Health Care Assistant (Hospice at Home) inBlackburn inBlackburn PUBLISHED THU 24 OCT 2024

PERMANENT END OF LIFE NMC VEHICLE

East Lancashire Hospice rw1hjQel

Meaningful Impact, As a Health Care Assistant at Hospice at Home, you directly contribute to improving the quality of life for patients with life-limiting illnesses and their families in their own homes.

Supportive Environment, You become part of a compassionate team that is committed to delivering exceptional care, fostering a workplace atmosphere of kindness and mutual support.

Autonomy in Role, The ability to work unsupervised allows for a greater sense of responsibility and decision-making, enhancing job satisfaction and professional growth.

Diverse Skill Development, Opportunities to engage in specialized training and various aspects of palliative care enrich your professional development and clinical skills.

Flexible Work Schedule, A rota-based system may offer flexibility in managing work-life balance, accommodating various personal commitments.

Community Engagement, Being part of a well-respected charity allows you to connect with the local community, making a lasting impact in the lives of those you care for.

Collaboration with Professionals, Working alongside registered practitioners and a dedicated team provides a collaborative atmosphere that enhances patient care and personal job performance.

The "Health Care Assistant (Hospice at Home)" role at East Lancashire Hospice involves providing compassionate, high-quality care to patients with life-limiting illnesses and their families in their own homes. The position focuses on promoting patient independence and well-being, adhering to care plans established by registered practitioners, and working largely unsupervised. Candidates should possess relevant experience and skills to address patients' physical, psychosocial, and spiritual needs while monitoring their progress and communicating effectively with healthcare teams.

Additionally, the role requires significant night duty and demands a valid driver's license and access to a vehicle, ensuring the ability to serve communities within Blackburn with Darwen, Hyndburn, and Ribble Valley. Key responsibilities include delivering care, supporting therapeutic activities, maintaining accurate patient records, and contributing to clinical reports. Successful applicants will be empathic and courteous, committed to enhancing the quality of life for both patients and their families while working alongside a dedicated hospice team.

East Lancs Hospice is a registered charity, founded in 1984. We support and care for patients with a life limiting illness and their families. We provide this in a number of ways; at the hospice and in peoples own homes across our community of Blackburn, Darwen, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley.

With approximately 120 employees and over 250 volunteers, our people are our biggest asset whom we value tremendously. Our services to the local community would not be possible without our motivated and caring workforce who always strive to deliver excellence in all that they do. The hospice is a unique and special place, kindness and compassion are qualities that run throughout the hospice and our people truly believe in what we do.

Due to increased demand for home based palliative and end of life care, we have opportunities for experienced individuals who are committed to providing wellbeing and enabling support including end of life care for our patients as well as those that matter to them.

This role may be closed early applications dependent, as recruitment is ongoing so please apply as soon as possible.

Unfortunately at present we are unable to support Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK

You will play a key role in delivering high standards of care and support to enable patients to remain in their own home. Promoting independence, quality of life and engaging in activity that is meaningful to patients and those important to them, you will have the confidence and experience to work regularly without direct supervision in accordance with care plans provided by registered practitioners. As our service covers the communities of Blackburn with Darwen, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley, car driver and access to your own vehicle with business insurance is essential.

The role is worked on a rota basis over 7 days a week and requires the ability to undertake a significant amount of night duty, at least 50% of the contracted hours which is a non-negotiable requirement for the role.

About us
JOB SUMMARY
To work as a member of the Hospice at Home Team supporting patients and families in their own homes. You will deliver high standards of hands on care to the patient and their families supporting the patient to remain at home and prevent avoidable admissions to hospital for those with life limiting illness. You will work unsupervised in accordance with care plans provided by registered practitioners
KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS
Deliver quality nursing care according to agreed plan of care devised by the nursing team
Develop understanding of the principles of palliative care and work with patients and families following care plans addressing their individual physical, psychosocial and spiritual needs
To recognise and respond appropriately to urgent situations and contact the appropriate Community Nursing Teams/GP/Out of Hours relaying any relevant information on the condition of patients, their care or treatment
Monitor the progress of patients along their disease pathway and report any changes to the Head of Hospice at Home
Support patients with therapeutic and diversional activity, activities of daily living, promoting independence within patient limitations to enhance independence and quality of life
Provide supportive care to families as directed by the nursing team to support the wellbeing of families and prevent breakdown of their social situation, enabling patients to stay at home
Be empathic and courteous to patients and relatives treating them with care and consideration at all times
Ensure accurate patient records are kept in line with hospice guidelines and NMC Record Keeping Guidance
Contribute to clinical reports, data collection and statistics as required by the Head of Hospice at Home
Exercise good personal time management, punctuality, appearance and consistent reliable attendance

Positively engage with opportunities for direct support and supervision, the development and maintenance of skills and knowledge including scheduled rotational placement within other clinical areas including for example the Inpatient Unit and Support and Wellbeing

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To work as a Health Care Assistant (HCA) in a hospice-at-home setting in the UK, you will need a combination of practical skills, personal qualities, and specific knowledge related to the role. Here are some key skills and attributes:

Practical Skills:

1. Personal Care Skills: Ability to assist patients with daily living activities such as bathing, dressing, grooming, and toileting.

2. Basic Medical Knowledge: Understanding of medical terminology, common conditions (especially those related to palliative care), and the ability to monitor and report changes in a patient’s condition.

3. Medication Administration: Knowledge of how to support patients with their medication needs, including understanding dosages, schedules, and possible side effects, though administration may fall under the responsibility of nursing staff.

4. Emotional Support Skills: Providing comfort and emotional support to patients and their families, being empathetic and compassionate.

5. Communication Skills: Strong verbal and non-verbal communication skills to effectively interact with patients, families, and other healthcare professionals.

6. Observation Skills: Ability to notice changes in a patient's condition, mood, or behavior and report these to the appropriate healthcare provider.

7. Record Keeping: Familiarity with maintaining patient records accurately, ensuring confidentiality and compliance with legal standards.

Personal Qualities:

1. Empathy and Compassion: Understanding and sensitivity towards the physical and emotional challenges faced by patients with terminal illnesses.

2. Patience: Ability to remain calm and patient in stressful situations, providing consistent support to patients and families.

3. Reliability and Trustworthiness: Being dependable and honest, as you will often be in a position of trust with vulnerable individuals.

4. Interpersonal Skills: Ability to work collaboratively in a team and build strong relationships with patients, families, and healthcare professionals.

5. Resilience: Coping effectively with emotional challenges that can arise from working in a palliative care environment.

Knowledge and Qualifications:

1. Training and Certification: While formal qualifications are not always required, completing relevant training programs such as an NVQ or Diploma in Health and Social Care can be beneficial.

2. Understanding of Palliative Care: Knowledge of the principles and practices of palliative care, including pain management and symptom control.

3. Health and Safety Regulations: Awareness of health and safety standards in a healthcare setting, including infection control.

4. Safeguarding Procedures: Understanding of safeguarding adults, including recognizing and reporting signs of abuse or neglect.

5. Cultural Competence: Awareness of and sensitivity to diverse cultural backgrounds and beliefs, particularly regarding end-of-life care.

Additional Considerations:

- Driving License: A valid UK driving license may be necessary, as you may need to travel to patients’ homes.

- Background Checks: You will likely need to undergo background checks and obtain a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

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