Care Practitioner

Purpose of the Position

To meet the personal care needs of service users in a way that respects the dignity of the individual and promotes independence. Care provided by care practitioners is expected to include care that would be reasonably given by the members of the service users’ own family and is not expected to include tasks that would normally be expected to be undertaken by a trained nurse.

Person Specification – Essential Criteria

• Self motivated
• Good organisational skills
• Flexible within a working environment
• Caring and sensitive to needs of others
• Empathetic towards others
• An active team player
• Ability to work on own initiative
• Good communication skills; written and verbal
• Ability to display professional integrity
• Ability to work in accordance with company policies and procedures and governing legislation

Principal Responsibilities

• To follow the directions of the Branch Manager and/or co-ordinator in the care to be provided to each individual service user
• To assist service users, who need help with getting up in the morning, dressing, undressing washing, bathing and toileting
• To help service users with mobility problems and other physical disabilities, including incontinence; help in use of aids and personal equipment
• To help care for service users who are dying
• To help in the promotion of mental and physical activity of service users through talking to them, taking them out, sharing with them in activities such as reading, writing, hobbies and recreations as indicated on the care plan
• To make and change beds; tidy rooms; do light cleaning and empty commodes.
• To launder service user’s clothing
• To set tables and trays; serve meals; feed service users who need help; prepare light meals and wash up
• To read and write reports; take part in staff and service users’ meetings and in training activities as directed
• To perform such other duties as may be reasonably required.
• To comply with the Organisation’s guidelines and policies and procedures at all times.
• To report to the Co-ordinator and/or Branch Manager any significant changes in the health or circumstances of a service user
• To encourage service users to remain as independent as possible
• To attend regular one-one supervision meetings and development sessions
• To be observed through ongoing spot checks and direct observations conducted within your working environment, attending further training and support sessions where specified
• To attend quarterly care practitioner team meetings

Health and Safety Responsibilities

• Take responsibility for your health and safety in the workplace and the wellbeing of colleagues and service users around you
• To ensure all measures are taken to prevent injury to you, your colleagues and service users affected by your actions and omissions at work
• To work in accordance with the company’s health and safety policy and procedure [HR02]
• To work in accordance with health and safety obligations instilled during attendance to training programmes
• Responsible for the attendance to Westminster Homecare’s Induction training programme
• Responsible for the attendance to all required health and safety update training programmes, internally and externally conducted
• To work in accordance with the health and safety guidelines of the Homecare Workers Handbook
• To effectively report accidents and incidents regarding service users, personal events and supporting colleagues
• To effectively report accidents under RIDDOR to your Line Manager with immediate effect
• To effectively record accidents and incidents regarding service users, personal events and supporting colleagues
• To effectively assess the working environment upon each individual visit made to a service user’s home
• To effectively report any identified health and safety risks immediately to your Line Manager
• To effectively report observed changes to your working conditions that increase risk to you or the service user
• To effectively report changes in your medical wellbeing that pose a risk to you, a colleague or a service user within your working environment
• Responsible for using any moving and handling equipment in accordance with training programmes, company policies and procedures and governing legislation
• Responsible for using personal protective equipment (P.P.E.) provided by Westminster Homecare
• To work in accordance with infection control guidance and training
• Attentive to the use of electrical appliances within a service user’s home
• Attentive to the use of cleaning products within a service user’s home
• To work in accordance with the company’s medication policy and procedure [CM03]
• To work in accordance with the service user’s individual care and support planning documentation
• To effectively read a service user’s care planning documentation and any supporting records prior to carrying out the care and support recorded within the care and support planning documentation
• We are an equal opportunities employer and through our policy on Equal Opportunities we aim to conform to the Race Relations act 1976.
• All staff are required to respect confidentiality of all matters that they might learn in the course of their employment.

All staff are expected to respect the requirements under the Data Protection Act 1998. All staff must ensure that they are aware of their responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. All applicants will be required to undergo a check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS formally CRB) prior to employment.