Healthcare Assistant - Primary Care

Job Introduction

HMP Bronzefield are currently recruiting for 4 Healthcare Assistants.

As a Healthcare Assistant, you will deliver Smoking Cessation support and advice (including behavioural change) to prisoners who are attempting to quit smoking at HMP YOI Bronzefield.

HMP/YOI Bronzefield is a closed local prison serving courts across the South of England. Our mission is to deliver quality of life services which make a meaningful difference to women in the criminal justice system by supporting them to change their lives for the better. To achieve this we focus on providing needs-based services and programmes to rehabilitate and improve the well-being of our women. 

We house up to 572 women (approximately 14.5% of the national female prison population). The women in our custody have a diverse and complex set of needs and range from mothers and babies, young offenders, life and long term sentenced women, short to mid-term sentenced women, foreign nationals and women on remand. 

We have been awarded a bronze accreditation by Investors in People for our commitment to our staff, their development, engagement and investment in a sustainable future.

Sodexo Justice aims to change lives for the better by reducing reoffending and improving the quality of life for those under our supervision and in our care. We deliver safe, effective and innovative custodial and community rehabilitation services that challenge offending behaviour, protect the public and offer individuals the opportunity to change their lives for the better. We deliver the total operation of five prisons within the UK and own six Community Rehabilitation Companies in partnership with crime reduction charity Nacro.

For more information on Sodexo Careers and Sodexo Justice please visit Sodexo Careers and Careers in Justice

Role Responsibility

• Deliver Health Promotion work and independently work to run health promotion clinics and groups.
• Maintain a high standard of hygiene in the clinical rooms and treatment areas.
• Help residents make the best use if services available and signposting to clinics and services.
• Assist qualified staff with the dispensing of medication when required (Nicotine Replacement Therapy).
• Provide first aid in emergency situations whilst awaiting the support of qualified staff.
• Report abnormalities of behaviour or health in patients to qualified staff and report any deficient practice observed
• Develop positive working relationships with the multidisciplinary team.
• Work to the standards of confidentiality required by the Healthcare Department.
• Report all risks to the senior nursing staff and prison security staff.
• Ensure that all information is stored accurately, updated when required and made available to those who require it in a timely manner. Compliant with Information Governance requirements.
• Promote & participate in maintaining a safe, comfortable & therapeutic environment. i.e. By use of appropriate infection control procedures and maintain work areas in each clinical room so that they are clean, safe and free from hazards reporting of any potential risks identified.
• Liaise with the community to ascertain confirmation of community prescriptions, as well as  planning for discharge
• Ensure patients’ personal care needs are meet in a timely manner working closely with the social care team i.e. assist with showers, bed baths.
• Co-ordinate and facilitate the GP clinics by fulfilling a chaperone role and ensure GPs’ rooms and clinical treatment rooms are clean and well stocked.
• Run health promotion and disease related clinics, e.g. Smoking Cessation, under the supervision of the clinical staff and participate in harm reduction work.
• Assist the rest of the clinical team in the service delivery running different clinics and management of patients.
• Co-ordinate and facilitate the GP clinics by fulfilling a chaperone role and ensure GPs’ rooms and clinical treatment rooms are clean and well stocked.
• Undertake clinical observations / procedures as directed by the clinicians and following guidelines for the tasks for which you have received appropriate training for.

The Ideal Candidate

Essential

• Motivated and innovative
• Demonstrate ability to prioritise and manage workload and to work under minimal supervision
• Demonstrates ability to manage a client caseload for smoking cessation
• Desire to undertake further training as appropriate and committed to personal development.
• Ability to keep records and statistical data. I.T. literate
• Ability to maintain, monitor smoking cessation and other clinics statistics
• A commitment to and understanding of equal opportunities.
• A commitment to working in partnership with the prison service
• Knowledge and experience to deliver health promotion advice to groups and individuals.
• Treat other people with dignity and to subscribe to the prison Sodexo Justice Service’s values.
• Commitment to team working and support.
• Ability to evidence development in care
• Excellent communication and inter personal skills
• Knowledge or experience of customer experience service delivery.   

Desirable

• Experience of working as a Health Care Assistant or experience within a Healthcare / health promotion environment.
• Phlebotomy trained
• Wound care trained
• Immunisation / Vaccination training
• Experience of working within a secure environment.
• Ability to utilise information technology sources effectively.
• Good planning and organisational skills
• NVQ 2/3 in Care if applicable.
• Level 2 Smoking Cessation Adviser qualifications.
• Previous experience in custodial setting.

Package Description

4 positions available

£22,266.25 per annum + £287.75 London weighting recurring every month.

Excellent benefits including season ticket loans, free meals, free parking, subsidised gym membership, group discount schemes, pension and 28 days holiday.

Variable shift pattern including working weekends

About the Company

In the UK and Ireland, Sodexo employs some 35,000 employees to deliver integrated facilities management services to clients at over 2,000 locations in the corporate, healthcare, education, leisure, defence and justice sectors. With an annual turnover of over £1bn, we provide everything from catering, cleaning and reception to security, laboratory and grounds maintenance services, enabling our clients to focus on their core business.

We are building on our support to the Armed Forces community through the development of specific pathways within our recruitment process to  support ex-forces personnel and reservists, those applying ;for jobs with us who meet the ideal candidate criteria for the role advertised are guaranteed to progress to the selection process.

Sodexo and our clients are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults within a regulated activity. Certain roles will require applicants to undergo screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and/ or Disclosure Scotland.