation, 12-lead ECG acquisition, and bladder scanning
Clinical OutcomesBand 3 HCSWs in the Hospital at Home team contribute to the effectiveness of the virtual ward service by:
Providing skilled, evidence-based delegated care including vital signs recording, personal care, wound care, medication administration, phlebotomy, ECG acquisition, bladder scanning, and catheter care adhering to CNWL policies, the Hillingdon HaH SOP, and each patient's individual care planWorking with patients, families, and the registered nursing team to support all stages of the care delivery process, including reporting observations that contribute to risk assessment, care plan review, and NEWS2-guided escalation decisionsActing as a patient advocate within the Hospital at Home multidisciplinary team, ensuring the patient's voice, preferences, and concerns are communicated clearly to the supervising clinicianWorking as an effective member of the virtual ward team, implementing care plans and clinical directives overseen by the Band 6, Band 7, and Senior Clinical Decision Maker (Consultant Geriatrician)Contributing to a high-performing virtual ward team by communicating clearly with all team members at handover and throughout the shift; understanding their specific role within the HaH staffing model and how it supports safe virtual bed management; reflecting regularly on their own clinical practice; and identifying how the quality of delegated care could be improved
Patient ExperienceBand 3 HCSWs contribute to patients feeling respected, safe, and empowered in their own homes by:
Working in genuine partnership with patients and their families and carers during every home visit, treating each patient with dignity, compassion, and cultural sensitivity in line with CNWL values.Gaining consent before every clinical intervention and, as far as possible, involving patients in decisions about the care being delivered during that visit, supporting the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.Signposting patients and carers to supportive services including GP practices, community nursing, social care, local authority support services, and voluntary sector organisations as directed by the supervising Band 6.Reassuring patients and carers by being professional, calm, responsive, and knowledgeable; providing clear explanations of the tasks.Escalating patient complaints or concerns effectively, promptly, and in line with CNWL complaints policy; never attempting to manage a formal complaint independently
## Person Specification
### Education and Qualifications
#### Essential
* Numeracy and Literacy skills required to keep accurate records and administer medicines (if appropriate) * Spoken and written English, to an appropriate standard to fulfil the job requirements
#### Desirable
* NVQ L3 or equivalent * Care Certificate (or commitment to complete within 3 months of commencement in post)
### Previous Experience
#### Essential
* Previous experience of working with a multidisciplinary team * Experience of working with the general public communicating with a range of different people * Previous experience of working in a fast-paced environment * Previous experience of working within a customer focused environment
#### Desirable
* Healthcare/NHS or similar experience in community or hospital settings * Experience in a caring role * Volunteer sector * Previous experience in mental health setting or working with adults suffering from mental health problems
### Skills and Knowledge
#### Essential
* Able to communicate with the multi-disciplinary team, update others in the team and use handover effectively. Speaking face to face but also by telephone * Maintaining accurate, timely, concise and legible clinical records both electronic and handwritten which adhere to the CNWL policies * Able to maintain electronic patient records Use Microsoft Word to draft letters and reports * Able to maintain electronic patient records * You are expected to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Health Care and Support Workers and Adult Social Care Workers in England. * Contribute to the implementation of care plans by helping to assess patients, develop, implement and evaluate a care plan * Able to work under your own initiative but follow the directions of care plans and Band 4 staff or registered Nurses * Obtain consent and understand how the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards impacts on your work and the people you are working with
#### Desirable
* Basic knowledge and understanding of the Mental Health Act 1983.
### Attitudes, aptitudes, personal characteristics
#### Essential
* Compassionate for the people who use our services, their families and carers, and other staff * Respectful of others and genuinely treating them how you would want to be treated * Able and willing to work with service users, family and carers, and other staff in a way which empowers and supports others and makes them feel better about themselves * Able and willing to work in partnership with service users, their friends and family as well as other health care professionals.
### 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.
### Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the [UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab)](https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. [Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants).
## Employer details
### Employer name
Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
### Address
Beaufort House
Uxbridge
UB8 1QG
United Kingdom
### Employer's website
[https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/work (Opens in a new tab)](https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/work)
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