The posting
1. PURPOSE OF JOB
As part of the management team at the extra care service to help ensure the provision of and directly 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.
2. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES
Service Delivery
Departmental
- With the Extra Care Registered Manager to participate in the formulation of detailed team objectives and policies.
- With the Extra Care Service Manager to ensure the effective and efficient implementation of Council policies and the achievement of the Council's objectives.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- To ensure effective and accessible communication with staff, service users, the general public and others as appropriate.
Functional
Service- user care
- In accordance with the individual service users care/service plan to supervise and participate in the provision of personal care to individuals. 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 includes preparation of simple snacks and beverages and service of food (at the place where residents choose to eat)
- Assist with identified activities as set out within social and health care rehabilitation programmes, enabling service users to maximise their independence.
- To maintain high standards of confidentiality at all times.
- To be familiar with and practice in accordance with the Councils Vulnerable Adults Policy and practice guidelines and always relate any issues or concerns to a line manager.
- To promote, monitor and maintain health, safety and security in the workplace in accordance with Council procedures.
- To liaise with emergency and support services as necessary including ambulance, fire brigade, property services and police.
- Participate in and occasionally lead regular service and quality reviews
- Keep up to date written records about individual service users and maintain confidentiality of information in accordance with Council Policy and Data Protection legislation
- Complete any administrative procedures and related forms (for example daily record sheets, hand-over sheets, timesheets, and accident and incident forms) and use appropriate information as required
- Assist in the training and induction of new staff
- Contribute and participate in individual reviews, reports and care plans as required. Will on occasion be required to chair review meetings
Working in a team
- To promote and encourage effective teamwork
- To supervise Support Workers and catering staff in their responsibility for individual service users. To make pre-admission assessment visits to users where appropriate and necessary, and to prepare relevant assessment information verbally or in writing.
- Regular contact is to be maintained with all users who receive a service, and their carers to ensure that the requirements of care plans are being carried out effectively.
- Day-to-day contact with other agencies, e.g. GPs, CPNs and other health professionals to ensure the health and well-being of the service users.
- Regular contact with the Extra Care Service Manager for supervision and guidance.
Management
- To be responsible for the general supervision of the scheme in the absence of the Extra Care Service Manager.
- To assist in managing and supporting the staff team in the performance of their day to day duties including the allocation of work rotas, supervision and support.
- To cover the role of caller responder: to hold the call handset and respond to emergency calls.
- Adverse Event reporting: to complete the notification of adverse events in line
the local authoritys governance requirements.
- To identify poor staff performance and report to the Extra Care Service Manager so that any action can be initiated.
- To undertake the supervision of a small group of staff and develop awareness and skills through one-to-one and group meetings and identification of training needs. To support and assess progress of those undergoing qualification/training, eg Care Certificates, to ensure quality and completion of the programme.
- To occasionally assist with the recruitment and selection of staff.
- To assist with staff training and practice improvement of individuals in conjunction with other senior colleagues to participate in the induction programme for new staff.
- To promote and maintain the quality assurance monitoring systems and observe the Councils principles of Best Value.
Service Development and / or Delivery
- To work closely with others in the Council 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 and be responsible for accurately reporting any situations which could be considered hazardous or a safeguarding concern to the appropriate person / line manager.
- 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 develop appropriate and professional relationships with service users and their carers, which show commitment to valuing users as individuals, including establishing and maintaining effective communication.
- To monitor the effectiveness of the key worker system within the extra care scheme, including the preparation, implementation and review of individual care plans and risk assessments, and attending reviews. To provide the highest practicable standard of care and support for service users and undertake a Key Worker role for a specified number of service users.
- Under the direction of the Extra Care Service Manager to plan work and work rosters, and manage each shift deploying staff effectively and efficiently, providing the required cover.
- To contribute to the administration and recording of medication in accordance with Council policy, including giving direct assistance and prompting to service users to take their medication.
Care of the Environment
- To maintain a high standard of hygiene and cleanliness throughout the establishment, ensuring that the appropriate documentation is completed in accordance with legislation and Health & Safety guidelines.
- To ensure that adequate supplies and provisions are requisitioned, recorded and used appropriately.
- To ensure that the fabric, decoration and equipment is maintained to a satisfactory standard in line with Health and Safety requirements, including referral to appropriate agencies when necessary.
Catering
- Assist the Service Manager / Registered Manager in ensuring that the catering staff provide a high standard catering service according to service user preferences and dietary needs, and the requirements of Food Hygiene regulations.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
QUALIFICATIONS:
To be compliant with Mandatory Training Requirements.
Possession of the Care Certificate and a willingness and ability to obtain Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care (or relevant equivalent) is essential.
Be trained in First Aid to an appropriate level.
Care Certificate Assessors Award (or similar).
A commitment to and responsibility for personal and professional development and actively to take advantage of upskilling through relevant apprenticeship standards and training opportunities for both yourself and others
A Social Services or Nursing qualification would be an advantage.
PERSONAL QUALITIES
Strong team player with a collaborative work style ie a good communicator, an empathetic listener, respectful, reliable and trustworthy member of the team.
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 and proactive in identifying and resolving problems.
Ability to assimilate new information quickly and share with others, where appropriate and considering the principles of being necessary, proportionate, relevant, accurate, timely and secure.
To support the development of effective working relationships with service users and team members.
To support the manager by taking overall responsibility in their absence.
The ability to respond appropriately to situations, sometimes under conditions of pressure and emotional stress.
Experience of effective working relationships with inter-departmental and external agencies.
Accept the statutory responsibilities of the service
KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE
Personal experience in a similar care setting, including life experience.
Demonstrate an ability to work within a management infrastructure designed to promote individualised care and rehabilitation for older people.
Demonstrate a willingness and ability to achieve a thorough working knowledge of the Equal Opportunities Policies. Also, to demonstrate a commitment to being part of and promoting an inclusive workplace where diversity and individual differences are valued and respected.
A commitment and understanding to delivering person-centred care practice
To have had previous managerial/supervisory experience in residential care of older people would be an advantage
Demonstrate an awareness of the ageing process and current changing care practice philosophies for the future.
Experience of working in a multi-racial environment, or of working with people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups
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.
Demonstrable supervision skills.
Ability to undertake external-unit activities involving travel both within and outside the Authority in relation to Domiciliary and Hospital based assessment.
Demonstrable administrative skills.
Experience of undertaking data analysis with accuracy and attention to detail.
Demonstrable understanding and experience of participation within the NVQ process.
Evidenced provision of professional support and personal supervision of staff.
Evidence of participation in policy and care practice development.
Experience of leading scheme-based Meetings (e.g. Care Plan Reviews and staff meetings)
Evidence of skills in the use of personnel procedures and systems, e.g. consultation, recruitment and interviewing, grievance/disciplinary, ethnic monitoring etc.
Demonstrate the ability to manage time, prioritise and allocate workload.
Experience of leading small groups of staff.
Strong IT skills including Microsoft Office and other IT systems and will develop digital skills as necessary. An ability to manipulate data in excel to produce relevant management information.
Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
Awareness of the needs of the service user groups and relevant policies and procedures (e.g. Health & Safety,Safeguarding )
