Migrant Health Healthcare Assistant Job Vacancy in South Tyneside, England, UK

Job description

Job responsibilities

JOBSUMMARY

The Migrant HealthTeam provides assessment and health interventions for individuals on the asylum or resettlement journey, including those in accommodation provided by the Home Office who arenew into the UK.

The service works with a variety of statutory andvoluntary partners to achieve these objectives and aims to bring a widerinfluence to NHS, housing and social care system to proactively identify andbetter respond to the needs of asylum seekers.

The HCA post provides a support for those on the caseloadand an initial assessment of needs of those new onto the caseload/new into theUK.

The team works closely withstaff across all disciplines between hospital, primary care and communityservices to ensure a safe, timely and effective transfer of patient care asrequired.

Communication and team workingis an essential aspect of this role. The successful candidate must be able towork both autonomously and well within a small team.

KeyRoles and Responsibilities

Thepost holder will:

Beexpected to carry out a holistic assessment in order to address both physicaland well-being needs, subsequently assisting in the setting up of supportpackages based on their assessment. This will include support with the patientshousing, physical health needs, mental health needs and any other social careneeds that the patient would benefit from been supported with.

Proactively identify and address own learningneeds, ensuring knowledge is up to date in relevant housing and welfarelegislation and local service provision.

Record work undertaken with patients accurately andtimely, using Bevan Healthcare clinical systems, enabling the collection ofmonitoring and evaluation data.

Contribute to ongoing quality service evaluation,providing in depth case studies, gathering patient feedback and on occasionparticipate in research activity.

Comply with all Bevan policies andtraining requirements.

Coordinate and organise outreach activity alongsidethe team leader.

Ensure databases remain up-to-date.

Provide clinical services including phlebotomy, TBand blood borne virus screening, new patient health assessments, obtainingclinical observations and screening for mental health problems.

Partnership and team working

Develop and maintain links, working in partnershipwith external services such as local authority housing departments, supportedaccommodation providers, street outreach teams, local specialist homeless GPservices, substance misuse, and other relevant services to ensure patientscare plans are coordinated effectively.

Patient involvement and empowerment

The post holder will:

Work with nursing colleagues to involve patients indeveloping their care plan, working transparently by managing expectations,explaining potential options in a way that patients can understand.

Support patients through the health and social careand asylum systems as appropriate.

Assist patients to understand and obtain theirwelfare, housing, legal and related rights, addressing any barriers tounderstanding and involvement such as language, culture, mental or physicalhealth.

Advocate on behalf ofindividual patients effectively, clearly communicating the relevant circumstancesof patients lives to hospital staff, multi-disciplinary teams and otherexternal agencies.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working with vulnerable adults
• Experience of successful and assertive advocacy for individuals facing social exclusion to other agencies and statutory services
• Experience of positive and proactive joint working in addressing individual needs, communicating effectively with partner organisations

Desirable

• Experience of joint working with healthcare services
• Able to demonstrate a good understanding of the challenges that asylum seekers face when accessing housing, healthcare, and other services

Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of the asylum system
• Understanding of safeguarding of vulnerable adults and children, principles and procedures
• Understanding of the importance of involving patients as fully as possible in the process of care planning
• Understanding of both patient and personal safety issues on/off site
• Understanding of data protection regulations and the need for patient consent

Desirable

• Can demonstrate an understanding of the health issues associated with chronic homelessness and social exclusion
• Understanding of the Mental Capacity Act and its relevance when working with homeless patients

Values

Essential

• Commitment to improving the health of asylum seekers
• Commitment to addressing social exclusion
• Commitment to promoting independence and patient choice
• Understanding of and commitment to equal opportunities in service delivery
• Commitment to evidence-based practice
• Committed to continuing professional development

Skills and abilities

Essential

• Full UK driving licence
• Excellent organisational skills and an ability to prioritise own caseload in a rapidly moving service
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to engage with and manage expectations of patients with complex needs
• Excellent administrative and IT skills
• Positive attitude towards working collaboratively and supportively, seeking expertise of colleagues appropriately
• Self-motivated

Qualifications

Essential

• NVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care or equivalent
• Level 2 Maths and English (e.g. GCSE grade C/4 or above)

Desirable

• NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care or equivalent
• Phlebotomy

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.