Job summary
This is a unique opportunity to be part of Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust and to work at one of the largest prisons in the UK. You will assist us to provide excellent primary care and substance misuse services for our population.
Offenders are a challenging population group to work with and they often have complex healthcare needs. Offenders often have chaotic lives in the community and a history of poor engagement with community healthcare services. With high rates of substance misuse and mental health problems, this is a real chance to make a difference.
Main duties of the job
You will join our established team of nurses across the prison and will be part of a multidisciplinary team supporting the following Primary Care services including First Night in Custody screening, secondary screening, venepuncture and ECG clinics, long term condition management, and health promotion. You will be supported by our friendly team of healthcare staff in an environment where no two days are the same.
We are looking for a Band 3 Healthcare Assistant from a wide variety of backgrounds. Experience of working with patients within a prison environment would be an advantage, but not essential as full support and training will be provided.
About us
Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children’s centres, schools and people’s homes.
We have over 3 sites in Devon. We operate in HMP Channings Wood, HMP Exeter and HMP Dartmoor. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:
o We’re Kind o We’re Fair o We Listen o We Care
Job description
Job responsibilities
Responding to the needs of patients in an honest, non judgemental and open manner, which respects the rights of individuals and groups.
Actively engaging with patients in the provision of holistic, needs-led care which takes into account the physical, psychological, emotional, social and spiritual needs of individuals and groups.
Demonstrates a commitment to equal opportunities for all people.
Demonstrates a knowledge of the term professional boundaries and how to applying this to working with patients, offenders and others.
Responding to the needs of people sensitively with regard for age, culture, race, gender, ethnicity, religion and disability, especially regarding patient privacy and dignity
Understanding the need for promoting health & well-being and the delivery of health promotion activities and programmes (including patient self-help programmes) in support of a registered nurse.
Understanding the need for and assisting patients to attain optimal physical health and assisting with physical procedures in support of a registered nurse.
Demonstrating good verbal and non-verbal communication skills
Contributing appropriately to risk assessment and individualised care planning
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential
- Care experience (essential)
- NVQ level 3 or equivalent experience (desirable)
- Able to effectively communicate in English both verbally and in writing. This will mean that you can take part in conversations with patients and colleagues, expressing yourself in fluent English and have no difficulty in making yourself understood.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of facilitating /planning /supporting groups in a healthcare setting i.e., health improvement/ smoking cessation/ activities.
- Physical skills to support working in a prison setting i.e., providing patient care, carrying out tests/observations.
- Experience of being able to work within policy frameworks in a regulated patient care setting
Skills /Abilities /Knowledge
Essential
- Ability to assess risk and care plan effectively, whilst understanding the needs and rights of people.
- Participate in any audits, research projects
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.
Closing Date: 09 May 2023
