Care Assistant (Band A and Band B) - Galanos House

Care Assistant – Band A and Band B

THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION - Galanos House

Reporting to:                 Care Supervisor, Department Manager, Wellbeing Supervisor or a Nurse

Role Purpose:                Deliver compassionate and effective person-centred care that embraces our values and behaviours and respects the beliefs and experiences of everyone that we support. Contribute to enhancing the quality of life and wellbeing of our beneficiaries. Continuously strive to improve the quality of care received by our beneficiaries by working to high standards. The post holder will be required to work flexibly including nights, weekends, shifts and bank holidays, as required.

Dimensions of the Role:

Care Services forms part of the Operations Directorate of the Royal British Legion.  It incorporates the Legion’s care homes, community facilities plus the Admiral Nurse Service.  Our services are regulated because we provide:

• Treatment, care and support including both personal and nursing care to adults in care homes;
• Services for people whose rights have been restricted under the Mental Capacity Act;
• Support to carers of beneficiaries living with dementia.

The post holder will be required to comply with the regulations, legislation and guidance governing the Health and Social Care sector.

Key Responsibilities:

Delivering Person-Centred Care

• Carry out personal care including oral health, intimate care and the promotion of continence and management of incontinence.
• Assisting beneficiaries to maintain standards of personal hygiene and presentation according to needs and preferences.
• Assisting beneficiaries to effectively communicate and to manage and maintain personal aids and appliances including spectacles, hearing aids, and dentures.
• Assisting beneficiaries to take their medicines safely as delegated by a Registered Nurse and senior members of the care team.
• Monitoring beneficiaries’ conditions by taking their temperature, pulse, respiration and weight, ensuring observations are accurately recorded, and bringing any changes or concerns immediately to the attention to a shift leader/care supervisor.
• Clearly hand write or electronically record the delivery of care – when, why, how., any observations and impact.
• Monitor the physical, mental and psychological health and wellbeing of beneficiaries and report any changes in condition or concerns about condition immediately to line manager or shift leader. Adapt practice to meet needs and preferences of beneficiaries and families during times of acute illness and at end-of-life as described in care plans.

Supporting beneficiaries

• Assist in admission of beneficiaries ensuring they and their families are welcomed and orientated to the care home and introduced to staff.
• Support and assist beneficiaries to access a nutritious and balanced diet to maintain a healthy nutrition and hydration status.  Assist with the preparation of snacks and refreshments in line with any special dietary needs and assist with eating / drinking if required.
• Promote beneficiary independence, choice, dignity and respect by spending time getting to know them, thus enabling delivery of an exemplary standard of person-centred care.
• Enable and empower beneficiaries to maximise their independence and potential according to choice and with reference to care and risk plans.
• Maintain a safe workplace by monitoring beneficiary behaviour and reporting immediately any changes noticed, which may reflect health or emotional difficulties.
• Ensure appropriate use of systems, equipment and resources, and maintain accurate record keeping.
• Engage with beneficiaries to provide mental stimulation and social interaction and support them to participate in meaningful social activity, personal hobbies and interests, including staying in touch with family and friends and the wider community, and attending residents’ meetings.
• Support beneficiaries to engage in activities relevant to maintaining religious and spiritual beliefs and wellbeing.

People Management and Team Membership

• Support and assist new care and nursing team members to carry out duties safely and effectively and provide support and assistance to members of other departmental teams.
• Contribute to shift handovers, ensuring that all records are up to date and events and concerns are reported in a timely manner.
• Ensure open lines of communication are maintained with team members during each shift and that communication is accurate and timely.
• Contribute to the effective and smooth running of shifts by working in partnership to prioritise duties and adapt to changes.
• Attend staff meetings to keep up to date, share good practice and contribute to service development.
• Assist with the day-to-day support of volunteers.

Hospitality and Events Management

• Assist with the annual Festival of Remembrance, Care Homes Open Day and other key armed forces, national and community events.
• Assist at other care home events e.g. birthday celebrations; this may include evenings and weekends.

Other responsibilities related to the role

• Able to manage the physical requirements of the work including lifting of heavy/bulky objects within the published health and safety guidelines on the moving and handling of equipment and people.
• Able to respond compassionately and manage the emotional demands of supporting beneficiaries with long-term conditions, dementia and those nearing end-of-life.
• Able to work flexibly across all care categories i.e. nursing, residential, dementia or day care.
• Able to travel to undertake work related training and personal development.

This job description reflects the current scope of duties and responsibilities of the role.  The post holder may be asked, and is expected, to undertake any other duties commensurate to the grade of the post.  As duties and responsibilities change and develop, this job description will be reviewed and may be subject to amendment.

GENERAL:
 

• To work in accordance with The Royal British Legion’s shared values of Service; Collaboration; Passion; Excellence; and valuing our people - which underpins the fundamental beliefs and qualities of who we are and what we do.

• To be responsible for your own health and safety and that of your colleagues, in accordance with the Health & Safety at Work Act (1974) and relevant legislation, including reporting immediately any health and safety hazard.

• To work in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations and Data Protection Act 2018 and internal procedures regarding GDPR.

• To maintain confidentiality always. Due to the nature of the work, you may have access to material which is confidential. It is a condition of your contract of employment that you ensure that no confidential material is disclosed to unauthorised personnel.

• To implement the Equal Opportunities Policy into your daily activities.  The Royal British Legion is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity. All employees are required to work in accordance with the Equality Act (2010).

PERSON SPECIFICATION

To learn more about the role, please visit: Galanos House | Dementia Care Homes | Royal British Legion