Job Reference
(cfd5)
Job opportunity for a Personal Assistant in South Bristol BS13
(Driving License Essential)
8 to 16 hours per week (contracted weekly hours are negotiable)
This is a varied role involving driving; running errands; domestic duties; odd-jobs; organisational and secretarial tasks; pet care; companionship; and supporting me to access social, creative, well-being, and other activities.
You will be assisting me with all aspects of everyday life including transportation; cooking; cleaning; shopping; supporting me to organise and declutter my home; caring for pet cats; accompanying me to hospital and medical appointments; liaising with mental health and medical professionals; ordering and collecting medications; providing advocacy support; driving me to leisure and social appointments; doing arts, crafts, gardening, and other activities with me; occasional day trips; and general support and companionship.
You must be physically fit and strong and able to carry a light-weight rigid frame folding wheelchair up and down a narrow staircase, and be able to manoeuvre furniture to clean.
This role is for between 8 and 16 hours a week (hours are negotiable - please state your preferred weekly hours on your application).
You will be given set shifts but the ability to be flexible to accommodate ad-hoc hospital appointments is a requirement of the role.
Most days will be single shifts but there will also occasionally be split shifts.
If you only have availability on certain days, please state details of this on your application.
It is essential you are a confident driver in both busy central areas and country lanes, and own your own vehicle with business insurance (although a vehicle could be provided during working hours for the right applicant).
Please read the full list of skills required and answer all application questions when responding to this role.
—————————————————
Tasks will be varied and will include:
Practical
1. Driving (transportation to appointments and activities) - this will form a large part of the role.
2. Manual handling (eg carrying wheelchair up and down stairs)
3. Shopping, running errands, collecting medication
4. Odd jobs around the home and garden
Domestic
5. Cleaning and maintaining high standards of hygiene and cleanliness in the home
6. Assisting with meal planning and batch cooking nutritious gluten-free whole food from fresh ingredients
7. Hanging laundry / Folding and organising clothes, changing sheets etc
8. Assisting with organising and tidying
9. Looking after pet cats (feeding, cleaning litter trays and food and water bowls, playing and grooming them, carrying them to the enclosed garden).
Personal care: (Occasional only ie as holiday cover for other PAs, and short term post-surgery)
10. Assisting to dress
11. Washing and tying up my hair
Physical activities
12. Taking responsibility for remembering to pack bags and vehicle for outings
13. Driving (to activities, woodland, beaches etc)
14. Route planning and taking responsibility for parking
15. Loading and securing equipment carefully and safely into the vehicle
16. Providing companionship and emotional support to assist with overcoming anxiety and panic attacks
17. Assisting with maintaining a good routine for physiotherapy and hydrotherapy exercises (exercise guides are provided by specialists)
Well-being
18. Assisting with well-being activities eg arts & crafts, games, relaxation, time in nature
19. Supporting me to attend accessible social, leisure and sporting activities
20. Assisting to spend time in, and maintaining the garden
21. Providing companionship
22. Empowering and enabling me to remain independent and autonomous of my own decisions and my home
Secretarial
23. Taking the mental load of remembering things eg tasks, routines, appointments
24. Finding accessible places and activities
25. Planning days out and taking responsiblity for route planning, parking, accessibility, packing bags etc
26. Advocating for me and liasing with other professionals or organisations
27. Applying for (or finding organisations to assist with) funding and grants
28. Making notes during medical appointments
29. Making phone calls, letter writing, completing on-line forms
30. Liaising with mental health professionals, pharmacy and GP
31. Record keeping
——————————————— Skills required:
32. Calm, intuitive and caring personality, cheerful nature, and an enthusiastic and positive attitude
33. Highly respectful of other people's homes, beliefs, and ways of doing things
34. Careful, amenable and respectful when carrying out duties
35. Ability and willingness to follow direction
36. High level of compassion for mental health difficulties
37. Reasonably strong and fit and able to undertake physical activities
38. Careful and confident driver
39. Good personal and professional boundaries
40. Highly reliable
41. Willingness and ability to be flexible with shift pattern
42. Attention to detail
43. Experience of caring for cats
44. Clean and considerate personal habits
45. Ability to cycle and swim would be highly advantageous
46. Ability to work independently, self manage, and use own initiative to get tasks done
47. Ability to follow written instructions and written task lists, and make own notes
48. Intelligent, fast learner who can carry out tasks with initiative, confidence and independence
49. Naturally takes responsibility
50. Administration and IT skills (letter writing, completing application forms, printing etc)
51. Confident and professional phone manner
52. Excellent communication skills
53. Excellent listening skills
54. Planning skills
55. Good organisational skills
56. Ability to maintain high levels of confidentiality and professional boundaries
—————————————————
About me:
I am a 45yr old female living with functional neurological disorder, pots, chronic fatigue, complex-PTSD, and sensory processing disorder.
I live with two cats in a small upstairs flat with a garden. I have physical disabilities that affect my ability to carry out everyday tasks, and chronic complex mental health difficulties.
I would describe myself as intelligent, insightful, creative, enthusiastic and determined, with a real passion for the outdoors and nature.
My hobbies are gardening, permaculture, reading, painting, crafts, swimming, cycling, music, and spending time in nature in all weathers and seasons. I love the forest and the coast.
My family is my two pet cats!
I live alone and rely on my PAs and other professionals to support me with all aspects of my life.
I have a very strong sense of independence and need the people supporting me to be very respectful of my home and my choices, and to allow me to maintain my sense of autonomy: therefore you would need to have the ability to communicate skilfully, and to always be compassionate, considerate and mindful of my needs.
I really enjoy working as a team with my PAs, with them assisting me in a way that empowers me to live my best life: taking some of the load off me to reduce my mental and physical fatigue, but still allowing me to feel in control of my home and my life choices.
Due to my sensory processing disorder it is crucial that you are willing to come to work without strong smelling perfumes, and are able to work quietly and calmly, and you are able to follow written task lists and written instructions.
You will not be able to shadow or be trained by another PA so you need to have initiative and be able to learn independently and quickly and take responsibility to make notes to refer to.
I am able to give only limited verbal training due to cognitive fatigue.
I really enjoy chatting, but only while doing leisure activities eg when out in nature or doing arts and crafts. You must be comfortable and capable of doing domestic chores and driving without background music or radio or needing to chat.
I am immuno-compromised so I require my PAs and visitors to not wear outdoor shoes inside my home and to be constantly mindful of infection control protocols eg wearing freshly laundered clothes for every shift, and hand washing upon arrival and between each task.
Driving license is essential.
Benefits:
57. £12.50 per hour
58. Statutory Annual Leave
59. Statutory Sick pay
60. Pension Scheme
61. 45p per mile
62. ILG Blue Light Card giving access to numerous benefits and discounts
63. Occasionally there are certified online training courses that can be offered if desired
This role is subject to an Enhanced DBS check.
Please read the job description, task list and skills required carefully before applying.Please answer the application questions fully.
Upon application you will also be asked to provide a CV with your full employment history. Services
Meal Preparation
Domestic Care
Social + Leisure activities
Support to remain independent
Training
Essential PA Guide
Moving & Handling
Food Hygiene
First Aid
Hand hygiene
Autism / Aspergers
Transportation
Full UK driving license
Own personal car
Schedule, Pay & Hours Time Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mor Aft Eve ONA ONS ONA = Overnight Awake / ONS = Overnight Sleep Hour/Week 16.0 Pay/hr £12.50 Weekly Actual £ Monthly Actual £ Annual Actual £10, Annual FTE £26, Back Apply