Job overview
We are looking for Healthcare Assistants to work on our acute older adult inpatient unit at The Whiteleaf Centre with the possibility of progressing into qualified positions.
We ask that you are :
1. Committed to giving the highest standard of patient care
2. Compassionate towards patients
3. An excellent communicator with the ability to work in a team.
Clinical Support staff are the second largest staffing group behind nursing at Oxford Health Foundation Trust.
Healthcare Assistants and Support Workers contribute significantly to the standards of nursing and patient experience and outcomes, providing valued support to our inpatient nursing and therapy teams.
This role can be the first rung on the ladder to becoming a qualified nurse. You can progress through our apprenticeship framework without having to attend and fund a full time university course.
Main duties of the job
4. To work effectively and in partnership with key members of the Multidisciplinary Team in the hospital to promote and facilitate effective patient care and discharge planning.
5. To work towards the achievement of the hospital goals and objectives.
6. To be integral to the implementation of policies, protocols, and guidelines relevant to the ward area.
7. To work as part of the ward team in developing and maintaining open and supportive working relationships.
8. To carry out home visits immediately after discharge to deliver care in patient’s homes.
9. To assist the registered nurses in the delivery of a high standard of care to patients and their families in accordance with the ward philosophy.
10. To support the domestic needs of the ward area.
Working for our organisation
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust provides physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset.
Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people’s homes, delivering care as close to home as possible
Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive: “Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team”
Our values are: “Caring, safe and excellent”
At Oxford Health we offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:
11. Excellent opportunities for career progression
12. Access to tailored individual and Trust wide learning and development
13. 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous service
14. NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
15. Competitive pension scheme
16. Lease car scheme
17. Cycle to work scheme
18. Employee Assistance Programme
19. Mental Health First Aiders
20. Staff accommodation (please note waiting lists may apply)
21. Staff networking and support groups hosted by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
22. In return we can offer you:
The opportunity to work as part of a close-knit team. The opportunity and time to give the care that you would wish to receiveA supportive working environment.Access to excellent training and developmentDiscounts on bus travel
Duties will include:
23. To carry out work on an allocated patient workload and be self-directed in managing that patient and following plans of care both on the ward and in the patient’s own home.
24. To have the knowledge and related competence to undertake a range of clinical procedures and clinical observations including venepuncture, cannulation, phlebotomy, and medication support through shared care protocols.
25. To report any changes in the patient’s condition including deterioration of a patient to a registered member of staff
26. To ensure dignity is enhanced through service delivery
27. To demonstrate accountability for own actions and only accept delegated care for which training has been received and competency assessed.
28. To be familiar with trust policies and guidelines and work within these.
See attached JD/PS for full duties
29. Care Certificate:
All new non-registered clinical staff will receive an induction to the Trust that enables them to complete or refresh the Care Certificate.
The Care Certificate is a national certificate, which was introduced to provide the public with assurance that the staff looking after them have been assessed as having the correct introductory skills, knowledge and behaviours to enable them to provide safe, compassionate, high quality care.
The Care Certificate consists of 15 standards assessed in practice by completion of a portfolio. Completing or refreshing the Care Certificate, attending local induction and having the support of your clinical team will enable you to build on your existing skills and develop skills and behaviours needed for a successful career with Oxford Health.
You will be required to undertake the PEACE training.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
30. Willingness to undertake City & Guilds Level 2 or NVQ training
Desirable criteria
31. Qualification related to Mental Health issues
Skills
Essential criteria
32. Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. Documentation is recorded electronically.
Desirable criteria
33. Awareness of Mental Health issues.
Experience
Essential criteria
34. Emotionally and physically resilient to withstand the demands of the post.
Desirable criteria
35. Experience of working a 24 hour rota system.
36. All new starters have a 6 month probationary period. This, together with the induction process, aims to create a positive supportive working environment allowing new employees to learn key elements of their role over a reasonable timescale
37. Candidates not currently employed by the Trust who attend an interview for non-qualified Band 1-5 posts are required to undertake numeracy and literacy assessments.
38. Appointment to this post is subject to the trust receiving satisfactory references covering 3 years of employment or study. Please ask your referees to respond promptly to reference requests.
39. Employees are expected to undertake mandatory and statutory training related to their role.
40. We are ambitious in our pursuit of excellence, driven by the belief that a fair, just and fully inclusive organisational culture enables our teams to deliver the best quality of care and services possible and we work hard to ensure that our diverse workforce reflects the communities that we serve.
41. We welcome applications from all sections of the community, are an Equal Opportunities employer with a number of internal networking groups to support our employees and where possible will always look to make reasonable adjustments in order that you can fulfil the role to recognise your full potential. All our employees are committed to demonstrating through their behaviour our core values – safe, caring and excellent.
42. Oxford Health is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
43. Oxford is a world-renowned centre of excellence for research. Oxford Health works closely with the University of Oxford department of Psychiatry and the Department of Primary care, has a Biomedical Research Centre dedicated to improving mental health and the NIHR Clinical Research Facility at the Warneford site. The Trust also hosts the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) which carries out applied research that directly impacts patient health and wellbeing