As a Healthcare Assistant based at HMP Chelmsford your days will be rewarding and varied, your responsibilities will include; providing high quality patient care under the guidance of qualified nurses and therapists, setting up and preparing for clinics and supporting patients attending clinics.

As part of our commitment to your lifelong learning we offer the care certificate to all our unregistered health care professionals. This is the start of your education and training with us and forms part of a robust induction programme giving you the fundamental evidence-based training to support you in your role with us.

The Care Certificate is an agreed set of standards that define the knowledge, skills and behaviours we expect of specific job roles in health and social care services.

You will also have the opportunity to then build and develop your skills and knowledge through the Trainee Nursing Associate programme and qualify as an NMC registered Nursing Associate. Please note that, in any case, the healthcare staff will not be expected to be responsible for or involved with prisoners' restraints.

The role will include 12.5 hour shift work on a rotary pattern with flexible work days. Including night work, every other weekend with night and weekend enhancements greatly topping up the stated salary.

Shifts are between the hours of 7am and 7pm. If you were to work full time hours, you would typically work 3 days one week and 4 the other.

About our prisons service:

We operate round-the-clock, nurse-led healthcare including prisoner screening on arrival and all primary care such as minor surgery, in-patient units, and prescribing. We also coordinate a wide range of other service providers, such as GP practices, to provide seamless care.

The safety of our team and the people we look after, particularly the most vulnerable, is our priority and we work closely with prison management. We also maximise the amount of ‘wing-based’ care given, which not only helps us to reduce risk posed by moving prisoners, but also helps improve waiting times and reduce the number of missed appointments.

Our motivated teams are driven by our belief that if you are a prisoner, you should receive same level of healthcare that you would in the community. We know that improving prisoners’ short and long-term health reduces their likelihood of reoffending.

You will feel valued as a HCA with HCRG Care Group, receiving access to exclusive rewards and benefits including:

• Competitive salary with weekend enhancements and group pension
• Flexible working to provide you with that true work / life balance
• Access to our Strive for Better networks, a national support and professional network made up of NHS professionals like you, giving you the chance to constantly develop industry-leading care and quality
• Access to Reward Gateway - our staff benefits scheme which grants you access to premium offers and discounts on practical spending at national supermarkets and well known retailers as well as special treats like Virgin Experience Days and Leisure Vouchers
• Access to our free well-being service available 24/7/365 online and by telephone including; counsellors, post trauma incident support, legal, debt and practical life management helpline, guided self-help, telephonic career coaching and monthly well-being newsletters
• We are pleased to offer access to Wagestream - which lets you track your pay throughout the month and stream your earned wages into your bank account if you need them. No more high-interest loans or overdraft fees - simply get paid as you go.
• A committed Learning and Development team who work closely with Universities and Health Education England to further your potential and support your progression
• Access to a range of courses and e-learning to develop further skills, bespoke career pathways and opportunities continuing your professional development
• Innovative forward-thinking culture with the opportunity to put forward your ideas to contribute to the way we work. You will be encouraged to apply for national funding to drive your initiatives locally to benefit our patients and service users
• Rewarding and supportive teams, you will be recognised and have opportunities to recognise others by nominating for local and national awards annually and taking part in our new virtual “Ask our Executives” event, where you can submit questions to the board and hear updates regularly on company strategy and objectives
• Working in an environment focused on the highest clinical and quality standards with most of our services being rated overall good or outstanding by the Care Quality Commission

Within this role, you will:  

• Work as part of the multidisciplinary team participating in procedures and duties in accordance with agreed standards relevant to role
• Participate in the assessment process of care needs and implementation of programmes of holistic care within set standards
• Extend current practice in line with HCRG Care Group policy, including the dispensing of prescribed medication under supervision
• Undertake all aspects of medicines management related activities listed below in accordance with HCRG Care Group medicines policy where appropriate training has been given and competencies have been achieved: medicine administration and understanding of supervised and in-possession medicines, ordering of medicines, safe storage of medicines, safe transportation of medicines. Attend appropriate training and maintain competencies in relevant areas
• Work in partnership with clients ensuring privacy and dignity is maintained
• Assist in promotion of health and wellbeing of clients
• Undertake clinical interventions as delegate by a senior team member
• Maintain close liaison with the senior team member who is responsible for the workload
• Maintain clear and comprehensive, signed and contemporaneous records according to HCRG Care Group procedures
• Assist with clerical and administrative duties as required
• Work in co-operation with all other professionals and agencies involved in the care the client

You will have a resilient and 'can-do' attitude, be passionate about delivering a high level of care and looking for a role where no 2 days are the same. Previous care experience is not essential.

There may also be the opportunity to take on night shifts dependent on service requirements. 

You will be confident using IT systems and be able to demonstrate working knowledge of Microsoft Office packages i.e. Outlook, Word, Excel.

We change lives by transforming health and care. 

Established in 2006 we are one of the UK's leading independent providers of community health and care services, working with health and care commissioners and communities to transform services with a focus on experience, efficiency and improved outcomes. We deliver and transform adult and children community health services, primary care services including urgent care, sexual health, dermatology and MSK services as well as adult social care and wellbeing services. Across England, we support communities of many millions and directly help more than half a million people each year - guided by our simple values: we care, we think, we do.

We're committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from a broad, diverse range of people who want to join our team. We’re a Disability Confident Committed company, so we work to provide facilities, work environment adjustments and technical solutions to be as inclusive of everyone.

While it doesn’t happen often, sometimes a role is very popular, and we’ll need to close it earlier than the date we’ve shown here. If you’re keen to join our team, we’d love to hear from you so please apply as soon as you can.

As you’d expect, safeguarding and protecting the children, young people and vulnerable adults that we work with is of the utmost importance so we have policies and procedures in place to promote safeguarding and safer working practices and everyone who joins the team is subject to a safer recruitment process, including the disclosure of criminal records and vetting checks.

Finally, we need to let you know that the company you’ll work for is part of HCRG Care Group Holdings Limited and by applying for this job we’ll need to process and hold information about you. If you would like to know a little more about how we use your information, please see our website's privacy policy.