Job Description
JOB DESCRIPTION: CARE WORKER
Reports to : Care Coordinator
Accountable to : Registered Manager
Location : Community
Purpose of role
To support service users with all aspects of their day to day living, so they can enjoy the best possible quality of life in the comfort of their own home. You will mostly work alone with the service user in their home. Providing care and support offers many rewards, but can also be challenging. Compassion, good communication skills and a calm and caring manner are essential for this important role in our company.
Key responsibilities
To provide safe, reliable, compassionate care and support to meet the individual needs and wishes of each service user. Each person is unique therefore you must respect each service users’ choice about how theircare and support is given and promote their dignity at all times.
You may be the only person the service user sees over a period of time; it is therefore essential to report any changes or causes for concern to your line manager promptly. You need to be clear about when to seek help and advice in order to keep service users safe and promote their wellbeing.
Duties Care and support
Give anti-discriminatory care and support that values the whole person rather than merely seeing a list of care needs. Carefully listen and observe how each service user prefers their care and support to be delivered on a day to day basis. Help them make their own decisions so they can be as independent as possible.
Follow the instructions in the care and support plan agreed with each service user. This may include:
- All aspects of personal care such as showering and bathing, dressing and grooming, dental hygiene, toileting and continence care
- Assisting with medicines, ordering and collecting prescriptions or returning unwanted medicines to the pharmacy for safe disposal
- Supporting the service user to eat and drink well. For example, helping the service user to plan what to eat and drink, giving gentle encouragement, shopping, preparing and serving food and drinks, clearing the table, washing up and keeping the kitchen area clean and tidy, agreeing with the service user how to store food safely and when to dispose of out of date produce
- Safely using aids and personal equipment in a manner that respects the dignity of service users. For example walking frames, wheelchairs, manual and electric hoists, sliding sheets and moving boards, hearing aids and other physical aids
- Housework such as dusting, tidying, washing floors, vacuuming and sweeping, doing the laundry and ironing, making beds and changing the linen
- Social and physical activities or mental stimulation such as keeping in touch with friends/relatives, taking a service user out shopping or to social activities, hobbies such as reading, photo albums, games, etc.
- Supporting a service user through temporary and terminal illness, including end of life care, hospital appointments, liaising with community health support and families
Record and report
- The care and support that you provide and assistance with medicines
- Changes to a service user’s condition or other concerns e.g. faulty equipment or hazards in the home
- Response to emergencies, accidents, incidents and safeguarding matters
- Contact with families, representatives or carers and other professionals
- Other matters as required by Seren Healthcare Solutions’ policies and procedures
- Keep all information about service users and their families secure and confidential except where policy requires you to share, to protect the interests of our service users
Communication
- To communicate effectively with Service Users, recognising the need for alternative methods of communication to overcome different levels of understanding, cultural
- background and preferred ways of communication
- Act as an advocate when representing Service Users
- Ensure effective communication between carers, colleagues, professionals, Service User’s family and friends or other people associated with the Service User
- Ensure that all Service User paperwork is completed in line with requirements
- To ensure that all client sheets and timesheets are returned to the office by the required day and time (Mondays by close of play)
- To complete holiday requests giving appropriate notice to the office
- To report sickness and absence as outlined by Oxford Private Care’s absence procedure and complete sickness forms and return them to the office
Health and Safety
- To carry out duties in line with safe working practices ensuring adherence to Health and Safety Standards e.g. safe manual handling practices
- To use all equipment provided when providing care e.g. hoists and other manual handling aids as dictated in the client’s individual risk assessment
- To monitor work areas and practices to ensure they are safe and free from hazards
- To apply infection-control and food hygiene measures within the Service User’s home environment
- To use protective clothing and gloves
- To attend any training deemed appropriate for the role
Learning and Development
- Follow Seren Healthcare Solutions’ policies, procedures and guidance at all times.
- To understand the scope of the role and identify how this may develop over time
- To assist with the inducting, coaching and mentoring of new employees
- To identify personal training and development needs to participate in the staff personal development programme
- To participate in team meetings, supervisions and appraisals and any relevant training
- To maintain a staff folder with policies and procedures and to be familiar with them
- Disseminate learning and information to other team members in order to share good practice and inform others about current and future development (e.g. courses)
Please note that this list is not exhaustive and you may be asked to carry out additional duties. We will provide you with full training in line with regulatory requirements.
