Job Description

West Park Surgery

ROLE: Health Care Assistant

REPORTS TO: Lead Practice Nurse

HOURS: 33

Pay: Depending on experience

Overview of our organisation

We believe that the primary importance is our people. We as a team are committed to 5 values in everything we do: CARE ACCOUNTABILITY INNOVATION RESPECT EXCELLENCE.

In our quest for continual improvement and to better manage the challenges facing healthcare providers, we embrace innovation.

Our values mean that all West Park Surgery employees approach their work with a conscience and patients are our priority. We are all accountable for our work and our organisation supports our staff to have the confidence to take responsibility in their roles.

Excellence is at the heart of everything that we do.

Job summary

We are looking to recruit a Health Care Assistant to join our friendly, innovative, busy practice based in Long Eaton.

You will be joining an established team, with a patient population of 16,602 to help meet the challenges, demands of the rapidly changing nature of general practice which includes 4 partners, 7 salaried GP's, Pharmacist, 3 nurses and 1 HCA.

We form part of Erewash Health Partnership (involving 8 practices)

Previous primary care experience would be an advantage. This is an excellent opportunity for the right candidate. You will need to be flexible in your working hours to cover early mornings, evenings and possibly a Saturday if NHS England requirement.

Special Requirements for the Post

Ability to use own judgement, resourcefulness, common sense and local knowledge, to respond to patients’ enquiries and requests while adhering to practice limitations. An understanding and acceptance of ones capabilities and awareness of own limitations.

An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality.

Ability to work without direct supervision and determine own workload priorities. 

To be reliable and flexible.

To have excellent communication skills and patience.

General

As part of the nursing team, the HCA will be employed to undertake nursing and administrative duties as deemed suitable by the employer. The HCA will liaise with another member of the nursing team and there will always be a doctor available to refer to.

To work within the guidelines, standard operating procedures and policies of the Practice/Erewash Health Partnership.

To ensure that statutory requirements are always met and to implement practice policy as directed by the Practice.

To ensure that safe systems of work are practiced and that the agreed health and safety policies and fire regulations are carried out. To be aware of the responsibility of every employee to have regard for safety for him or herself and others at work in the health and safety at work act

To maintain a safe and effective level of practice and to bring any deficits in training to the attention of the Lead Practice Nurse so these can be addressed.

Training requirements will be monitored by yearly appraisal. Personal development will be encouraged and supported by the Practice. It is the individuals’ responsibility to remain up to date with recent developments. You are required to develop and maintain a Personal Learning Plan.

Although accountable to the Lead Practice Nurse, Practice Manager and Partners as an employee, you are ultimately responsible for your own practice and must ensure that limitations are always acknowledged.

The post holder will offer general assistance and support to the Practice Nursing Team, liaising closing with the Lead Practice Nurse. 

The HCA will be involved primarily in undertaking NHS Health Checks, urinalysis, phlebotomy, weight monitoring, performing ECG’s, pregnancy testing, smoking cessation advice, leg ulcer dressings as instructed by the Lead Practice Nurse, minor wound dressings, assisting the Practice Nurse and or GP with minor surgery procedures and LARC, procedures linked to QOF, administering influenza, pneumococcal and B12 injections, shingles vaccinations, chaperoning patients, assisting with practice infection control processes, assisting with the maintenance of equipment, ordering of stock and re-stocking clinical rooms, maintaining cleanliness in all areas of the practice (including toy box). 

The HCA will also be responsible for documenting his/her patient consultations on the System1 clinical information system in General Practice.

He/she will maintain patient confidentiality and will work under the direct supervision of the Lead Practice Nurse and within Practice Guidelines and Protocols at all times.

Administration and professional responsibilities

Assist in formulation of practice philosophy, strategy and policy

Attend and participate in nurse/practice meetings as required

Ensure accurate and legible notes of all consultations and treatments are recorded in the patients notes

Ensure accurate completion of all necessary documentation associated with patient health care and registration with the practice

Ensure appropriate items of service claims (clinical codes relating to payment) are made accurately, reporting any problems to the practice administrator

Ensure the clinical computer system is kept up to date with accurate details recorded

Participate in the administrative and professional responsibilities of the practice team

Ordering and display of health promotion materials

Clinical Duties

Acknowledge responsibilities and report any changes in the condition and/or circumstances of patients to a clinician

Ensure sharps bins are ready for collection

Helping to raise awareness of health and well-being and how it can be promoted

Preparing and maintaining environments and equipment before, during and after patient care interventions, including assisting GPs/Nurses during the performance of minor procedures

Restocking of clinical areas and consulting rooms

Restocking/maintenance of equipment

To act as a chaperone as required to GPs and Practice Nurses.

To act in such a manner as to support the client/patient at all times and be mindful of the need to reduce anxiety for the client/patient.

