Job overview

It’s an exciting time for our Urgent Community Response (UCR) Service as we expand into the High Weald, Lewes, and the Havens (HWLH) area. We are recruiting to our new teams who will work with patients in their homes across the HWLH communities.

This is an amazing opportunity to become a member of the team as a Health and Therapy Assistant working together to help patients stay in their homes, making sure they avoid unnecessary hospital admissions and supporting them through the first few critical days after they leave hospital. The focus of this role is providing personal, health and therapy care for patients across the area with acute and diverse needs.

We are a multidisciplinary team working flexibly to provide a seven-day service, 365 days a year, between 8am and 8pm. We deliver:

  • A rapid response to people in the community who are experiencing acute episodes of ill-health.
  • A supported discharge service to facilitate timely hospital discharges.
  • Acute reablement for up to 10 days, supporting people to achieve functional goals and work towards independence with activities of daily living.
  • The team works closely with other services within Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, as well as our acute and community partners, GPs, South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb), adult social care and voluntary and third sector organisations.

    Main duties of the job

    In this role, your day will be varied and interesting, supporting patients towards achieving more independence in their activities of daily living. You will be supported by nursing, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy colleagues to review the needs of patients and input into onward referrals. Due to the development of shared competencies across the registered staff groups, Health and Therapy Assistants now have a greater scope of independent working and access to skill development across each of these disciplines.

    Your role will include assisting in the ongoing assessment and provision of care, reablement and reporting all changes in patient status to your registered colleagues. You will undertake simple clinical and therapeutic procedures such as taking physical observations, venepuncture, administering medications, simple wound care, rehabilitation programmes and equipment provision. You will be expected to record the outcome of contacts with patient, relatives, and MDT members in either verbal or written format and you will have a key role in empowering patients to regain their health and independence in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team.

    You will need to able to drive with a full UK licence due to the geographic area covered by the team.

    Working for our organisation

    Why work for us?

  • Positive 2021 NHS Staff Survey results with compassionate culture and leadership, and support for staff wellbeing, scoring highly
  • Rated ‘Good’ with ‘Outstanding’ features by the Care Quality Commission (CQC)
  • Located in stunning Sussex, with easy access to the South Downs and the coast
  • A great variety of working environments, in the community, in patients’ homes and in our community hospitals
  • Excellent training and development opportunities
  • Real Living Wage Employer, with great rates of pay
  • Supportive flexible working patterns such as part time, flexi time, annualised hours etc.
  • Supportive team environments
  • Cost-effective and convenient workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove, and Brighton
  • Thriving BAME, Disability and Wellbeing, LGBT+ and Religion and Belief staff networks
  • Accredited Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, committed to creating inclusive workplaces
  • Access to a wide range of benefits and discounts for NHS staff
  • Detailed job description and main responsibilities
    Further information is available in the attached job description and person specification.

    If you would like to discuss this role or find out more, you can contact our Operational Team Leads, Jacqui Hilder and Jessica Poulton, by emailing -ucr- .

    Person specification

    Qualifications
    Essential criteria

  • Good general education
  • NVQ level 2 or equivalent (in health and social care applicable subject) or be willing to work towards
  • Desirable criteria

  • NVQ level 3 or be willing to work towards
  • Experience
    Essential criteria

  • Evidence of consistent pattern of learning from education, training and experience
  • Desirable criteria

  • Experience of working in a health or social care setting
  • Experience of working as a care assistant either with nursing or therapy services
  • Experience of working with adults in the community
  • Skills and Knowledge
    Essential criteria

  • Basic understanding of statutory health and social services
  • Basic numeracy and ability to write simple reports
  • Able to work with minimal supervision either in isolation or as a member of the team
  • Able to use time effectively and prioritise work through good organisational skills
  • Able to maintain confidentiality and deal with sensitive information
  • Able to use recognised IT packages e.g. Microsoft Office including Excel
  • Able to use of IT systems and keyboard skills including accurate data recording skills
  • Able to use strong interpersonal skills and appropriate empathetic and tactful manner
  • Able to communicate effectively with customers, carers and health and care specialist services and colleagues
  • Able to work effectively as individual but also as part of larger team
  • Other Requirements
    Essential criteria

  • An understanding of the principles of equal opportunities in relation to staff and patients
  • Car driver (Valid Driving License for use in the UK)
  • Willingness to undertake training to develop within the role
  • Desirable criteria

  • Flexible working
  • Access to a vehicle for work purposes
  • This post may close earlier than the published closing date if sufficient applications are received.

    Correspondence relating to this vacancy will be conducted electronically. If you have not heard from us within two weeks please assume that your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion. Please ensure that you check your emails, including your junk folder, on a regular basis. References will be requested electronically as well; please ensure you provide correct contact details for referees.

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