Job overview

Horsley Intensive Care is looking for an experienced highly motivated and dedicated Health Care Assistant to join our Centre of Excellence.

The Intensive Care Unit / High Dependency Unit provides high quality care for patients with neurological/neurosurgical conditions in a critical care environment.

Work under the direction and supervision of the nurse in charge to support the ITU team in the provision of delegated nursing care to patient and to maintain an efficient environment suitable for the care of critically ill adults.

You should possess excellent communication skills, be willing to work flexibly as part of a team and be committed to high standards of working. The working hours of this role will be a mix of day and night shifts however we will be open to flexible working requests. We have a high standard of care on ITU and we are looking for someone who will complement our team and who will give compassionate and dedicated care to our patients.

Main duties of the job

Under the supervision of a registered nurse assisting the Ward / Department team in providing the highest possible standard of care for patients and their families/carer. The post holder will undertake a range of tasks and duties as delegated by a registered nurse.

• Participates in all aspects of patient care with particular attention to personal hygiene and grooming.
• Provision of patients toileting needs, ensuring privacy and dignity is maintained.
• Support of patients in managing incontinence and promotion of continence.
• The recording of a patient’s fluid intake and output using fluid balance charts.
• Preparation and serving of patient’s meals, drinks and snacks. Assisting / feeding patients as necessary.
• The recording of patient’s dietary intake when indicated in the patient’s plan of care.
• Enable patients to maintain/improve their mobility by use of exercise and mobility appliances.
• Assist in the prevention of pressure sore development as directed by the Registered Nurse in conjunction with the patient’s plan of care.
• Carry out any movement and handling within the safe practice guidelines from your mandatory training and in relation to the patient’s manual handling risk assessment and plan.
• Obtaining specimens from patients for ward or laboratory testing.
• Removal of cannulae, catheters and nasogastric tubes as per competency.
• Undertake the dressing of non-complex wounds (in accordance with identified competencies and in conjunction with the plan of care.

Working for our organisation

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust is the only NHS trust to hold dual accreditation for the Investors in People. We invest in people and we invest in wellbeing standards and have been awarded Gold status for both. The Walton Centre is a leader in the treatment and care of neurology and neurosurgery, placing the patient and their family at the heart of everything we do. As the only specialist hospital trust in the UK dedicated to providing comprehensive neurology, neurosurgery, spinal and pain management services we are proud to be rated as an Outstanding Trust by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and champion change throughout the field of neuroscience. Originally formed in 1992, the Trust received Foundation Trust status in 2009.

With around 1,450 staff, The Walton Centre treats more than 127,000 outpatients and 18,000 inpatients each year. We have leading specialists and incredibly dedicated staff delivering excellent clinical outcomes for brain, spinal and neurological care nationally and internationally. Teams across our site in Fazakerley, Liverpool, offer a world-class service in diagnosing and treating injuries and illnesses affecting the brain, spine and peripheral nerves and muscles, and in supporting people suffering from a wide range of long-term neurological conditions.