JOB TITLE:

Health Care Assistant

RESPONSIBLE TO:  Head of Care

LOCATION:

Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice Coventry

SALARY:

£24,250 to £27,350 per annum (depending on experience)

JOB SUMMARY

Health Care Assistants will work as part of a team to support the clinical team and outside agencies
in providing specialised short break and palliative care. The postholder will ensure that all care and
interactions are of the highest standards. Following robust competency assessments, the
postholder will carry out clinical care, and provide holistic individualised care and support to
children and their families.

About us

Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice is nurse-led, providing 24-hour short breaks and end of life support for
babies and children up to the age of six who have life-limiting/life-threatening complex needs.

Service delivery

Ensure that all aspects of the role specification are met and that the service provided is culturally
sensitive and appropriate for all sections of the communities we serve.

Main duties of the job

•  Maintain high standards that reflect best practice guidelines, organisational policies, and

hospice values.

•  Actively encourage a family atmosphere within the hospice.

•  Take charge on clinical shifts, ensuring that staff are supported and competent to carry out

workload.

•  Ensure good time management and punctuality and maintain a professional appearance at all

times. Conduct yourself at all times in a professional manner.

•  Adhere to Zoe’s Place policies and procedures, guidelines and standards at all times and

promote these to others.

•  Ensure that all patient notes are accurate and thorough in accordance with professional and

organisational standards.

•  Attend and participate in an annual appraisal and regular reviews of performance and

objectives, identifying gaps in knowledge/skills and developing a plan to enhance service and
self-development.

•  Encourage and promote the philosophy of Zoe’s Place and present a good public image.

Health Care Assistant job description & person specification, January 2025

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Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice

•  Co-operate with all staff in maintaining good relationships with outside agencies in order to

uphold the Charity’s image and win increased support for our work.

•  Report any incidents and accidents to the Nurse in charge in a timely manner and ensure that

they are recorded in the appropriate documentation.

•  Promote and maintain dignity, privacy and confidentiality at all times.

Other duties and skills required

Communication and relationships

•  Maintain appropriate and respectful professional relationships with patients, families,

colleagues, other staff and stakeholders to enhance service delivery.

•  Strong verbal and written communication skills with experience in using an Electronic Patient

Record system.

•  Ensure that effective communication is maintained between staff on each shift.

•  Maintain accurate record-keeping and documentation. Ensure that risk assessments are

reviewed regularly and staff are informed of any changes.

•  Attend and help to organise regular staff meetings, cascading any information that may be

useful to staff.

•  Acknowledge and accommodate barriers to communication and understanding, including

speech, hearing, language and emotion.

•  Encourage and champion collaborative team working.

•  Be aware of the Zoe’s Place Freedom to speak up: raising concerns/whistleblowing policy

and signpost staff to this policy if they have any concerns.

•  Ensure an up-to-date knowledge of the Organisation’s Complaints and concerns policy and deal
with any complaints in a sensitive and professional manner, with escalation to the Head of Care
when required.

•  Understand and adhere to professional boundaries within a health care setting.

•  Communicate effectively with families and children with a range of complex care needs and

disabilities.

Leadership and management

•  Act as a positive role model to other staff ensuring good practice and the provision of a high

standard of care.

•  Act as an ambassador for Zoes Place promoting the hospice mission and values at all times.

•  Ensure effective use of hospice resources.

Health Care Assistant job description & person specification, January 2025

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Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice

Clinical

•  Establish and maintain effective communication with children, families and professionals across

health and social care services.

•  Admit children with complex care needs for respite.

•  Discharge children with complex care needs.

•  To look after children with complex care needs during their respite; follow an individualised

care plan to the highest standard

•  Provide psycho-social, emotional and physical care and support to children and families.

•  Create a warm, welcoming, caring and safe environment, which is child friendly.

•  Understand your own professional limitations and recognise the need to refer to other members

of the multi-disciplinary team.

•  Create opportunities for legacy building (memory-making) for families by providing them with

options and resources.

Training, education and quality

•  Be responsible for your own professional development

•  Participate in the hospice appraisal system and access training opportunities to improve your

own knowledge and skills.

•  Participate in clinical supervision and safeguarding supervision.

•  Attend the Organisation’s mandatory and statutory study days as directed by your line manager.

Health and safety

•  Comply with all organisational policies, procedures or systems of work and ensure that they are

cascaded appropriately to the clinical team.

•  Take reasonable care of your own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by

what you do or do not do.

•  Ensure a safe working environment by reporting all hazards and incidents.

•  Ensure the reporting of any risks to nurses or management.

Infection prevention and control

•  Follow all infection prevention and control policies ensuring these are adhered to by all staff,
so that patients are cared for in a clean environment and receive the highest standards of
clinical care.

•  Attend any infection prevention and control meetings at the request of the Head of Care.

•  Ensure that you use the personal protective equipment provided by the Organisation.

•  Ensure that infection control in the hospice environment is maintained at a high standard and

encourage staff to do the same.

This job description is not an exhaustive description of the role and will develop and change to
meet the evolving needs of the service.

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Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice

PERSON SPECIFICATION: HEALTH CARE ASSISTANT

CRITERIA

ESSENTIAL

DESIRABLE

Experience of working with
children and families with
complex needs and life-
limiting illnesses.

Has been involved in
developing and reviewing
policies and procedures.

Has been involved in
developing clinical
competencies.

Ability to deal with difficult
situations.

Qualifications

•  NVQ level 2 / Care certificate

Experience/
knowledge

•  Experience working as a HCA or in a

school/nursery/healthcare environment

Skills, knowledge
& competencies

•  Excellent communication skills.

•  Enthusiastic and motivated with a good

conscientious attitude.

•  Flexibility to meet service demand.

•  Problem solving and decision making skills.

•  Ability to work within a team setting.

•  Ability to follow instructions but use own

initiative for the best interests of the child,
family and service.

Attributes

•  Caring and approachable.

•  Good interpersonal skills.

•  Ability to provide holistic care.

•  Ability to follow policies and procedures.

•  Ability to follow instructions from senior

members of the team.

•  Ability to work shifts including nights and

weekends.

•  Reliable, punctual and organised.

•  Demonstrates commitment to equal

opportunities.

•  Ability to maintain professional boundaries.

•  Aware of responsibilities in relation to data

protection and confidentiality.

•  Awareness of the skills, interactions and

models that underpin effective
communication with children who have life-
limiting/life-threatening conditions and
their families.

Other

•  Understanding of clinical governance and

able to apply this to practice.

•  Work shifts, day and night.

Staff signature………………………………………………….                                  Date………………………….

Health Care Assistant job description & person specification, January 2025

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