Purbeck Personal Assistants 01929 501204

Reports to: Victoria Gallagher-White 

Purpose of role: To support clients with all aspects of their day to day living, so they can enjoy the best possible quality of life. You will mostly work alone with various clients in their own homes. Providing care and support offers many rewards, but can also be challenging. Compassion, good communication skills and a calm and caring manner are essential for this important role in our company.  

Key responsibilities: 

• To provide safe, reliable, compassionate care and support to meet the individual needs and wishes of each client.  
• Each person is unique. You must respect each clients’ choice about how their care and support is given and promote their dignity at all times.  
• You may be the only person the Client sees over a period of time, it is therefore essential to report any changes or causes for concern to your line manager promptly. 
• You need to be clear about when to seek help and advice in order to keep clients safe and promote their wellbeing.  

Duties:

• Care and support - Give non-discriminatory care and support that values the whole person rather than merely seeing a list of care needs.  
• Carefully listen and observe how each client prefers their care and support to be delivered on a day to day basis.  
• Help each client to make their own decisions so they can be as independent as possible.  
• Follow the instructions in the client’s care and support plan agreed with each client. This may include:  

1. All aspects of personal care such as showering and bathing, dressing and grooming, dental hygiene, toileting and continence care.   
2. Assisting with medicines, ordering and collecting prescriptions or returning unwanted medicines to the pharmacy for safe disposal. 
3. Supporting the client to eat and drink well. For example, helping the Client to plan what to eat and drink, giving gentle encouragement, shopping, preparing and serving food and drinks, clearing the table, washing up and keeping the kitchen area clean and tidy, agreeing with the Client how to store food safely and when to dispose of out of date produce.  
4. Safely using aids and personal equipment in a manner that respects the dignity of Clients. For example walking frames, wheelchairs, manual and electric hoists, sliding sheets and moving boards, hearing aids and other physical aids   
5. Housework such as dusting, tidying, washing floors, vacuuming and sweeping, doing the laundry and ironing, making beds and changing the linen. 
6. Social and physical activities or mental stimulation such as keeping in touch with friends/relatives, taking a Client out shopping or to social activities, hobbies such as reading, photo albums, games, etc.  
7. Supporting a Client through temporary and terminal illness, including end of life care, hospital appointments, liaising with community health support and families. 

• Record and report all relevant Client information: 

1. The care and support that you provide 
2. Assistance with medicines  
3. Changes to a Client’s condition or other concerns e.g. faulty equipment or hazards in the home 
4. Response to emergencies, accidents, incidents and safeguarding matters 
5. Contact with families or carers and other professionals  
6. Any Other matters as required by Purbeck Personal Assistants procedures  

• Keep all information about Clients and their families secure and confidential 
• Work well as part of the Purbeck Personal Assistants team  
• Follow Purbeck Personal Assistants policies, procedures and guidance at all times 
• Take part in staff and Client meetings  
• Attend training activities, supervisor and appraisal meetings  

This list is not exhaustive and you may be asked to carry out additional duties.  

We will provide you with full training in line with regulatory requirements.  This is part of your personal development as a Personal Assistant and is a requirement.  You will not be charged for any training provided and will not be paid for any training completed.  

Role specification:  

This provides a picture of the skills, knowledge and experience you must have to carry out the role.  

Essential criteria  

Personal attributes:  

1. Caring and compassionate towards people in need of care and support  
2. Dedicated to non-discriminatory care practice. This means respecting people suffering from a range of medical conditions with different backgrounds and beliefs to your own.  
3. Self-motivated and keen to learn.  
4. Willing to seek guidance when needed and to follow instructions  
5. Excellent time keeper and reliable  
6. Good hygiene practice, including personal hygiene and a smart appearance  
7. Good stamina and level of fitness to meet the physical demands of the job  
8. Knowledge and understanding  
9. General understanding of the needs of people who require care and support  
10. Respect for the rights of our Clients.  
11. Understanding the importance of giving the best possible care and support centred on the individual needs and wishes of each Client  
12. Understanding about the importance of confidentiality and what this means as a care assistant  

Experience and skills  

1. Ability to listen, communicate clearly and build positive working relationships with Clients, their families, Purbeck Personal Assistants staff and other social and health care professionals  
2. Ability to give care and support to Clients with all aspects of their daily living.  
3. To always respect their dignity, privacy and choices, be non- judgmental and promote their independence.  
4. Good organisational skills, so Clients receive the services they expect. Ability to use own initiative and work alone or as part of a team especially in an emergency.  
5. Numerical skills to support Clients in managing their money and buying shopping or paying bills when requested to do so  
6. Ability to keep written records in clear English about the care and support given to each Client, including help with medicines.  
7. Ability and willingness to follow Purbeck Personal Assistants' policies, procedures and instructions and to participate in relevant training  

Additional requirements  

• All staff are expected to meet regulatory training standards.  
• Personal assistants must attend initial induction training with Purbeck Personal Assistants before providing care and support to our Clients.  
• During the first 12 weeks you will continue to receive on the job and classroom based training to help you fully understand your role.  
• You must be willing to participate in ongoing training so you can continue to give good and safe care and support.  
• You will need to obtain an Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service formally known as the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA)  
• Class 1 business insurance and current MOT (if using own car for business purposes)  

Desirable criteria  

• A relevant care and/or health qualification  
• Previous experience as a care assistant or as an unpaid carer  
• Knowledge of how to recognise abuse and safeguarding procedures  
• Working knowledge of health and safety matters relating to home care  
• Flexible approach to working