JOB DESCRIPTION

Post: Health Care Assistant – Medical Division

Grade: Band 3

Reports to: Nurse in Charge

Responsible to: Senior Nurse/Sister

Job Summary:
The Health Care Assistant is a member of the Department
who assists the qualified professional in the carrying out of
patient care. Ensure patient is comfortable, maintain
privacy and dignity, generally ensuring patient is well
looked after. Practice NVQ level 3 skills as directed by the
qualified nurse.

Clinical Practice

1. To carry out agreed clinical activities with the patient including giving
treatments and dressings, obtaining specimens including blood from patients
and measuring and monitoring physical characteristics/condition of patients
under the directions of the registered practitioner.

2. To prepare and provide agreed patient activities, as pertinent to your area. This
includes planning and preparing activities around agreed needs and evaluating
the usefulness of the activities with other members of the team. Group
exercises, walks around the grounds; assist the occupational therapists.

3. To prepare the patient and assist with clinical procedures, such as

catheterisation, wound dressings.

4. Serve meal/beverages and assist with feeding as required. To ensure that

patients are given appropriate food and nutritional information and to report
any problems to the relevant professional. Weigh patients on admission and
weekly thereafter depending on medical condition.

5. To help patients to look after themselves and maintain their personal hygiene.
To wash and bath the medically unwell patient, in bed or in the bathroom. To
promote independence in well patients. To care for patient’s mouths, hair,
nails, feet and pressure areas. To help patient to dress and undress.

6. To assist and promote patients in the management of continence. To give,

collect and clean bedpans and urinals. To assist the patients to and from the
toilet. To care for incontinent patients. To empty urine drainage bags. To
record urinary output and fluid balance charts and report any areas of concern
to the appropriate professional.
 7. To support patients and relatives in dealing with bereavement, by providing
relevant information of people who can help, sitting with them and making
them comfortable.

8. Ensure patients are as comfortable as possible during their visit and that they
are able to rest, providing a quiet safe controlled environment.

9. To care for the patients bed space including tidying and cleaning the bed and
locker and other furniture as necessary.

10. To give help and support to patient and carers during there stay as appropriate.
To provide on-going support to the patient and significant others.

11. To help patients pack and unpack clothing on admission, transfer or discharge
(or death). To care for property, to ensure that property is documented and
stored as per Trust Policy.

12. To help patients to exercise and to enable them to use equipment to help with
their movement, by following plan of care and adhering to instructions from
the professionals.

13. To help the patient to move and to prepare the patient for transferring. To
move and to turn the patient and care for pressure areas using appropriate
equipment.

14. To find relevant reports that are requested e.g., pathology results on the
computer and pass these to the appropriate professional. To file appropriate
notes and reports in patients notes and send information to other departments.

15. Act as a role model and mentor for junior HCA’s, by supporting, and helping
them with NVQ level 2.

16. To enable patients/carers to find out about available services and to support
them when using these services. By liaising with the trained nurse and other
members of the multi-disciplinary team.

17. To encourage patient communication and assist the patient/carer when

required, by discussing their plan of care with them and following instructions
from specific specialists i.e. SALT

18. To escort medically stable patients to other departments and ensure their safe
return. Inform the ward immediately if any problems during escort.

19. To monitor and top up medical stock from the sore room when ward levels
running low.

20. To chaperone professional staff where appropriate, when seeing/assessing

patients.

Reviewed 2004 CM/KB/JM/CF/MT.

 21. Assist the trained nurse with the performance of last offices.

22. To clean ward equipment and clean utility rooms and storage areas, including
linen cupboard.

23. To receive and deliver information with confidence using good

communication skills. To participate in promoting a good image of the Trust.

24. To change bed linen with the patient in and out of the bed.

25. To be able to take and record patients observations and report and
abnormalities to the nurse in charge.

26. To be able to document legibly and accurately an account of care given to

their patient.

27. Be aware of emergency procedures in the event of cardiac arrest and major
incident.

Other Responsibilities

 To assist in the prevention of accidents on the department and to report

incidents / accidents to the person in charge and complete an incident form
where appropriate.
 To attend all mandatory training e.g., CPR, Fire training, Moving and handling
NVQ level 3.
 To be aware of the confidential nature of everything relating to the patients
affaires and to ensure confidentiality is maintained.
 To be familiar with Health and Safety Rule governing the department,
especially those dealing with fire and other emergency situations.
 To ensure a safe environment is maintained in the department. To report any
hazards to the appropriate person and to the appropriate manager.
 To participate in the investigation of all complaints from patients, visitors and
staff according to the Trust policy and maintain appropriate records, at an
appropriate level as directed by the trained nurse.
 To take a proactive stance in their own professional development discussing
future aims with their Mentor/Senior Sister.
 Uphold all Trust Policies and Procedures, paying particular attention to the
sickness / Absence policy and annual leave.
 Any other duties as may be reasonably required.

Additional Information.

Confidentiality

The post holder is required not to disclose such information, particularly that relating
to staff. All employees are subject to the Data Protection Act 1998 and must not only

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maintain strict confidentiality in respect of patient and staff records, but the accuracy
and integrity of the information contained within. The post holder must not at any
time use personal data held by the Trust for any unauthorised purpose or use any
confidential information relating to the business affairs of the Trusts, unless expressly
authorised to do so by the Trust.

Health and Safety

The post holder must co-operate with the management in discharging responsibilities
under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and take reasonable care for his or her
own health and safety, and that of others. The post holder must also ensure the agreed
safety procedures are carried out to maintain a safe environment for patients,
employees and visitors.

Infection Control

It is the responsibility of all staff to recognise their role in maintaining a safe

environment for patients, visitors and staff to minimise the risk of avoidable
Healthcare Associated Infection. Employees are responsible for ensuring that they are
fully aware of the Trust’s Infection Prevention and Control policies and the post
holder will undertake infection control training on an annual basis.

Equal Opportunities

The post holder is required at all times to carry out responsibilities with due regard to
the Trust’s Equal Opportunities Policy and to ensure that staff receive equal treatment
throughout their employment with the Trust.
Risk Management

All staff has a responsibility to report all clinical and non-clinical accidents or
incidents promptly and when requested to, co-operate with any investigation
undertaken.

Conflict of Interests

You may not, without the consent of the Trust, engage in any outside employment and
in accordance with the Trust’s Conflict of Interest Policy you must declare to your
manager all private all private interests, which could result in personal gain as a
consequence of your employment position within the Trust. Interests that might
appear to be in conflict should also be disclosed.

In addition to the NHS Code of Conduct and Standards of Business conduct for NHS
staff (HSG93/5) require you to declare all situations where you or a close relative or
associate has a controlling interest in a business (such as a private company, public
organisation or other NHS voluntary organisation), or in an activity which may
compete for any NHS contracts to supply goods or services to the Trust. You must
therefore register such interests with the Trust either on employment or subsequently
whenever such interest is gained. You should not engage in such interests without the
written consent of the Trust, which will not be unreasonably withheld. It is your

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responsibility to ensure that you are not placed in a position, which may give rise to
conflict between your private patient’s interest and your NHS duties.

Code of Conduct for Professional Groups

All staff is required to work in accordance with their professional groups’ code of
conduct (e.g. NMC, GMC, DoH, Code of Conduct for Senior Manager).
I confirm this job description has been drawn up with my full involvement and
accurately reflects the responsibilities of the role.

Post holder Signature:

Post holder Print Name:

Line Manager Signature:

Line Manager Print Name:

Date:

Reviewed 2004 CM/KB/JM/CF/MT.