Role Summary
Are you passionate about people and looking to continue your career in healthcare? Or as you have some healthcare experience you are keen to join an innovative and dynamic NHS Trust that’s really going places? Join us as a Senior Healthcare Support Worker (SHCSW), get paid while you continue to learn and develop your career with the Royal Devon.
Every day, you will make a huge difference to the lives of the people we care for, delivering a high standard of care alongside your colleagues. Providing personal care, promoting nutritional needs, and assisting in the recovery and recuperation of patients on their journey to better health are just some aspects of this essential role.
About the Role
For more information on the Job Description and Responsibilities please click the link below.
More detail about the role
Our Senior Healthcare Support Workers (SHCSWs) form an essential and well-respected part of our healthcare teams across a number of dynamic settings; out in the community, in our acute hospitals or within our theatres teams to name just a few.
You will be a valued member of the team through our comprehensive training and induction programme and our commitment to learning and development will satisfy even the most ambitious person.
The Respiratory Nursing team look after a large caseload of around 2000 patients in North Devon. Based on the NICE and BTS guidelines for management of respiratory conditions and supervised by the Respiratory Specialist Clinical Nurse Specialist the Respiratory Support Worker will;
- Be responsible during the week to respond to our helpline where patients will be asking for advice and guidance about their condition
- Send out consumables for CPAP and BIPAP (masks/tubing and filters)
- Educate patients about how to use CPAP/ BIPAP and look after their machines
- Give out sleep study equipment and explain to the patient how to use it
- Download the sleep study equipment ready for the Consultant or Nurse to interpret the results
- Help to keep track of stock and order new supplies
- Set up and send out new CPAP machines as as part of a CPAP machine exchange clinic
- Take capillary blood gases
- Clean and prepare CPAP/BIPAP machines and send to Medical engineering
- Liaise with the booking team to make appointments for patients
- Support the oxygen Nurse in assessing patients requiring oxygen therapy
- Upload documentation to EPIC (Electronic patient records)
- Observe patients taking treatment for Tuberculosis
- Maintain patient databases
We are looking for a flexible and self-motivated support worker who is keen to learn and develop within the Respiratory Nursing team. You will support the team in managing a caseload of patients with;
- Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)
- Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)
- Tuberculosis (TB)
- Non-invasive ventilation (NIV/BIPAP)
- Oxygen therapy
You must have excellent communication skills and have the ability to make decisions under pressure. We are committed to assisting your training and personal development.
The role will involve answering the helpline and supporting the Nurse in clinics, as well as with inpatient assessments. Therefore it will be important that you are proactive with excellent organisational skills.
Our teams are caring, compassionate and inclusive, so whatever your background, you will be made to feel very welcome. More information about the role, training and development and the experiences of our HCSWs is included in the attached document. Read it now and find out for yourself why we are regularly voted as one of the best NHS Trusts to work for.
Working Pattern: Flexible. The Respiratory Nurses work between 8am to 4pm. A choice of short days i.e., Monday to Friday 9-3pm or 4 x 7.5 hour shifts.
The candidate must own a car and be able to drive as they may be required to work in the community from time to time.
Interview Date: To be confirmed.
For further information please contact Sarah Evans, Lead Respiratory Nurse, on 01271 311600/07765881581 or s.evans56@nhs.net
Preference will be given to staff with ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon.
The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust reserves the right to close vacancy when sufficient applications have been received.
The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust was established in April 2022, bringing together the expertise of both the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust and Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust.
About Us
Stretching across Northern, Eastern and Mid Devon, we have a workforce of over 15,000 staff, making us the largest employer in Devon. Our core services, which we provide to more than 615,000 people, cover more than 2,000 square miles across Devon, while some of our specialist services cover the whole of the peninsula, extending our reach as far as Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
We deliver a wide range of emergency, specialist and general medical services through North Devon District Hospital and the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (Wonford). Alongside our two acute hospitals, we provide integrated health and social care services across a variety of settings, including community inpatient hospitals, outpatient clinics, and within people’s own homes. We also offer primary care services, a range of specialist community services, and Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARC).
Our state-of-the-art equipment, leading technologies and strong links to local universities put us at the forefront of research and innovations, enabling us to provide world-class care to our local communities.
Our values are at the heart of everything we do, click here to find out more
It has never been a more exciting time to join the Royal Devon, as you will help to shape our services as we continue along our integration journey.
Benefits
Looking after you is important to us.
We strive to help our staff create a healthy work-life balance through flexible working schemes and our family friendly policies.
If you are starting out in the NHS, you’ll start with 27 days paid annual leave (plus bank holidays), rising to 33 days plus bank holidays.
You will benefit from access to our own comprehensive occupational health services, including counselling, onsite wellbeing activities and groups.
We will work together to maintain a culture that develops and supports you and your team.
This might include funding for a care certificate, a degree or leadership qualifications. Or it might include days off to study, engage in CPD or rotational placements to help you hone your skills. Wherever you are heading in the NHS, we will help you get there.
Salary is not the only financial benefit
You will have access to an extensive range of staff discounts on shopping, fitness and leisure options and you can spread the cost of technology and home appliance purchases from major retailers. You will also have access to other benefits including:
- National discount services such as the Blue Light Card and Health Service Discounts.
- Salary sacrifice options including our OFSTED rated outstanding nursery onsite at Exeter
- Car lease schemes.
- The NHS Pension scheme (one of the most generous and comprehensive in the UK).
- Cycle to work scheme
These are just a few of the benefits available – if the role is something you are interested in, we would love to hear from you.
