About this role
Job summary
Health Care Assistant
Weldmar Inpatient Unit
Permanent Contract
Clinical Band 3 £26,298 - £27,476 FTE
22.5 hours per week (day and night shifts)
Main duties of the job
Are you a compassionate Health Care Assistant looking for a role that offers the time to truly care?
Join our dedicated team in Dorchester, where youll play a vital part in delivering exceptional care at our hospice.
Working alongside our nurses and using your interpersonal skills, youll gain an understanding of patients individual needs:
Providing high-quality personal care with dignity and respect
Offering emotional support to patients and their loved ones during difficult times
Maintaining accurate clinical records and ensuring a safe, tranquil environment
Contributing to a service that provides specialist care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Theres free onsite parking, enhanced pay for unsociable hours, and youll find yourself working in a supportive environment with great colleagues. Youll have healthcare experience, preferably in a palliative care setting, and have obtained, or be working towards, a Diploma in Care and have a willingness and interest in acquiring new skills.
An enhanced plus barred list Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is required.
About us
Weldmar Hospicecare provides specialist care for adults in Dorset who have a life limiting illness, and support for their loved ones. We are dedicated to fostering a culture of equality, diversity, and inclusion across all aspects of our organisation.
Job description Job responsibilities
Clinical Care Responsibility Acts as an assistant in the delivery of high-quality care to patients, including: Observing and reporting any significant changes in a patients physical or psychological condition Assists with patient personal care including bathing and toileting, urinary catheters, ileostomy and colostomy care. Delivering patient nursing care as delegated by the RN, including dressing of minor wounds Provides emotional support allowing time for patients and family/carers to talk, using listening and empathic skills Providing death and bereavement care and family support. Participates in patient reporting and documenting of care Ensure patient area environment and equipment is clean, tidy and in working order Develops and complies individual patient care pathways with guidance of RN Supports admission procedures, including taking patient details Undertakes specific observation and monitoring tasks as delegated by RN, and reports back, including blood sugar levels, blood pressure, temperatures, CSU samples and sending samples for testing Applies relevant standard to care nursing practice, reporting all incidents, errors, falls and accidents Attends monthly nurse team meetings (when on duty) for updating of all aspects of clinical and the Weldmars information, and for support of colleagues. Also attends meetings called by the Chief Executive Officer Maintains a safe environment within the hospice, and to ensure that all equipment is clean, safe and maintained in goof the Weldmars policies, procedures and competencies Development of Knowledge and Skills Attends mandatory training provided by the hospice Attends appropriate in-house and external education sessions, conferences and seminars in order to develop understanding of palliative care Attending and adhere to standards as set by appropriate course (eg NVQ, Diploma in care, apprenticeship programme) if applicable Participates in individual performance review and appraisal giving and receiving feedback about clinical practice and developmental needs Participates in clinical supervision (optional) Undertakes induction and mentoring support to new care staff Participates in and reports back from delegated corporate projects (eg Clinical Governance Working Groups) Participates in agreed audit or relevant research Reports all acquired knowledge from training and education sessions back to the multidisciplinary team at in house education sessions or by way of written reports Wellbeing Maintain own physical health in order to fulfil the physical effort demanded of the care role Self - awareness to maintain own and others emotional wellbeing and seek support and guidance from colleagues and peers as required Resilience to handle the emotional impact of working within death and dying
Person Specification
Other Requirements Essential
An Enhanced plus barred list Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check: which will disclose any spent and unspent convictions and cautions (subject to filtering), as well as any relevant police information plus a check of the relevant Barred List/s. It may disclose other information that the police consider is relevant to the role and level of check applied for. Commitment to the values and ethos of Weldmar Hospicecare Act as an advocate and ambassador for the Charity Commitment to and understanding of equality and diversity and how this translates into good practice Understands and conforms to Weldmar Hospicecare infection prevention and health and safety policies and actively promotes best practice at all times. Commitment to own continued (professional and) personal development
Desirable
Ability to travel which requires a full valid driving licence and business insurance (if applicable)
Qualifications Essential
Qualifications and Knowledge Obtained or working towards the Care Certificate (within Probationary period) Understanding of importance of confidentiality Basic literacy and numeric skills Possess or willing to work towards Diploma in Care Level 3 Developed knowledge of a range of patient care requirements within a specialist healthcare environment and ability to apply this within own work, including care plans Understanding of the physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual needs of patients and their families/carers Knowledge equivalent to NVQ/QCF level III (either gained through qualification or several years effective experience)
Desirable
Some understanding of the emotional needs of patients and their families Some knowledge of care requirements and understanding of patients personal needs
Experience Essential
Experience of working within healthcare setting Experience and understanding of team working
Desirable
Experience of working in palliative care or a related specialist area
Skills and Abilities Essential
Good interpersonal skills, including empathy and open-minded approach to patients Ability to understand the importance of boundaries in relationships with patients and their families Emotionally able to work within the field of palliative care Flexible approach to changing workload and unpredictable requirements, and adaptable to change Willingness to and interest in acquiring new skills Ability to write simple notes and maintain required records Commitment to team working and willingness to assist and support colleagues flexibly Demonstrable interpersonal skills, including listening, negotiating, communication of ideas Ability to contribute to corporate change and development projects with confidence in own contribution Good written communication skills Ability to induct and mentor newer members of staff Ability to undertake work without direct supervision Ability to work a variety of shifts including evenings, weekends, public holidays and nights
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.
Employer details Employer name Weldmar Hospicecare
Address Herringston Road
Dorchester
Dorset
DT1 2SL
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.weld-hospice.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)