POST TITLE: Healthcare Assistant

Job Description

1. JOB DETAILS Job title: Healthcare Assistant – Diabetic Eye Screening Programme

Accountable to: Programme Manager

Location: North/West Cumbria – Kendal base

2. JOB SUMMARY

All staff are expected to work to the Trust Values:  We act with kindness - We never forget we are here for our patients.  We are ambitious - We never stop improving.  We are fair - We strive to bring about social equity.  We show spirit - We are energetic, resourceful and determined

The role will include assisting the retinal screeners in a clinical setting in preventing the development of blindness through the early detection and treatment of diabetic retinopathy by providing a high quality systematic screening and grading service throughout Cumbria, North Lancashire, and Blackpool.

3. ROLE OF DEPARTMENT

This is an exciting opportunity to join Cumbria Diabetes as a Healthcare Assistant with The Diabetic Eye Screening Team covering Cumbria, North Lancashire, Blackpool, Fylde & Wyre. We have a part time position based in Kendal with travel throughout the county also necessary. The Diabetic Eye Screening Programme screens over 55,000 patients (and increasing) each year in various community and acute locations throughout Cumbria, North Lancashire, Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre. Screening takes place in GP practices, health centres, community and acute hospitals, transporting a mobile screening unit throughout the county.

Candidates must hold or be willing to undertake NVQ level 2 in Direct Care and also the relevant modules of the City & Guilds Certificate in Diabetic Retinopathy. A full UK driving licence is a requirement for the successful applicant as you need to be available to transport the specialist ophthalmic equipment to clinic locations. You will also have the ability and willingness to travel across the whole of the county if necessary. It will also be necessary to be able to work some evenings and weekends. 4. ORGANISATIONAL CHART

Clinical Director for General Manager, South Cumbria Diabetes Lakes Locality

DESP Clinical Lead Integrated Services Manager

DESP Programme Manager Deputy Programme Manager

Data Management & Failsafe Team Retinal Photographers/ Screeners/Graders HCA’s

Call Centre Team/ Failsafe Assistants

5. KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

 Patients and relatives  Retinal Screening Programme Manager  Deputy Programme Manager  Integrated Services Manager  Diabetic Retinal Screening teams  Diabetes Educators  Diabetes Education Co-ordinator  Diabetes Education and Self Management Lead  Failsafe Officer  Call Centre Team  Primary/Secondary graders  Clinical Lead for Ophthalmology 6. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POST

Retinal Screening  Prepare clinics for patients and screeners including printing daily clinic lists, preparing the rooms, switching on equipment and displaying posters and notices in waiting rooms  Check resource levels and report any requirements to the Retinal Screeners  Ensure the rooms are ready to receive patients  Call patients for visual acuity and eye drop administration  Check patient details and record up to date information  Take consent from the patient for the clinic and record this in the software  Inform patients about the procedure, why they are having it, what will happen and inform of possible side effects of the eye drops as delegated by the retinal screener and as instructed  Undertake the visual acuity test as delegated by the retinal screener and as instructed  Administer the eye drops as delegated by the retinal screener and as instructed  Have the ability to recognise a patient in distress or dissatisfied and refer to the retinal screener  Report any untoward incidents to the retinal screener  Take immediate advice from the retinal screener in any circumstance that appear unusual or unexpected  Assist in the identification of risk and work towards minimising these risks  Provide the patient data for the screener  Assist in closing down the clinic, putting away all equipment securely

General  Be aware of, work within and adhere to policies and procedures at all times  Maintain patient/client confidentiality at all times as per Trust policies and NMC Guidelines  Assist patients only when safe to do so without causing harm or injury to yourself or the patient following Trust Policies on manual handling  Attend all mandatory and service training as required  Attend MDT monthly  Maintain a clean, tidy and safe environment for patients and staff at all times

7. WORK SETTING AND REVIEW

Objective setting is reviewed by The Retinal Screening Manager on a regular basis through the Personal Development Plan and appraisal system and this process and review of workload is reviewed by the Integrated Services Manager for South Lakes Locality. The HCA will take responsibility for pre-screening patients with indirect supervision from the Retinal Screener. 8. INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITIES

The post holder is expected to

 adhere to Trust policies and procedures and relevant legislation including the requirements of the any professional bodies  attend mandatory training as identified by the Trust  adhere to Trust infection prevention policies, procedures, audits in line with the Health Act 2006, to actively reduce Health Care Associated Infections  Complete the required modules of the City & Guilds qualification in Diabetic Retinopathy within 2 years of registration.