Person Specification
Essential criteria
Personal attributes
Caring and compassionate towards people in need of care and support
Dedicated to anti-discriminatory care practice. This means respecting people suffering from a range of medical conditions with different backgrounds and beliefs to your own
Self-motivated and keen to learn. Willing to seek guidance when needed and to follow instructions
Excellent time keeper and reliable
Good hygiene practice, including personal hygiene and a smart appearance
Good stamina and level of fitness to meet the physical demands of the job
Endorsement of our brand values of Commitment, Professionalism and Respect
Treating individuals with dignity and respect
Knowledge and understanding
General understanding of the needs of people who require care and support
Respect for the rights of our service users. Understanding the importance of giving the best possible care and support centred on the individual needs and wishes of each service user
Understanding of what confidentiality means in relation to homecare services and why this is important
Experience and skills
Eligibility to work in the UK
Ability to undertake basic mathematical calculations in order to support clients with basic financial transactions such as shopping etc
Ability to listen, communicate clearly and build positive working relationships with service users, their families or representatives, Seren Healthcare Solutions staff and other social and health care professionals
Ability to give care and support to service users with all aspects of their daily living. To always respect their dignity, privacy and choices, be non- judgemental and promote their independence
Good organisational skills, so service users receive the services they expect
Ability to use own initiative and work alone or as part of a team especially in an emergency
Numerical skills to support service users in managing their money and buying shopping or paying bills when requested to do so
Good written communication skills for recording information clearly and concisely
Ability and willingness to follow Seren Healthcare Solutions’ policies, procedures and instructions and to participate in training
Ability to read, write and speak English in order to communicate effectively
Full UK Driving Licence
Ability to travel with own transport to and from work in a variety of different locations around Newport or Bristol
Ability to work flexible hours to suit work shifts
Good time management skills
The confidence to liaise and work with other professionals and agencies, i.e. doctors, district nurses, physiotherapists etc
Additional requirements
All staff are expected to meet regulatory training standards. Health Care Assistants must attend initial Seren Healthcare Solutions induction and training before providing care and support to our service users. During the first 12 weeks you will continue to receive on the job and classroom based training to help you fully understand your role. You must be willing to participate in ongoing training so you can continue to give good and safe care and support
You will need to obtain a satisfactory criminal records check and evidence that your name is not listed as barred from working with vulnerable people
If you are a driver - Full drivers licence with no more than 6 points, Class 1 business insurance and a current MOT (if using own car for business purposes)
Desirable criteria
A relevant care and/or health qualification e.g. Red Cross, Care Certificate etc
Previous experience as a care assistant or as an unpaid carer
Knowledge of how to recognise abuse and safeguarding procedures
Working knowledge of health and safety matters relating to homecare
Flexible approach to working
Full drivers licence with no more than 6 points, Class 1 business insurance and a current MOT (if using own car for business purposes)
Experience of domiciliary care obtained either in employee’s own household, in voluntary work or in paid employment
Experience of working 1 to 1 with an elderly or dependent client
Familiarity with the needs of Service Users needing care
The ability to relate positively to dependent clients and other carers in their own homes
Experience of domiciliary care obtained either in employee’s own household, in voluntary work or in paid employment
Commitments
People: Respect and understanding
We build and sustain relationships through openness and honesty
We are committed to providing anti-discriminatory care which is centred on the individual needs of our service users
We will act with integrity committed to the rights of our service users, including their rights to privacy, dignity and independence
We will treat people fairly, respecting their views and opinions
We will be open about our development needs and opportunities to grow our capabilities
We appreciate and recognise our colleagues’ commitment and success
We will ensure we have regular 1:1’s with our line managers completing all necessary paperwork
We will act as a mentor if required to support new members of our team
We understand the professional boundaries of our role and clear about our responsibilities and relationship we should have with our service users
Performance: Service user
We will put our service user’s interests at the heart of all we do to ensure they experience the service they expect
We will contribute to a culture where doing the right thing by the service user is key
We are accountable and deliver on the promises we make
We will deliver quality service user interactions every time and adhere to the professional appearance and courtesy standards
We understand the need for change
We will communicate clearly and concisely, tailoring the content and style for our service users to promote free flowing conversation
Passion: Care and compassion
We will listen, ask questions and seek to understand how we can help and support our service users, their families and representatives, our colleagues and other professionals
We will set high standards of professional conduct and encourage others to do the same
We are self-aware and we have a positive impact on service users and colleagues
We will control any unconscious prejudice
We will do the right thing, treating service users and colleagues fairly
Pride: Energy and pace
We will use our own initiative, working alone or as part of a team
We will be tenacious and maintain focus during times of change and uncertainty
We will take care of ourselves maintaining high levels of energy and enthusiasm
We will participate in team based meetings and continuous improvement activity with our service users’ central to all our thinking
We will recover quickly from setbacks
We will remain positive and enthusiastic in challenging situations maintaining high levels of service user care and standards of conduct
We will demonstrate a ‘can do’ approach
This job description is not intended to be exhaustive. The post holder will be expected to adopt a flexible attitude to the duties which may be varied (after discussion), subject to the needs of the Service Users and in keeping with the general profile of the role
Post holder declaration
I agree to fulfil the duties and responsibilities to the best of my ability within this role.
Name: …………………………………………………………………….
Signed: ………………………………………...................................... Date: …………………………
Job Type: Full-time
Salary: £10.00-£10.01 per hour
Day range:
- Every weekend
- Monday to Friday
Physical setting:
Shift:
Work Location: In person
Application deadline: 01/04/2023
Reference ID: Domiciliary Care Worker
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