We are looking for a positive and enthusiastic person, with a strong work ethic, excellent communication skills and a compassionate approach to care, to join our well-established team as a band 3 community palliative healthcare assistant.
The community palliative care CNS team at Medway Community Health is a forward-thinking, patient-focused team, based at the Wisdom Hospice, providing a high standard of care for people with life-limiting illness in the Medway and Swale communities, embracing change to improve patient experience. The service also incorporates the end of life care service to nursing and care homes within the Medway community.
The community palliative care CNS team are an integral part of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) and work closely with medical/nursing colleagues, inpatient and outpatient teams to provide a holistic and patient-centred service. The CNS Team have strong links with the wider community teams to ensure a streamlined pathway of care for patients. The palliative healthcare assistant role provides a valuable contribution to the patient pathway and supports the CNS Team with the daily management of patient care.
The role will involve supporting the existing CNS Team to continue to practice at an advanced level, providing administrative and communication support and assisting with the day-to-day running of the service. You will have direct patient contact and will develop in the role to enable you to identify when patients require urgent CNS support and assisting to complete assessments and make onward referrals as directed by the CNS Team.
You will also develop in the role to work with patients and carers to ensure that routine patient reviews are completed.
You will receive ongoing support from senior members of the team including receiving annual appraisals and performance reviews.
To work at Band 3 level, you will need to have achieved qualifications at NVQ 3 or equivalent, have good literacy skills, be able to input data, communicate empathically and evidence a compassionate approach and a good understanding of the impact of a life-limiting diagnosis on a patient and family.
The post-holder will need to have a degree of flexibility to meet the needs of the service. We currently operate a seven-day service and are happy to consider a flexible working pattern providing the needs of the service are met. Please note that this post will involve weekend working.
This is your chance to join a progressive and innovative service in a social enterprise that is patient and staff focused - you’ll even have the opportunity to become an MCH shareholder.
We encourage staff to get involved in exploring new ways of working and service development. We’ll provide well established, in-service training, one to one supervision, and appraisals with regular support. You’ll be able to develop your skills in a friendly and supportive team.
Would you like to work flexibly? In the NHS, we are reminded every day of how important work-life balance is. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us, for our patients and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement.
Informal visits can be arranged on request.
We will offer you the choice of two pension schemes; the NHS Pension scheme and the Scottish Widows group pension scheme.
MCH encourages all staff to be double COVID vaccinated to protect themselves, their colleagues, their family and their patients.
Key Responsibilities:
* Communication and relationship skills
* To be able to communicate effectively, using appropriate methods, both verbal and non-verbal to patients who may have barriers to understanding (e.g. blind, deaf, or English not first language).
* Using empathy, sensitivity and good interpersonal skills to communicate factual and sensitive information using tact and persuasion, to encourage patients, families and carers to play a proactive role in maintaining a quality of life during their disease progression until end of life.
* To be able to motivate patients to participate in the decision making regarding their wishes for preferred place of care and death.
* To liaise with teams and health and social care professionals as necessary regarding triaging and assessment of patients and care provided, highlighting any variations to expected outcomes from treatment programmes.
* Internal – Members CPCT, EOLP team, community-based colleagues; administrative, support and data staff.
* External – Patients, relatives and carers: general practitioners; consultants; external and voluntary agencies; other NHS staff.
Knowledge, training and experience:
* Grade 4 / C and above GCSEs in English and Mathematics.
* NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social care.
* Experience of documenting and evidence learning.
* Good knowledge of commonly encountered long term and palliative conditions such as Cancer, Motor Neurone Disease etc.
* Understanding of basic principles of holistic health and social care assessment.
* Flexible, reliable and organised.
* Good written and verbal communication skills and IT skills.
* Analytical and judgement skills.
Responsibilities for patient/client care:
* To maintain patient’s dignity, privacy and confidentiality at all times.
* Ensure own practice meets the required, legal organisation, team and professional standards.
* Have a working knowledge of the processes and responsibilities of safeguarding for adults and children including the Mental Capacity Act 2000.
* To undertake triage and assessment of patients with a wide variety of presentations and conditions: using clinical reasoning skills and assessment techniques without supervision, discussing your findings with the relevant CNS.
* Undertake the care of patients, as appropriate ensuring individual needs are met through the use of evidence-based practice.
#J-18808-Ljbffr