The posting
1. PURPOSE OF JOB
Under the general direction of the Registered Manager to provide personal care, basic health care and practical support as determined by assessed needs, to enable individuals to live as independently as possible in their care setting. This will involve providing services to encourage service user functional rehabilitation.
2. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES
Service Delivery
- Departmental
1. With the Senior Support Workers to ensure the effective and efficient implementation of Council policies and the achievement of the Council's objectives.
2. To contribute to co-operative working across services in accordance with the Council's Vision and Values. To contribute to cross-service initiatives as required
3. To assist in ensuring the team's services are responsive to community needs and that equal opportunity and health and safety issues are identified and addressed effectively
4. To assist in ensuring effective external and internal working relationships are established and maintained with organisations and agencies relevant to the work of the service.
5. To ensure effective and accessible communication with staff, service users, the general public and others as appropriate.
6. To ensure that holistic care and support is provided to meet users physical and psychological needs and to promote the continuing spiritual, family and social life of the tenants, helping them to maintain social interaction with family, friends and the community in line with their wishes.
b) Functional
- To provide a service that is responsive to the needs of the service users.
- To ensure that effective working relationships are developed and maintained, which are relevant to service needs, both within the team and with external agencies.
- To ensure accessible and responsive communication with staff, service users, the general public and others as appropriate.
- With the Registered Care Manager and other senior staff to ensure the effective and efficient implementation of relevant legislation, the Councils policies and objectives.
Service User Care
- To provide essential holistic care and support to meet service users physical and psychological needs and to promote the continuing spiritual, family and social life of service users, including helping them to maintain social interaction with the family, friends and the community in line with their wishes.
- Develop appropriate and professional relationships with service users and carers, which value them as individuals, including establishing and maintaining effective communication. To promote and maintain person-centred service.
- Keep up to date written records regarding individual service users as required and in order to provide information which can contribute to care planning and assessment
- To maintain high standards of confidentiality at all times
- In accordance with the individual service users care/service plan to provide personal care and basic nursing care to individuals, following instruction and recognised training received. This may include, for example, help with:
- Getting up/putting to bed
- Personal hygiene
- Dressing/undressing
- Use of toilet/commode
- Catheter care including stoma and sheath care
- Assisting with prostheses (false legs/eyes etc)
- Application of simple dressings
- Using sterile techniques
- Foot and hand care
- Basic nursing care during illness and terminal illness
- Health promotion
- Person centred support for those living with dementia
- Assisting residents to eat and drink which include preparation of simple snacks and beverages
- To operate safely (and after training) appropriate equipment, for example: bathing and lifting equipment.
- Provide personal and practical care to all service users regardless of their ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, impairment, age, HIV status, or any other health condition. This will include the provision of First Aid assistance should it be necessary.
- To monitor the general health and wellbeing of service users for any signs of deterioration and report to other staff at handover or appropriate medical or nursing practitioner in the case of emergency, so that early intervention can be provided and preventable measures taken.
- Assist service users with medication with Council Policy and pre-set procedures.
- Work with individual service users, enabling them to maximise their independence.
- To assist in maintaining the general appearance of the living environment and support the general cleaning and preparation of designated communal areas to the required standard. This includes the operation of e.g. vacuum cleaners.
- To be able to respond to emergency situations in accordance with procedures.
- To ensure that all security, fire and call systems are operational and be prepared to undertake security checks of the care home in accordance with procedures.
- To participate in the quality assurance monitoring system.
Working in a team
- Regular contact is to be maintained with all service users and their carers (as appropriate), to ensure that care plans are being carried out effectively.
- Include working with Emergency Duty team staff and other workers offering an out-of-hours service within the local community and GPs, Community Nursing staff and other health professionals (including ambulance, fire brigade, property services, police) to ensure the health and well-being of the service users.
- To attend and participate in the induction programme at the start of employment and attend all relevant training including health and safety training programmes throughout employment.
- To undergo training in both formal/informal courses and on-the-job (including NVQ training, when appropriate) as identified by Line Manager.
- To assist in the induction of new staff (shadowing).
Management
- Regular contact with Senior Support Workers for supervision and guidance.
- To attend and participate in the induction programme at the start of employment and attend all relevant training including health and safety training programmes throughout employment.
- To undergo training in both formal / informal courses and on-the-job (including NVQ training, when appropriate) as identified by Line Manager.
Service Development and/or Delivery
- To promote, monitor and maintain health, safety and security in the workplace.
