JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE: Health Care Assistant

ACCOUNTABLE TO: Head of Healthcare

JOB SUMMARY

To contribute and support delivery of primary care within a secure environment, by providing
nursing care.

Implement clinical care packages, while working unsupervised

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Clinical

 Carry out assigned unsupervised nursing care, which will involve the direct and indirect
care of patients. Chlamydia screening/BP/Dressings/ECG’s
 Assist with Nurse led clinics
 Lead on Wellman/Health Promotion Clinics
 Phlebotomy
 Assessment, treatment, and evaluation of patients care. With supervision and support from
trained nursing staff.
 Minor offender queries
 Initiate emergency response and care when first on scene. Attending first aid training
 Pre-release services
 Chaperone (only if required)
 Receptions- Where required and subject to appropriate training, undertake initial and
secondary screening assessment for prisoners arriving at reception, using recognised tools
and make appropriate referrals.
 Support and assist patients with activities of daily living.
 Apply appropriate knowledge and understanding of patient’s individual needs, in
accordance with care plans.
 Facilitate and support recognised health screening programmes and record and document
appropriately
 Attend team meetings, to discuss patient care and allocated work lists. Attend meetings as
a HCSW representative
 Give minimum clerical support within the healthcare team.
 Attending code more information on scene
 Collect appointments from wings
 To work within a flexible shift system
 Assess and/or contribute to the care and documentation (ACCT) required for those
individual being at risk of self-harm or suicide as per prison policy.
 To report accidents, violent incidents and complaints according to agreed policies and
procedures.
 Undertake such other duties appropriate to the grade and ability of the post holder as
determined by the senior nurse.

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  Take a lead in the ordering and stock control of medical equipment and disposables
 In accordance with Care UK policy and NMC guidelines participate in the administration
and storage of medication.
 Support pharmacy under the supervision of qualified pharmacy staff
 Support newly appointed staff by demonstrating knowledge, policy and procedure
 To maintain standards of infection control within the department and during clinical care
and to assist patients to maintain their own infection control needs

Communication

 Communicate often complex or sensitive information while demonstrating empathy and

understanding to patients, discipline staff and other agencies.

 Working within a secure environment that is expected delivery both care and custody the
post holder will be expected to interact with;

- Nursing colleagues
- Voluntary organisations
- Patients/Prisoners
- Medical staff
- Wing staff/managers
- Contribute to MDT meetings
- Psychiatrists
- CPN’s
- Professionals allied to health
- Families and relatives

Clinical Governance

 Apply safe practice under the guidance of Care UK and HMP Service policies and
protocols, not undertaking any task outside the boundary of individual’s competence.
 Comply with the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act, maintaining a safe
working environment for both staff and patients.
 Maintain contemporaneous, legible and signed records of care in accordance with
guidelines.
 Maintain equipment and clinical areas to a clean and safe standard in accordance with
Care UK infection control policies.
 To undertake agreed mandatory training relating to both healthcare and the prison
environment.

Security Awareness

 Comply with the prison security requirements.

 Assume personal responsibility for the security of issued keys.
 Be able to demonstrate security awareness and familiarity with security procedures
especially in relation to prescribed and non-prescribed medication, articles used to self-
harm and potential weapons.

 Respond to any situation or circumstance that may indicate threat to security, completing
security information reports when appropriate.
 To achieve acquired standard of security awareness and breakaway techniques.
 Ensure confidentiality at all times.
 Act as a chaperon as required to healthcare professionals. Advise and guide non prison
orientated staff regarding security as well as policy and protocols

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  Ensure the safe and secure transportation of medication and clinical records throughout the
establishment.
 Escorting of healthcare related visitors and prisoners where it is deemed appropriate by the
IC in accordance with prison security standards.

Most Challenging Part of the Job

 Working with clients who may exhibit high levels of aggression.

 Working with a client group which are predominantly socially disadvantaged. A high
proportion have problems associated with mental illness and/or substance misuse.
 Managing competing priorities, agendas expectations and the constraints of working in
prisons.
 Ensuring practice is evidence based and services are equivalent.
 To develop a shared understanding of the concept and practice of promoting health as well
as providing health care within the prison environment.
 To manage the emotional effects of personal and verbal aggression which regularly
questions ones professional status and ability.
 To manage the emotional effects of dealing with attempted and rarely, actual suicide
attempts and self-harm as well as the subsequent standard legal processes.

General

 Comply with the Company Appraisal system and attend an appraisal every year.
 Ensure updated mandatory training requirements are met and equipment training records
are maintained.
 Assist in the orientation and support of new staff to the unit.

Health and Safety

As an employee of Care UK, the post holder has a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act
1974, to:-

 Take reasonable care of the health and safety of themselves and all other persons who
may be affected by their acts or omissions at work.
 Co-operate with their employer to ensure compliance with Health and Safety legislation and
the Health and Safety policies and procedures of the treatment centre, not intentionally or
recklessly interfere with, or misuse, anything provided in the interests of health, safety, or
welfare, in pursuance of any of the relevant statutory provisions.

Data Protection

The post holder must at all times respect the confidentiality of information in line with the
requirements of the Data Protection Act. This includes, if required to do so, obtain, process and/or
use information held on a computer in a fair and lawful way, to hold data only for the specified
registered purposes and to use or disclose data only to authorized persons or organizations as
instructed.

This list of duties and responsibilities is by not exhaustive and the post holder may be required to
undertake other relevant and appropriate duties as reasonably required.

This job description is subject to regular review and appropriate modification.

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I confirm I have read and understand this Job Description

Name of Post holder …………………………………..

Signature …………………………………..

Date …………………………………..

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Person Specification – Health Care Assistant

CRITERIA ESSENTIAL DESIRABLE

Qualifications  NVQ level 3 or willing to undertake
 Willingness to undertake training in
Mental Health Awareness, suicide
prevention, self-harm and ACCT
procedures as well as Health Promotion
and screening
Experience  Experience of working in a healthcare  Experience of working in a secure
environment environment
 Experience in clinical role i.e. ECG,
clinical observation, screening
Skills and  Ability to communicate at all levels
Knowledge  Able to work unsupervised while following
policy and procedures
 Ability to establish good working
relationships and work well as a team
member
 Administration and delivery of medication
within organisational guidelines or willing
to undertake appropriate training
 Ability to work independently
 Phlebotomy skills or willing to undertake
training
Other Factors  Willing to undertake training as
appropriate to ensure the on-going
development of services within prison
healthcare
 Able to meet the security requirements for
all prison establishments

HAZARDS:
Laboratory Specimens X Clinical Contact with X Performing Exposure Prone X
Proteinacious Dusts patients Invasive Procedures
Blood/Body Fluids X Dusty environment VDU Use X
Radiation Challenging Behaviour X Manual Handling X
Solvents Driving Noise X
Respiratory Sensitisers Food Handling Working in Isolation

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