Healthcare Assistant - Band 3 Chedworth Surgical Unit

at  Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

You will be working as part of the day surgery/surgical admissions team in in the new purpose built Chedworth Surgical Unit delivering exceptional care for the patients attending the unit. Day case surgery is becoming more common, it now makes up approximately 70% of all surgery performed. The patients will expect, and will receive, the highest standards of professional care by all members of the team who will be involved.

• Assisting registered nurses with admitting patients and preparing for theatre
• Assisting with the post operative care and discharge process
• Deliver nursing care to the surgical patients within our unit and the clinics

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is the largest employer in the county and with over 8,000 staff, we are one of the largest NHS trusts in the UK. We offer a generous annual leave allowance, excellent bank rates, access to the excellent NHS Pension Scheme, discounts for local shops, restaurants and services, access to our health and well-being hub, access to our two on-site nurseries, flexible working options, discounted public transport, reward and recognition schemes, exercise and activity classes and membership to our popular hospital choir.
Job purpose
To provide high quality care.
To work effectively as a member of a multidisciplinary team.
Communicate effectively with patients, carers, relatives and all members of the multidisciplinary team
Maintain and develop high standards of care
Take on responsibility for personal development and support the development and supervision of others by developing and maintaining specialist knowledge of day surgery practice
Conduct oneself in a professional manner and be a role model to less experienced and new staff at all times
Work proactively to ensure that every patient attendance meets the patient’s expectations and needs with timely undertaking of procedure and effective communication with relatives, patients and carers.
To support junior members of staff and learners as required, and maintain own personal development with support.
Patient care
Demonstrate and promote a patient and family centred style of clinical practice.
As part of a team be responsible for the organisation and ensure effective time management. To work as part of the team in the day to day running of the clinical area.
To communicate with the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) to aid effective patient care
Escalate concerns to a registered member of staff
Respond to emergency situations with composure, maintaining patient safety and seeking immediate support, supporting the patient, family and other staff as required.
To communicate effectively with patients and carers in order to provide patient centred care. Patients may have communication, perceptual or cognitive/understanding difficulties.
To maintain clear, accurate and concise electronic patient records in line with departmental and trust standards.
Maintain patient dignity and confidentiality at all times
Professional practice
Ensure clinical practice is evidence based or peer reviewed “best practice”
Develop and maintain clinical skills and knowledge necessary to deliver and evidence-based service.
With supervision and assistance take on increased responsibility recognising own limitations, professional restrictions and seeking help appropriately
Be competent in the use of all relevant Trust IT systems including the use of electronic patient record, email, and TrakCare.
Maintain regular use of emails to keep abreast of information disseminated in the Trust
Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of Accountability, responsibility and Duty of Care and work towards the provision of support and education for less experienced and non-registered staff on the implications for practice.
Leadership and management
Comply with Trust and Departmental policies and procedures e.g., Health and Safety at Work Act (1974), Manual Handling, clinical equipment competency, risk management, Data Protection Acts and patient confidentiality at all times. This will include demonstrating compliance with the terms of all safeguarding policies and processes relevant to the safeguarding of adults and children in the care of GHNHSFT and to undergo regular mandatory training concerned with safeguarding matters.
In conjunction with their manager, identify training needs of self, participating in clinical audit and quality projects which contribute to the departmental education programme.
Report near misses and untoward incidents, complaints, clinical emergencies, injury or medicine administration errors as detailed in the departmental and Trust protocols.
Contribute to the development of standards of practice, conduct or decision making in conjunction with lead staff.
Ensure a smart, professional image that enhances the public perception of the Trust and the professionalism of its staff is portrayed.
Education and training
Be actively involved in and support departmental education programmes
To consolidate and learn new skills and competencies to provide holistic care. To consolidate knowledge and skills learned through this process with the direction of senior staff.
To participate in the supervision of student nurses and less experienced staff with support of senior staff, as required. Providing support, guidance, training, and assessing and evaluating competence, in order to fulfil clinical governance requirements and retain a skilled workforce.
Develop the skills to supervise, mentor, support and educate less experienced and non-registered staff in the clinical practice setting.
Undertake all mandatory training
Demonstrate a commitment to research-based practice and clinical excellence and play and active part in the introduction of research-based change to improve patient centred care.
Improving quality and developing practice
Work with senior staff undertaking audit and research projects, to further own and teams clinical practice within each rotation. To be involved in making recommendations for changes to practice and procedures for the relevant clinical area, and the implementation of these changes.
Contribute to the Clinical Governance and Quality agenda by active participation in service initiatives, health and safety and risk management.
Develop and share own clinical knowledge with other members of the wider clinical team both locally and nationally.
Engage in clinical supervision in order to gain an appreciation of its value in clinical practice
Identify own development needs, aligning these to service requirements and personal aspirations. Proactively develop and improve own practice using all available resources
Understand and contribute to the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies/ protocols/ guidelines relevant to the specialist area.
Openly question and challenge practice in a constructive way so that standards of patient care are continually evaluated and improved

• Assisting registered nurses with admitting patients and preparing for theatre
• Assisting with the post operative care and discharge process
• Deliver nursing care to the surgical patients within our unit and the clinic