- To follow the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act, Food Hygiene Regulations, and to be responsible for the safe use/storage of cleaning materials in accordance with COSHH regulations.
- To be involved in the completion of risk assessments in accordance with procedures and be responsible for accurately reporting any situations which could be considered hazardous, to the appropriate person/line manager.
Other
Adopt a proactive approach to developing and maintaining excellent relationships and communication channels with a wide range of contacts including managers, external clients and suppliers, staff and employee representatives.
Represent the Senior Support Workers as required, including attendance at internal and external meetings.
Participate in project activity and lead on specific projects or pieces of work on behalf of the Senior Support Workers, taking responsibility for the achievement of outcomes within required timescales. For example, on an occasional basis to arrange shift cover if Senior Support Worker is not available. Or if linked to Personal Professional Development, do a project such as lead on care planning; fund-raising; themed resident activities.
Ensure conformance to equal opportunity and data protection policies
3. DIMENSIONS
- The Night Support Worker will work within a designated service portfolio.
- Staff team is 60-70 people (excluding casual workers / bank workers)
- No direct responsibility for staff or resources
- Number of staff managed N/A
- Budget N/A
4. PHYSICAL EFFORT AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT
- On occasions the postholder may have to help residents out of bed, help with dressing and undressing which will mean bending and lifting. Will be responsible for bathing and lifting equipment.
- On occasions the postholder will have to provide personal care for a resident and provide emotional support for residents which might mean a combination of noise and odour.
5. GENERAL
- To be part of a care support team which provides a flexible service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week including bank holidays. The working arrangements will include weekends and bank holidays on a rostered basis.
- This post requires Night Support Workers (residential care) to work without direct supervision however, all decisions will be guided by pre-set procedures and in an emergency a senior staff member can be contacted.
- Undertake such other duties and responsibilities as are specified by the Head of Service and are commensurate with the level of the post.
- This job description is not a complete list of duties but gives a general indication of the range of work undertaken. It will vary over time as demands and priorities change. The team structures within the service operate with a high degree of collaboration and flexibility, individual service portfolios may therefore change over time and post holders are expected to undertake any other duties commensurate with the general level of responsibility of the post.
- This Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of those individuals covered by regulated activity and expects all staff to share this commitment. It is an essential requirement that staff are aware of the Councils safeguarding procedures and staff have a duty to ensure they attend training to enable them to recognise the indicators for concerning behaviour and receive safeguarding supervision as appropriate.
- The Council complies fully with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Code of Practice and a copy is available on request from Human Resources. As this post holder will be working in regulated activity, an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check will be required prior to commencement of employment. Individuals will be expected to provide details of their Disclosure as soon as they receive it or if they are registered with the DBS Update Service to have given their permission for the Authority to access their online record.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
QUALIFICATIONS:
- To be compliant with Mandatory Training Requirements.
- Possession of NVQ Level 2 would be an advantage or ability and commitment to obtain NVQ within the first 2 years of appointment, or as agreed with the line manager, is essential
- A commitment to and responsibility for personal development and actively to take advantage of training opportunities.
- Be trained in First Aid to an appropriate level.
PERSONAL QUALITIES
- Strong team player who with a collaborative work style.
- The ability to be proactive, think creatively and identify development opportunities and continuing ways of improvement.
- Strong influencing and negotiating skills.
- Ability to cope with conflicting demands and deadlines.
- Ability to assimilate new information quickly.
KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE
- Work or Life experience in a care setting, is desirable, including the care of those with dementia.
- To have demonstrated a willingness and ability to achieve a thorough working knowledge of the Equal Opportunities Policies and their related procedure and systems. Also to demonstrate a commitment to being part of an inclusive workplace where diversity and individual differences are valued and respected.
- Previous experience operating work-related equipment, aids and devices in a similar role.
SKILLS & ABILITIES
- The ability and flexibility to work across and support a wide range of services within the Council and the ability to work with other partner or commissioned organisations.
- The ability to cope with the physical demands of looking after the health safety and welfare needs of others.
- The ability and commitment to comply with Health & Safety Regulations, including COSHH.
- To maintain a high standard of hygiene and cleanliness in the home and to comply with the rules governing food.
- To be flexible and prepared to cover duties for colleagues in their absence.
- The ability to organise and prioritise work without direct supervision under the guidance of the senior staff member on duty.
- Good IT skills including Microsoft Office.
