Job description
Job Purpose

The Health Care Assistant will provide a mixture of general and specific care to a group of patients under the guidance and supervision of a registered nurse or allied health professional. The HCA will work in patient/carers own homes as well as visiting patients in residential homes.
The post holder will be expected to become proficient and competent in their area of practice by undertaking competency assessments specific to the area of clinical practice. The HCA will promote optimum independence and individualised client centred care to a delegated caseload.
The post holder will also support the Community Nursing Team to deliver against key performance indicators and maintain quality of the service. The service is provided seven days per week 8am-6pm covering the Dacorum area of West Hertfordshire.

To contribute to the on-going assessment of a patient by completing the appropriate paperwork for allocated patients, recording and reporting all clinical and behavioural information to the nurse for action and planning purposes.

To undertake, and report back on delegated clinical activities that have previously been signed competent. Eg: vital signs, routine urinalysis, glucose monitoring.

To enable patients/carers to make most effective use of resources within the service by ensuring they receive up-to-date information sheets, responding to any questions constructively

To pass onto/seek assistance from other colleagues, promptly, any questions that you are unable to resolve

To liaise and refer patients to the MDT team as appropriate in accordance with local procedures.

T o assist with errands and general duties as required.

We provide community health services to more than two million people across eleven London boroughs and Hertfordshire.

Every day, our professionals provide high-quality healthcare in people's homes and local clinics, helping them to:

stay well

manage their own health with the right support

avoid unnecessary trips to, or long stays in, hospital.

We support our patients at every stage of their lives , providing health visiting for new-born babies through to community nursing, stroke rehabilitation and palliative care for people towards the end of their lives.

Our vision: deliver great care closer to home.

Our mission : working together to give children a better start and adults greater independenc

T o function at a competency level in line with the requirement of the post.

To provide general and specific care as specified for patients within the team.

To maintain at all times a kind, caring and professional attitude towards patients, relatives and colleagues within the clinical setting, taking into consideration dignity, privacy, and confidentiality, cultural and religious needs

To provide evidence of training and successful completion of competencies before the post holder can undertake the role fully.

To develop and achieve baseline clinical skills, and work within competency framework for any extended clinical skills relevant to clinical area.

To assess, plan, implement and evaluate patient care under the supervision of a qualified practitioner and within agreed trust protocols/guidelines.

To work with other team members to ensure that plans of care are carried out to the agreed standard.

To work within a clinical effectiveness framework using evidence based practice, research and audit to plan implement and evaluate care.