We are looking for a Health Care Support Worker for 37.5 hours a week who is caring, committed, and motivated to work within our community nursing teams. As an HCA, you will play a crucial role in supporting the registered nurses in delivering high-quality, clinical care and rehabilitation with patients in their own homes.

You will be a valued member of the community nursing team and receive training and support on a multitude of clinical skills, in order to practice confidently and safely within the community. These skills comprise of wound care management, leg ulcer management, inclusive of vascular assessments and compression bandaging. Catheterisations (female and suprapubic) and basic life support.

For this position, you will need to be a confident practitioner who is able to build good relationships with patients, their families, and carers, and work in partnership with the Multi-disciplinary Team. Previous Community experience is not essential, but you will need to demonstrate that you have any understanding and awareness of autonomous working in a community setting. We are looking for people with previous experience of caring and ideally, you will have a care qualification such as NVQ/QCF Level 3 or be able to demonstrate considerable experience in this field. We would expect you to be competent to work on your own, under the supervision of nurses, and expect that you will have some clinical skills and knowledge.

Our Hillingdon District Nursing service operates 7 days a week, and you will be expected to work on a rota system, undertaking varied shifts (08.00hrs – 16.00hrs or 10.00hrs – 18.00hrs) including weekends (approximately 1 in 3).

In return for your commitment to the Hillingdon District Nursing service, you will receive all of the support and development you need to consolidate your knowledge and skills, which will prepare you for professional progression within the district nursing profession. We will also provide access to continuing professional development resources which will support you to complete modules to help you develop a clinical specialty aligned to the needs of the service. CNWL is recognised locally and nationally for providing high-quality, innovative healthcare.

We aim to employ only the best health care professionals with our teams frequently called upon to contribute to national health strategy and policy development.

As the position will require you to visit various locations throughout our supported area, it is essential that candidates hold a full UK driver’s licence and have use of a car for business purposes or have the ability to commute within the Trust’s geographical area with access to an appropriate means of transport to ensure a timely delivery of patient care.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview and will be asked to complete a short literacy assessment prior to the interview.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Numeracy and Literacy skills required to keep accurate records and administer medicines (if appropriate)
• Spoken and written English, to an appropriate standard to fulfil the job requirements

Desirable criteria

• NVQ L3 or equivalent

Previous Experience

Essential criteria

• Previous experience of working with a multidisciplinary team
• Experience of working with the general public communicating with a range of different people
• Previous experience of working within a customer-focused environment
• Previous experience of working in a fast-paced environment

Desirable criteria

• Healthcare/NHS or similar experience in community or hospital settings
• Previous experience in a mental health setting or working with adults suffering from mental health problems
• Volunteer sector
• Experience in a caring role

Others

Essential criteria

• Willingness to undertake Care Certificate and further training as required.

Skills and knowledge

Essential criteria

• Able to communicate with the multi-disciplinary team, update others in the team, and use handover effectively. Speaking face to face but also by telephone.
• Maintaining accurate, timely, concise, and legible clinical records both electronic and handwritten which adhere to the CNWL policies
• Able to maintain electronic patient records
• Use Microsoft Word to draft letters and reports
• You are expected to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Health Care and Support Workers and Adult Social Care Workers in England.
• Contribute to the implementation of care plans by helping to assess patients, develop, implement, and evaluate a care plan
• Able to work under your own initiative but follow the directions of care plans and Band 4 staff or registered Nurses
• Obtain consent and understand how the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards impacts on your work and the people you are working with
• Work well with other members of the team including communicating effectively, being kind and considerate, reliable, and enthusiastic
• Help others in the team achieve their objectives and deliver safe, effective care.
• Contribute to the culture of the team and play a role in making it inclusive, kind, and hard-working.

Desirable criteria

• Basic knowledge and understanding of the Mental Health Act 1983.

Attitudes, aptitudes, personal characteristics

Essential criteria

• Compassionate for the people who use our services, their families and carers, and other staff
• Respectful of others and genuinely treating them how you would want to be treated
• Able and willing to work with service users, family, and carers, and other staff in a way which empowers and supports others and makes them feel better about themselves
• Able and willing to work in partnership with service users, their friends, and family as well as other health care professionals.