Job summary
Dougie Mac are currently looking to recruit Senior Healthcare Support Workers who share our passion in providing excellent, personalised and compassionate care to patients and their families within our Hospice at Home Team.
At Dougie Mac our vision is to be admired as a centre of excellence for palliative and end of life care. Our many different services provide patients, their families and carers, with physical, emotional, social, psychological and spiritual support, at home, or here at the Hospice.
Main duties of the job
The right candidate will possess excellent communication and organisational skills, a motivation for continual learning and sharing of knowledge, with the drive to ensure our patients receive the highest possible standard of care. You will work as part of a supportive multidisciplinary team in a community setting, where opportunities exist to develop palliative care expertise.
This role will be full time/part time working days/nights or shifts. Please read the job description (below) for further details.
If you would you like to be part of our friendly, supportive team delivering high standards of specialist palliative care which endeavours to go the extra mile in supporting our patients and their families, then we would love to hear from you.
About us
Dougie Mac is an open-culture organisation, underpinned by clear strategic aims, vision and values. By joining Dougie Mac, you will be part of a dedicated team of professionals who are committed to delivering person-led, responsive and cost effective services of the highest quality. Staff at Dougie Mac are well-motivated, with professional development pathways, and given opportunities to be reflective in their roles through supervision and reflective practice.
Dougie Mac has been named the UKs Best Charity to Work For in the 2023 quarter 3 league table compiled by independent employee engagement specialists, Best Companies.
The prestigious title was awarded by the Best Companies 2023 Accreditation which also gave Dougie Mac a three star rating the highest possible ranking meaning that the hospice is now classed as a World-Class Organisation to work for.
The Hospice offers a competitive salary and benefits package, including a contributory pension scheme, generous holiday allowance, funded study, free parking, Paycare and much more.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Summary:
The role is to provide holistic care to patients and families in their own homes, using efficient methods and resources suited to the needs, including technology. To carry out basic nursing care under the overall direction of a registered nurse and regularly working without direct supervision for all or most of the shift. The role will allow the post holder the opportunity to undertake any required training and development, with structured supervision and support. Continued professional development is supported and encouraged.
Duties & Responsibilities:
1. To perform aspects of physical care of patients as required.
2. To maintain a caring environment by offering support to the patient and their family.
3. To supervise and occasionally help patients to self-administer their prescribed medication, after training and competency has been demonstrated.
4. To ensure medication is stored safely.
5. To observe and report any change in the patients condition to the appropriate Health Care Professional.
6. To report any accident, or incident, involving the patient or carer to the appropriate Health Care Professional.
7. To work within the guidelines of the Douglas Macmillan Hospice policies and procedures.
8. To deliver patient care in accordance with the care plan and ensure accurate and up to date documentation is maintained either in written notes or on computer records.
9. Establish and maintain good relationships with the patient, carers and all health care professionals.
10. To identify personal training needs and attend relevant in-service education programmes.
11. To ensure patient confidentiality is always maintained and information obtained during the course of employment is not released to anyone other than those acting in an official capacity.
Secondary Duties & Responsibilities:
1. To provide patient centred, enablement focused support to each individual, supporting them to achieve their goals and engage in a treatment / support programme to work towards mutually agreed goals with particular emphasis on adaptation to illness, and developing self-management strategies.
2. To work as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team, ensuring that the needs of patients and carers are identified within a holistic framework, fostering an interdisciplinary approach to rehabilitation.
3. Attend mandatory training on principles and core elements of palliative care.
4. Provide evidence of Palliative Care practice in appraisal, relevant to role & responsibilities.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ/ QCF Level 2 IN Health and Social Care
Desirable
- NVQ/ QCF Level 3 in Health and Social Care (or willing to work towards)
- Certificate in Palliative Care (Accredited post 2008)
Experience
Essential
- Substantial experience as healthcare support worker (minimum 12 month)
- Experience of working indirectly supervised
- Experience of caring for patients at the end of life
Desirable
- Palliative Care or other relevant healthcare experience
- Community healthcare experience
- Experience of supporting patients and families during uncertainty
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Ability to carry out aspects of physical care as directed
- Must have excellent communication skills both written and verbal
- Ability to observe changes and report
- Ability to prioritise care needs for individual patients
- Ability to record patient records
- Basic IT skills including Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Outlook)
- Ability to work unsupervised
- Ability to establish and maintain good relationships with patients, carers and members of the multi-disciplinary team within the Hospice and with external agencies
- Display a caring disposition
- To be agile and adaptable to change
- Dress in a manner that conforms to accepted formal codes of business dress
- Flexible working to meet shift requirements
- Able to meet the requirement of the job role
- Valid Full Driving Licence with access to a suitable vehicle for business purposes
Desirable
- Advanced IT skills including Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint)
- Working knowledge of electronic patient records
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer details
Employer name
Douglas Macmillan Hospice
Address
Douglas Macmillan Hospice
Barlaston Road
Stoke-on-Trent
Staffordshire
ST3 3NZ