Staff Bank Healthcare Assistant

Note toall prospective candidates - the advert stipulates the location is Truro, whichis where Kernow Health CICs HQ is located. However, Staff Bank shifts can ariseat any of the GP Practices located throughout Cornwall. For the purpose of thisadvert, we are inviting applications from those who wish to work in the Northand East of the county, which would include the following areas : Bodmin,Launceston, Liskeard, Wadebridge, Looe, Fowey, Bude, Callington, Saltash, etc. Kernow Health CIC proudly hosts the Staff Bank on behalf ofall General Practices in Cornwall, and we are looking for dedicated andflexible Healthcare Assistants to cover short-term vacancies at GP practices asand when required. As part of ourflexible workforce, you will help to ensure that practices have sufficientcover to deliver their services while helping to support patients on theirhealth and wellbeing journey. Naturally,this is a busy and challenging role where no two days are the same. Working via the Staff Bank will offer you the flexibility totravel within an agreed radius from your home address, on days that suit you,which enables you to balance your work and home life. Our onlyexpectations are that those who are registered with the Staff Bank work atleast 3 shifts within a 6-month period and keep up to date with mandatorytraining which we pay you to complete. Main duties of the job Should you already be working for a Practice, this is anopportunity to pick up additional hours within your current PCN or perhaps viaan alternative Practice that is looking for your expertise. You can also joinas a locum worker (self-employed) or a casual worker (zero-hours contract). Working under the direction of the Nursing team in a GPPractice, you will undertake a variety of tasks. This may include taking blood, treatingwounds, diabetic foot checks, urinalysis or carrying out ECGs depending on therequirements of the practice and patients needs., The duties will vary according to the practice requirements and the individual competencies, but an outline of the duties and responsibilities which may be undertaken is provided below :

• Participates in programmes for the management of long term conditions, hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes
• Assists patients and where appropriate encourages self-care and self-management of self-limiting conditions through health promotion
• Understands and works within own scope of practice and refers to other healthcare professionals where appropriate
• Works within own competency and relevant practice policies and procedural guidelines infection control, chaperoning etc.
• Encourages and supports individuals, families and groups to address issues which affect their health and social well being
• Early symptom recognition and presentation (including case finding) by the provision of outreach services, signposting to services and self-care opportunities
• Raises awareness among the population of symptoms, services and self-care, self-management of long term conditions
• Undertakes advocacy to support patients to overcome barriers to accessing services and support them to navigate diagnostic and treatment processes where appropriate
• Undertakes liaison with patients GPs
• Represents the interests of individuals and families when they are not able to do so themselves
• Help to process data in connection with QOF recalling patients to attend clinics as and when necessary
• Assist in and perform routine tasks related to patient care as directed by senior nursing staff, GPs or other members of the practice team, which may include :
• Chaperoning duties
• BP monitoring
• Health Checks
• Urinalysis as required.
• Wound care including Dopplers and compression therapy and removal of sutures / clips (depending on competency)
• Influenza vaccinations including pneumonia and shingles (depending on competency)
• Administering injections B12 under PSD (depending on competency)
• Smoking prevention as applicable (depending on competency)
• Diabetic feet (depending on competency)
• Ear Syringing (depending on competency)
• Spirometry and reversibility (depending on competency)
• Processing and management of laboratory samples requested by GPs, Nurses
• Vaccine, cold chain storage, monitoring and recording (depending on competency)
• Clearing and re-stocking consulting rooms
• Preparing and maintaining environments and equipment before, during and after patient care interventions including assisting GPs during the performance of minor operations depending on competency
• Ensure clinical waste collection runs smoothly as required and reporting any problems appropriately.
• Preparing medical equipment by ensuring infection and control procedures are adhered to as required.
• Carry out hypertension reviews as required.
• Assisting in the assessment and surveillance of patients health and well-being
  
  Health Care Assistants in general practice frequently workautonomously to support the delivery of multi-disciplinary clinics. You willhold a minimum of Level 2 in Health and Social Care together with previous experienceof working in a similar role or environment.Training can be provided for additional competencies where appropriate. Youwill be comfortable working across different GP practice settings and locationsand working with different IT systems and processes such as EMIS and / orSystmOne.
We are looking for caring, compassionate and enthusiasticHealth Care Assistants with an interest in patient care, good communicationskills and a desire to help others., Essential
• 5 GCSEs Grade 4 or above, or equivalent including English and Maths
• NVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care or equivalent practice experience
• Care Certificate or equivalent
Desirable
• NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care
Additional Requirements Essential
• A criminal record check satisfactory to the organisation.
Personal Qualities Essential
• Flexible and adaptable
• Self-directive
• Highly motivated
• Maintaining a professional attitude at all times
• Displays understanding and caring attitude
Experience Essential
• Minimum of 12 months previous experience of working as an HCA in a health setting
• Experience in a range of clinical areas for example wound care, ECG, urinalysis, spirometry, injections and diabetic foot checks
• Previous and regular experience of Phlebotomy
• Experience of preparing and processing laboratory samples
• Experience of working autonomously under direction of a Senior Nurse
Desirable
• Previous experience of working in general practice
• Knowledge and experience of computer record systems including SystmOne or Emis
• Experience of administering injections including flu vaccinations and pneumococcal vaccinations
Skills and Abilities Essential
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal
• Ability to manage own time and workload
• Ability to problem solve
• Ability to plan and organise
• Able to work under own initiative
  
  Kernow Health, a Community Interest Company, supports General Practice and delivers Primary Care Services at scale in Cornwall. Established in May 2011 by a group of Cornwall Practices, we are a GP owned provider organisation and deliver a number of NHS contracts across Cornwall, these include Cornwall 111 Integrated Urgent Care Service, School Immunisation Programme, Childrens Eating Disorder Service and Cornwall Training Hub [formally CEPN].
These contracts support the visions and values of the organisation, and also ensure that we are able to reinvest any profits made back into the company; again with the intention of supporting GP practices across Cornwall. Kernow Health CIC is also now offering member practices support to regroup and rebuild through the new Excellence in Practice (EiP) programme.