About this role
Job summary
An opportunity has arisen for dynamic, skilled individuals to join our friendly, caring team at the North West Regional Spinal Injuries Centre at Southport District General Hospital.
We are looking for caring and committed individuals who would like to expand their knowledge and skills within this challenging and rewarding environment. The ability to deal supportively with people of all ages and backgrounds, along with their families, in a period of unprecedented change is essential.
Communication skills and the ability to work as part of a multi-professional team are critical to the success of the role.
Previous experience of working within an acute hospital setting would be advantageous as this role involves expanded skills in caring for patients with spinal cord injury. You should have completed NVQ Level 3 in Healthcare / Care Certificate or equivalent or be undertaking the course with completion expected within 6 months of taking up post.
Main duties of the job
The Trust operates an 11.5hour rotational shift pattern for new recruits, with the opportunity for shorter shifts to ensure availability of staff throughout the 24hour period. Staff are expected to be flexible as internal rotation between day and night duty is in operation and weekend working is to be expected.
The Health Care Assistant role at the North West Regional Spinal Injuries Centre is a key part of the multi-professional team & vital in supporting the rehabilitation process for patients with spinal cord injury.
The role involves providing direct care on a daily basis to ensure patients are able to achieve their goals for personal hygiene, eating & drinking, skin care & mobilising in a wheelchair, with expanded skills undertaken by the Band 3 Health Care Assistant.
The Centre comprises of 43 Inpatient beds, including up to 9 Acute & Respiratory Care beds. In addition we have developed an Outreach Service that currently offers 8 beds in a community setting.
We provide acute care and rehabilitation services for individuals who have experienced a spinal cord lesion due to trauma or other mechanism.
There is an extensive rehabilitation service provided by a comprehensive Multi-Professional team with dedicated rehabilitation & therapy facilities within the department, including a fully equipped Gym, Hydrotherapy pool, Gait Orthosis equipment and Occupational Therapy assessment / treatment area.
About us
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 9000 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.
We strongly believe that the communities we serve should all have access to Five Star Patient Care.
Our Services
Acute Care
Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.
Primary Care
Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.
Community Services
Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation, freeing up space for more unwell patients. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.
Specialist Regional Services
We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.
Achievements:
o Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
o Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
o National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme
Job description
Job responsibilities
KEY DUTIES
- Work as part of a team and duties will be delegated by the registered healthcare professional.
- Act within the scope of your training and competence, knowing who to ask for help and support if you are not sure.
- Work within agreed ways of working, following relevant Trust standards, policies, and protocols.
- Communicate compassionately and effectively with individuals and their families, carers and health care practitioners using a range of techniques, maintaining confidentiality, and using tact, empathy, persuasion and reassurance.
- Observe, assess, and respond to patients needs appropriately, escalating concerns to Nursing staff as required including instigating emergency procedures as per policy.
- Organises self and supervises other junior staff or learners in general work tasks or when delivering patient care with supervision from nursing staff.
- Prioritises a range of delegated clinical care duties.
- Acting on own initiative, undertake personal care duties and support activities of daily living, e.g. mouth care, personal hygiene, and toileting needs, demonstrating person centred care.
- Assist the registered healthcare practitioners with clinical tasks, follow care plans, notice and report changes, assist with risk assessments, obtain samples and some specimens.
- Safely deliver care duties including manoeuvring of patient equipment such as hoists and wheelchairs.
- Gather evidence to assist registered healthcare practitioner in obtaining a patient/client history.
- Undertake delegated procedures as required within the limits of required training and measured competence e.g. venepuncture / ECG recording / blood glucose monitoring, clinical observations, taking specimens, escalating any abnormalities to the registered nurse.
- Support of patients feeding, diet and nutritional needs and accurately record patients nutritional intake and fluid intake and output, noticing and reporting changes to the nursing staff.
- Ensure patient property is managed as per Trust policy.
- Monitor levels of supplies and order supplies for the department as appropriate
- Demonstrates own duties to new starters, contributing to the learning environment. Where requested, supports/supervises work of students and other junior staff.
- Occasionally participates in audits, surveys, development activities.
- To work in line with Trust policies and procedures
- Contributes to maintaining a safe, healthy working environment.
- Follow the principles for implementing a duty of care, always acting in the best interest of individuals to ensure they do not come to harm.
- Work in partnership with the individual, their carers/ families, and the wider healthcare team.
- Maintain and further develop your own skills and knowledge through development and learning activities; maintain evidence of your personal development and actively prepare for and participate in appraisal.
- Participate in team handovers.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ level 3 Health and Social Care or equivalent
- Care Certificate (equivalent to level 1)
- Literacy and numeracy functional skills level 2 or equivalent
Our Values
Essential
- We are Kind
- We are Open
- We are Inclusive
Experience
Essential
- Knowledge of personal care and related procedures
- Demonstrable experience of working in a patient care/health related role
- Knowledge of relevant legislation related to healthcare
- Experience of working in a team
Skills
Essential
- Ability to communicate effectively in both verbal and written formats
- Good interpersonal skills
- Able to work within a team
- Experience of supporting junior staff and learners
- Able to accept direction and guidance
- Aware of own limitations
- Flexible working hours
- Able to prioritise your own workload and manage time effectively
- Flexible, adaptable and responsive to change
- Reliable and professional
- Ability to cope in stressful and challenging situations
- Inclusive and non-judgmental
- Punctual, motivated and committed
- Effective role model demonstrating Trust values
- Basic IT skills
Other
Essential
- Frequent moderate effort for several long periods during the shift such as manual handling patients to support patient's personal care
- Concentration, focus and frequent record keeping requirements. Carrying out time critical tasks
- Aware that developing resilience to distressing situations is necessary without losing the ability to care compassionately
- Aware of the process for accessing staff health and wellbeing support
- Daily exposure to distressing situations which may include challenging behaviour, care of chronic health conditions, patient end of life care/care after death
- Able to carry out direct clinical care as required on ward or department
- Potential blood or body fluids exposure
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
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Address
Southport Hospital
Town Lane
Southport
PR8 6PN
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.merseywestlancs.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)