9. CONFIDENTIALITY

The post holder must maintain the confidentiality of information about patients’ staff and Trust business in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and Caldicott principles.

10. HEALTH AND SAFETY

Employees must be aware of the responsibilities placed upon them under the Health & Safety at work Act (1974), to ensure that the agreed safety procedures are carried out to maintain a safe environment for employees and visitors.

11. RISK MANAGEMENT

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

12. EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY

All employees of the Trust have responsibility to: . Act in ways that support equality and value diversity. . Treat everyone with whom they come into contact with dignity and respect. . Act in ways that are in accordance with Trust’s Single Equality Scheme, Equality and Diversity policy, and Dignity in the Workplace policy.

13. SAFEGUARDING

All employees have a duty for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk. Staff must be familiar with the trusts Safeguarding Policy and the process for raising concerns about the welfare of anyone with whom they have contact. Staff must also ensure they receive the appropriate level of safeguarding children and adult training depending on their role in the Trust. Staff are expected to access supervision and support from their line managers and/or the locality based safeguarding team when managing complex cases where applicable to their role. 14. INFORMATION GOVERNANCE

The post holder must keep up to date with the requirements of information governance; undertake mandatory training and follow Trust policies and procedures to ensure that trust information is dealt with legally, securely, efficiently and effectively.

It is important that the post holder processes personal identifiable information only in accordance with the Trust Data Protection Act notification to the Information Commissioner. The post holder must check with the Data Protection Officer before creating new systems to process person identifiable information to ensure that this is carried out within the scope of the Data Protection Act 1998 notification.

The post holder must manage the records they create or hold during the course of their employment with the Trust in an appropriate way, making the records available for sharing in a controlled manner subject to statutory requirements and agreed security and confidentiality policies, procedures and guidelines e.g. Data Protection Act 1998, Freedom of Information Act 2000, Caldicott Guidelines NHS Confidentiality Code of Conduct 2003, and professional codes of conduct on confidentiality.

The post holder must maintain the confidentiality of information about service user staff and organisational business in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and Caldicott principles.

It is likely that the post holder will be in contact at some time with a form of information system, and therefore are responsible for implementing and maintaining data quality. The post holder, when making entries into records, must ensure that these are legible and attributable and that the record keeping is contemporaneous. It is essential that information recorded within records either on paper, in an electronic format or both paper and electronic is accurate, complete and relevant.

15. JOB DESCRIPTION AGREEMENT

Post holder’s signature ………………………………………..

Date ………………………………………..

Line Manager’s signature ………………………………………..

Date ……………………………………….. PERSON SPECIFICATION

POST TITLE: Healthcare Assistant Factor Essential Desirable Qualifications  NVQ level 2 in Health & Social Care  Qualification in or willing to undertake the relevant modules of the City & Guilds Certificate in Diabetic Retinopathy  Good general education

Care Certificate or the willingness and ability to undertake (applicable for all non-registered support workers that provide health care)

Knowledge  Experience of working in a  Previous NHS healthcare setting employment Or  Experience of working in a customer facing environment

Skills and Aptitudes  The ability to communicate  Knowledge of effectively and demonstrate Diabetes/ excellent communicate skills: Retinopathy verbal, listening, and written  Good organisational ability  Good time management to work effectively in a busy environment  Ability to work as part of a team, to be co-operative and flexible  Ability to assist patients who have poor mobility or eyesight  To have the ability to be sympathetic to patient needs

Personal  Portray a professional image Circumstances  Caring attitude  Commitment to the role  Reliable  Flexible  Enthusiastic  Motivated  Good sense of humour

Other requirements  Support equality and value diversity level 2

PERSON SPECIFICATION AGREEMENT

Post holder ………………………………………..

Date ………………………………………..

Line Manager ………………………………………..

Date ………………………………………..