Healthcare Assistant (HCA)

South Tyneside Health Collaboration (STHC) is looking for an motivated and compassionate Healthcare Assistant to join our friendly team at Whitburn Surgery, with flexibility to provide cross site support at our Jarrow practice when needed.

As an HCA, you will play a key role in supporting our nursing and clinical teams to deliver high quality, patient centred care. You'll work within your scope of practice to provide clinical support, health promotion, and administrative assistance, helping us deliver safe, effective services to our local community.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who is passionate about primary care, enjoys working as part of a multidisciplinary team, and is keen to develop their skills in a supportive environment.

Main duties of the job

• Undertake patient assessments and support individuals and families with their care needs
• Deliver and assist with treatment, preventative care, long term condition support, and health promotion
• Provide clinical support to registered nurses and other healthcare professionals
• Carry out basic clinical interventions under supervision, ensuring safe and effective care
• Act as a chaperone when required
• Prepare and process clinical specimens
• Support minor operations and clinical procedures
• Maintain high standards of infection prevention and control, including safe disposal of clinical waste
• Work within national and local protocols, including safeguarding responsibilities
• Recognise the limits of your practice and escape or refer appropriately
• Support enhanced services and practice initiatives
• Provide administrative support when required
• Maintain a clean, organised and efficient working environment
• Participate in audits, shared learning, and service improvement activities
• Complete opening and closing procedures as part of the duty rota
• Engage in mandatory training, induction, and annual appraisal

About us

STHC is a GP Federation bringing together 20 practices across South Tyneside to deliver services at scale. We employ over 100 clinical and non clinical staff and provide a wide range of primary care services, including mental health, spirometry, Covid vaccinations, Admiral Nursing, and Health & Wellbeing outreach.

We directly manage two GP practices - one in the coastal village of Whitburn and a training practice in central Jarrow serving around 9,000 patients.

Job responsibilities

The HCA works within the organisation and supports the practice nursing and administrative teams in the delivery of clinical and administrative services. This role involves working as part of the practice multi disciplinary team, delivering care within their scope of practice to the entitled patient population.

Having completed the Care Certificate or equivalent qualification, the HCA will deliver and assist clinical staff in the provision of treatment, preventative care, health promotion, long term condition management and patient education while also supporting the administrative team on an as required basis.

The HCA will work under the supervision of a registered clinician while developing competencies in community based care. The role is at Support Worker Level and as described in NHS Primary Care and General Practice Nursing Career and Core Capabilities Framework.

The post holder will be an integral part of the general practice team.

Person Specification Experience

• Experience of working with the general public
• Experience of working in a healthcare setting
• Has worked in a primary care environment
• Understanding of infection prevention and control measures

Knowledge and Skills

• Ability to undertake vaccinations
• Understanding of the principles of ECGs
• Able to perform venepuncture
• Wound care / removal of sutures and staples
• Ability to undertake patient medicals, including height, weight, BP, pulse and BMI etc.
• Ability to work within own scope of practice and understanding when to refer to colleagues
• Clinical IT system user skills and the ability to record accurate clinical notes

Qualifications

• Has completed the Care Certificate or equivalent qualification

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

£23,000 to £26,079.60 a year STHC Grade B