Role Overview

Working on the ward allows the healthcare assistant to gain insight into the different specialities and learn an array of skills.

Working under the supervision of the qualified nursing staff, the healthcare assistant will participate and support the members of the multi‑disciplinary team in delivering high quality patient care.

To assist with nursing care as instructed by the nursing staff, including bathing, bed making, assisting with eating and drinking and helping with meals as necessary.

To have responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of self and others, and to comply at all times with the requirements of the Health & Safety regulations.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Feeding patients and supporting nutrition
• Washing and repositioning patients
• Completing observations e.g. pulse, blood pressure and temperature
• Completing ECG or bladder scanning (with additional training)
• Venepuncture and cannulation
• Supporting patients with toileting
• Basic wound care
• Emotional support for patients
• End of life care
• Providing enhanced care to patients, e.g. those with dementia
• Infection control measures e.g. cleaning equipment and changing bedding

Values and Conduct

To promote equal opportunities for staff and clients in accordance with St George\'s Healthcare NHS Trust policies. To ensure that no person receives less favourable treatment than another does on the grounds of sex, marital status, race, religion, creed, colour, nationality, ethnic or national or sexual orientation.

We expect all our staff to share the values that are important to the Trust, being Excellent, Kind, Responsible & Respectful, and behave in a way that reflect these.

Requirements

• Possess good communication skills and the ability to work as part of a multi‑disciplinary team.
• Display a kind, caring, compassionate and professional attitude.
• Be able to work in a busy environment.
• Be fully flexible and willing to work night shifts, weekends and bank holidays.
• All applicants will be expected to take a literacy and numeracy test in advance. Only applicants who pass this test will be invited to interview.

Direct Patient Care

1. To assist with nursing care as instructed by the nursing staff, including bathing, bed making, assisting with eating and drinking and helping with meals as necessary.
2. To assist with the administration of medication under the supervision of a qualified nurse and in line with Trust policy.
3. To assist with patient toileting/elimination.
4. To care for the patient\'s personal clothing, property and valuables in accordance with relevant Trust policies.
5. To assist with the moving and handling of patients and loads using the correct moving and handling aids and techniques in accordance with local guidelines and risk assessments.
6. To ensure that patient privacy and dignity are respected at all times.
7. To demonstrate an awareness of the importance of patient confidentiality and ensure a safe and secure environment at all times.

Maintenance of the Environment

1. To support the housekeeper in the maintenance of a clean environment by ensuring that lockers and the surrounding bed area is cleaned and maintained properly, and that beds are cleaned and re‑made when patients are discharged.
2. To ensure that all linen is stored, transferred and disposed of correctly within Trust policy.
3. To assist the ward team to keep the ward/clinical area tidy, including storage cupboards, sluice, equipment and treatment rooms.
4. To assist in the checking, unpacking and storing of items delivered to the clinical area.
5. To ensure that all equipment is cleaned after use in line with Trust policy.
6. To be aware of, and demonstrate adherence to, the Trust\'s policy on infection control and waste disposal. To adhere to the principles of universal precautions in all aspects of patient care.
7. To run errands as requested to assist in patient care/smooth running of the clinical area.
8. To assist in the delivery of health promotion advice as appropriate to role and in line with own level of competence.
9. To liaise with the housekeeper and clinical team to ensure that maintenance problems are reported to the Estates maintenance desk promptly.
10. To adhere to the recommendations for the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) and risk assessments appropriate to the clinical area.

About St George\'s Hospital

With nearly 9,000 dedicated staff caring for patients around the clock, St George\'s Hospital in Tooting is the largest healthcare provider in southwest London. Its main site is one of the country\'s principal teaching hospitals, shared with St George\'s, University of London, which trains medical students and carries out advanced medical research. St George\'s Hospital also hosts the St George\'s, University of London and Kingston University Faculty of Health and Social Care Sciences, responsible for training a wide range of healthcare professionals from across the region.

As well as acute hospital services, St George\'s provides a wide variety of specialist care and a full range of community services to patients of all ages following integration with Community Services Wandsworth in 2010. St George\'s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust serves a population of 1.3 million across southwest London. A large number of services, such as cardiothoracic medicine and surgery, neurosciences and renal transplantation, also cover significant populations from Surrey and Sussex, totalling around 3.5 million people.

The trust also provides care for patients from a larger catchment area in southeast England, for specialties such as complex pelvic trauma. Other services treat patients from all over the country, such as family HIV care and bone marrow transplantation for non-cancer diseases. The trust also provides a nationwide state-of-the-art endoscopy training centre.