Job overview

Healthcare Assistant Band 2 for King's College Hospital.

No experience? No problem. You don’t need any healthcare experience to join us at King’s as a Health Care Assistant (HCA). It is more important to us that you are a kind, respectful team player with a passion to want to help and support our patients, their families and colleagues. We will teach you everything you need to know.

As an HCA, you will be a hugely valuable in supporting our Nursing and Midwifery teams providing care to our patients. Every day will be different and you will work alongside the rest of the team carrying out a wide range of tasks and assisting with care to support the needs of the patients and their families.

Main duties of the job

Day to day, you’ll work under the supervision of our registered staff to help:

• To assist patients with activities of daily living whilst encouraging independence, as appropriate.
• Demonstrate encourage and assist patients in undertaking therapeutic activities within parameters of agreed care plans and under the guidance of registered practitioners.
• To assist with patient nutritional needs – eating, drinking, menu selection, meal delivery and special diets according to the individual patient’s needs.
• To assist in the maintenance of up to date, comprehensive and accurate records in accordance with current legal requirements both written and digital.
• To assist in the admission and discharge of patients
• To escort patients and families to other departments within the hospital as required.
• To participate in maintaining standards of hygiene, cleanliness and infection control, reporting problems as appropriate.
• To ensure that equipment is clean at all times, stored safely when not in use and report faults as appropriate.

The role involves shift work (early shifts, late shifts, long days, nights and weekends) so the ability to work these shifts is essential. However, as an organisation we support flexible working and have both full and part time roles available.

Working for our organisation

King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£1.8 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 15,000 staff based across South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King’s to another level.

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King’s is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone’s contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust’s carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To assist patients with activities of daily living whilst encouraging independence, as appropriate.
• Demonstrate encourage and assist patients in undertaking therapeutic activities within parameters of agreed care plans and under guidance of registered practitioners.
• To assist with patient nutritional needs eating, drinking, menu selection, meal delivery and special diets according to the individual patients needs.
• To assist in the maintenance of up to date, comprehensive and accurate records in accordance with current legal requirements both written and digital.
•  To assist in the admission and discharge of patients
• To escort patients and families to other departments within the hospital as required.
• To participate in maintaining standards of hygiene, cleanliness and infection control, reporting problems as appropriate.
• To ensure that equipment is clean at all times, stored safely when not in use and report faults as appropriate.
•  To assist in setting up and preparing patient areas appropriately to the clinical area.
• To ensure that stock levels of linen, sterile supplies and stationery are maintained at all times in conjunction with the senior sister/ward receptionist.
• To assist in the maintenance and safekeeping of patients property in line with Trust policy.
• To assist ward staff with general collection/delivery of items necessary to ensure effective operational management of ward/department.
• To assist in performing the last offices as requested
• To ensure that all patients and relatives are welcomed and orientated to the ward environment.
• To assist with the care of distressed or bereaved relatives
• To demonstrate an awareness of the different cultural, ethnic and religious needs.

Skills and Competencies