Job Description

Job Title: Assistant Practitioner for Carer Support

Community Nurse Specialist team (CNS)

Directorate: Patient Care

Department: CommunitySpecialist Team

Grade/Band: 4(equivalent)

Working hours:37.5 hours

Location: St. Peter’s Hospice (SPH), Community

Accountable to: Community Specialist Team Manager

Responsible to: CNS team leader

Services:

To work with the community specialist team in the community to provide a carer support programme at home

Job Summary / Main Purpose

  • To implement a carer support programme at home to meet carer centred needs under the direct and indirect supervision of a registered professional
  • To communicate with and signpost to other hospice, and external services
  • To work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team

Key working relationships / Director of Patient Care
Community Specialist Team Manager
Community Nurse Specialists
Professionals within SPH, and externally
Administration Team
Nursing, Medical and Allied Health Care Prof
Fundraising and Marketing and Education Teams
Volunteer and volunteer resources

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Assistant Practitioners should meet the career framework indicators in standard 4 and achieve the competences in standard 5 of the Career Framework for Health (Skills for Health (2013) Employability Skills Matrix for the Health Sector Bristol : SfH).

Assistant practitioners do not have professional regulation, and work under the guidance of a registered practitioner. They have some degree of autonomy and require direct and indirect supervision when working within the limits of their competence and authority.

Clinical

Practices within limits of competence and authority:

  1. Contributes to holistic assessment of uncomplicated patient and carer needs.
  2. Contributes to care planning to meet patient and carer centred needs.
  3. Follows care plan written by a registered professional.
  4. Recognises level 3 to 4 of psychological difficulty and reports to registered professional.
  1. Reports any changes in condition and plan of care to a registered professional.
  2. Monitors patient and carer need and outcomes of care with a registered professional.
  3. Contributes to changes in care plan as appropriate.
  4. Provides high standard of patient centred carerespecting to personal beliefs and preferences.
  5. Follows competency framework for:
  6. catheter care
  7. wound care
  8. safe handling of medicines and
  9. troubleshooting syringe drivers
  10. Provides gentle touch technique after St Peters Hospice training and assessment.
  11. Supports delivery of carer training in care skills and use of equipment.
  12. Demonstrates active listening and empathy when communicating with patients and carers.
  13. Well networked in hospice and external services, signposts and refers carers, as appropriate.
  14. Assists with form filling for benefits and grants or signposts, as appropriate.
  15. Coaching and supporting need for information related to end of life and palliative care and advance care planning, as appropriate.
  16. Supports people to access appropriate health promotion information and support.
  17. Promotes active and healthy lifestyle and self management skills for carers.
  18. Communicates effectively with health care professionals to ensure patient care is coordinated.
  19. Documents care accurately in the community patient care record and the hospice electronic patient record, in a timely manner.
  20. Maintains accurate records for evaluation and audit purposes.
  21. Demonstrates actions that contribute to a positive and safe working environment.
  22. Organises and prioritises designated workload.
  23. Works cooperatively as part of a team.
  24. Supervises and supports less experienced Health Care Assistants.

Quality:

  1. Adheres to St Peter’s Hospice policies and procedures, including health and safety.
  2. Contributes to role and practice development.
  3. Participates in audit and survey activity.
  4. Contributes to multi-disciplinary meetings and team meetings.

Staff development:

  1. Participates and contributes to personal individual performance review.
  2. Completes mandatory and statutory training.
  3. Demonstrates self directed personal development.
  4. Participates in competency development activity.
  5. Practices reflection to maintain and develop competence.

General – The post holder will

  1. Will have access to confidential data on patients and services within St Peters Hospice. Failure to maintain confidentiality will lead to disciplinary action, which could ultimately lead to dismissal.
  2. Be expected to produce work of a high standard and to promote quality at all times.
  3. Uphold the St Peters Hospice policies and its commitment to Equal Opportunities for all present and potential members of staff and patients.
  4. Be expected to keep updated on all matters relating to Hospice procedure and policy.
  5. Familiarise themselves with matters relating to health and safety management as they affect them personally and / or the Hospice, reporting any potential risks to life or property immediately in accordance with the Hospice’s Health and Safety policy and procedures. They must use all equipment provided to undertake their role safely.
  6. Must attend mandatory training.
  7. Refrain from smoking in any area of the Hospice premises or working environment whilst on duty.
  8. Uphold the philosophy of the Hospice; this is based on an interdisciplinary approach and employees and volunteers are required to participate in this concept.
  9. Attend regular team meetings.

Supplementary Information

Rehabilitation of Offenders

  1. The hospice promotes equality of opportunity for all individuals with the right mix of talent, skills and potential and welcomes applications from a wide range of candidates, including those with criminal records.
  2. We undertake not to discriminate unfairly against anyone who has previous criminal convictions and having a criminal record will not necessarily be a bar to employment with the hospice.
  3. Due to the nature of the work involved, this role is exempt from the ROA and all job-holders are required to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Health & Safety

Under the provisions of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, it is the duty of every employee.

  1. To take reasonable care of themselves and others at work.
  2. To co-operate with the hospice as far as is necessary you enable them to carry out their legal duty.
  3. Not to intentionally or recklessly interfere with anything provided including personal protective equipment, mobile phone for health and safety or welfare at work.

Scope of Job Description

This job description reflects the immediate requirements and objectives of the post. It is not an exhaustive list of the duties but gives a general indication of work undertaken which may vary in detail in the light of changing demands and priorities. Substantive changes will be carried out in consultation with the post holder.

Person Specification Job Title / Assistant Practitioner –
Carer Support at Home / Job Number
Directorate / Patient Care / Location / Community
Band / 4 equivalent / Hours / 37.5
Factor / Essential / Desirable / Measured by:
A= Application
I= Interview
P=Portfolio
Qualifications / Functional skills in literacy, language and numeracy
Health and Social care Diploma level 2 or 3 (previously NVQ)
QCF certificate (13-36 credits) or Diploma (37 credits) and
3 Day course in End of Life Care
Relevant QCF Level 5
eg Higher National Diploma/
Foundation degree, or working towards / Evidence of continued role development / A
P
Experience / Minimum of 3 years working as a healthcare assistant
Recent experience of working in palliative & end of life care
Multi-professional working
Basic IT / Community / A/I
I
Skills / Assessment
Good verbal and written communicationskills
Ability to show empathy
Problem solving & adaptable
Caseload & workload management
Works as part of a team
Self directed CPD & practice
Basic Microsoft Word / European drivers licence and access to a car / A/I
Personal
attributes / Motivated to work in palliative care
Mature and calm manner
Good personal stress management
Good sense of humour / I

Assistant Practitioner to CNS team JD updated January 2015