To assist in general nursing duties, under the supervision of the Practice Nursing Team, i.e. Urine testing, weight/height, blood pressure measurements, ECG recording, smoking cessation advice and any other duties that may be assigned as necessary.

To assist in re-stocking areas with health promotion materials as agreed with the Lead Practice Nurse.

To assist in seasonal and special projects as requested e.g. flu campaign

To be responsible for the processing and management of laboratory samples requested by the GP/ Practice Nurses with specific responsibility to ensure that the samples are correctly labelled, sent to the laboratory promptly and that data is entered onto the patient’s computer records.

To be responsible for the re-stocking of all clinical areas and maintaining a stock rotation system.

To carry out procedures/checks on patients attending the surgery for QOF related requirements (inc diabetic foot checks and referrals as necessary)

To ensure that drug/vaccine refrigerators are at the correct temperature on a daily basis and maintain the ‘Vaccine Cold Chain’ documented record according to Practice Guidelines, in the absence of designated Nurse.

To participate in the induction programme of staff new to the practice

To provide a phlebotomy service for patients.

To receive and document telephone messages as and when necessary and communicate to other members of the clinical team as appropriate.

To undertake appropriate formal training as required by the Practice.

Undertaking specific clinical activities for named patients that have been delegated and taught specifically in relation to that individual

General Duties

Ensure total familiarity with all appointment systems, including regular and incidental variations. To make amendments to any appointments that have been booked incorrectly communicating to the patient where necessary.

To attend relevant clinical meetings as required.

To function as an integral part of the Primary Health Care Team.

To have knowledge of and act at all times within the boundaries of Health and Safety legislation and Data Protection acts.

To report immediately to the Lead Practice Nurse or GP Safeguarding Leads any acts of omission or error to safeguard the interest of the patient.

Professional Development

To maintain a professional development plan and review annual as part of the annual appraisal

To maintain own clinical development through periods of study as agreed within the contract of employment.

To participate in an annual appraisal

Confidentiality

While seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately. In the performance of the duties outlined in this Job Description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice

staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data.

Health & Safety

The post-holder will implement and lead on a full range of promotion and management their own and others health and safety and infection control as defined in the practice Health & Safety policy, the practice Health & Safety manual, and the practice Infection Control policy and published procedures. This will include (but will not be limited to):

Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines

Awareness of national standards of infection control and cleanliness and regulatory / contractual / professional requirements, and good practice guidelines

Responsible for the correct and safe management of the specimens process, including collection, labelling, handling, use of correct and clean containers, storage and transport arrangements

Active observation of current working practices across the practice in relation to infection control, cleanliness and related activities, ensuring that procedures are followed and weaknesses / training needs are identified, escalating issues as appropriate

Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks across clinical and patient process

Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills

Monitoring practice facilities and equipment in relation to infection control, ensuring that provision of hand cleansing facilities, wipes etc are sufficient to ensure a good clinical working environment. Lack of facilities to be escalated as appropriate.

Safe management of sharps procedures including training, use, storage and disposal

Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy, clean and sterile, and safe way, free from hazards. Initiation of remedial / corrective action where needed or escalation to responsible management

Actively identifying, reporting, and correction of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised

Keeping own work areas and general / patient areas generally clean, sterile, identifying issues and hazards / risks in relation to other work areas within the business, and assuming responsibility in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness across the business in consultation (where appropriate) with other sector managers

Undertaking periodic infection control training as directed

Routine management of own team / team areas, and maintenance of work space standards

Waste management including collection, handling, segregation, container management, storage and collection

Spillage control procedures, management and training

Decontamination control procedures, management and training, and equipment maintenance

Maintenance of sterile environments (minor surgery/LARCS support)

Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

Employees must take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and

in the interests of Health and Safety.

No person shall intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided

others who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work.

requirement to be performed or complied with.

Staff must co-operate with the employer insofar as is necessary to enable a duty or

Staff must report any potential risks to the practice manager.

Equality and Diversity:

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

• Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of people’s rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with Practice procedures and policies, and current legislation

• Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues

Personal/Professional Development:

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the Practice as part of this employment, such training to include:

• Attend annual vaccination and immunisation update training

• Carry out mandatory general online and face to face training at set intervals ie resuscitation, safeguarding, health & safety etc

• Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development

• Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work

Quality:

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the Practice, and will:

• Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk

• Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision

• Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the team’s performance

• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources

• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs

Communication:

The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

• Communicate effectively with other team members

• Communicate effectively with patients and carers

• Recognise people’s needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly

Contribution to the Implementation of Services:

The post-holder will:

• Apply Practice policies, standards and guidance

• Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work

• Participate in audit where appropriate

The list of duties as outlined is not intended to be exhaustive, but indicates the main responsibilities

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

Person Specification

Closing date: 2nd April 2026 .

Contact email: debra.lewsley@nhs.net

Organisation: West Park Surgery

Location: Long Eaton

Post code: NG10 1RY