Job Title: Healthcare Assistant (HCA) / Phlebotomist
Organisation: Dr Sharma & Rai Practice Group
Contract: Permanent, Full-time 37.5 hours per week
Location: Across Dr Sharma & Rai Practice Group sites in Barking and Dagenham

Job purpose
The Healthcare Assistant / Phlebotomist will support the clinical team in delivering safe, effective and high-quality patient care within general practice.

The successful candidate must have previous HCA experience within GP practice or primary care and be competent in phlebotomy and a broad range of routine HCA duties.

Formal phlebotomy training/competency certification and recent practical phlebotomy experience are essential.

The postholder will work across different Dr Sharma & Rai Practice Group sites according to the rota. Although the usual place of work may vary between days, the postholder will normally work at one practice site for the duration of each working day and will not routinely be required to travel between sites during the working day.

The role is 37.5 hours per week, worked within practice core opening hours of approximately 08:00 - 18:30. Flexibility is required and the ability to work early starts is essential due to morning phlebotomy clinics.

Main clinical duties
The postholder will undertake duties appropriate to their training and assessed competence, including:

• Phlebotomy and appropriate specimen collection and handling.
• Blood pressure monitoring.
• Height, weight and BMI measurements.
• NHS Health Checks.
• Supporting long-term condition reviews.
• Diabetes monitoring, including diabetic foot checks.
• Performing ECGs.
• Urinalysis.
• Administering B12 injections in accordance with appropriate clinical authorisation, practice protocols and assessed competency.
• Smoking status and alcohol screening.
• Providing appropriate health-promotion and lifestyle information.
• Recording observations, results and other relevant information accurately within the patient's clinical record.
• Escalating abnormal findings or patient concerns appropriately to a registered clinician.

Patient care

• Provide patients with a professional, courteous and supportive service.
• Maintain patient dignity, privacy and confidentiality at all times.
• Explain procedures clearly and obtain appropriate consent before undertaking clinical tasks.
• Recognise the limits of own competence and seek support from a registered clinician when required.
• Identify and escalate concerns relating to a patient's condition or wellbeing appropriately.
• Work effectively with GPs, nurses and other members of the multidisciplinary practice team.

Infection prevention and clinical safety

• Follow infection prevention and control procedures at all times.
• Maintain clean, safe and appropriately stocked clinical rooms.
• Ensure clinical equipment is cleaned and stored appropriately.
• Follow procedures for the safe handling and disposal of clinical waste and sharps.
• Monitor clinical stock and report or address shortages where appropriate.
• Follow practice policies relating to health and safety, infection control and clinical governance.

Clinical records and administration

• Maintain accurate and contemporaneous patient records using the practice clinical system.
• Ensure information is coded and recorded appropriately.
• Maintain confidentiality and comply with information governance and data-protection requirements.
• Support recall, monitoring and administrative processes associated with HCA clinics where required.
• Work collaboratively with reception, administration and clinical teams to support efficient patient pathways.

Training and development
The successful candidate is expected to already be competent in the majority of the clinical duties required for this post.

Experienced nurses and other clinicians are available to provide ongoing support, competency assessment and professional development where appropriate.

The postholder will be expected to:

• Maintain and provide evidence of relevant training and competencies.
• Complete mandatory training as required.
• Participate in competency reviews and updates.
• Take responsibility for recognising and working within their own scope of competence.
• Participate in appraisal and ongoing professional development.

General responsibilities

• Work in accordance with practice policies, procedures and clinical protocols.
• Maintain patient confidentiality and comply with GDPR and information governance requirements.
• Promote equality, dignity and respectful communication.
• Contribute positively to teamwork and service improvement.
• Attend relevant practice meetings and training where required.
• Work flexibly across the practice group's sites according to operational need and the agreed rota.
• Undertake other appropriate duties consistent with the responsibilities and level of the role.

This job description outlines the main responsibilities of the post and may be reviewed as services develop, following discussion with the postholder.

Person Specification
Experience
Essential

• Previous experience working as a Healthcare Assistant within GP practice or primary care
• Recent practical phlebotomy experience
• Experience carrying out blood pressure, height, weight and BMI measurements
• Experience completing NHS Health Checks
• Experience supporting long-term condition reviews, including diabetes checks and diabetic foot assessments
• Experience performing ECGs and urinalysis
• Experience administering B12 injections within agreed protocols and competency
• Experience completing smoking and alcohol screening
• Experience recording clinical information accurately in a GP clinical system
• Experience working as part of a multidisciplinary primary care team

Desirable

• Experience using EMIS Web
• Experience using AccuRx or other primary care digital systems
• Experience working across more than one GP practice site
• Experience supporting recall programmes, health promotion or preventive care
• Experience working with patients from a diverse range of backgrounds

Qualifications
Essential

• Formal phlebotomy training and competency certification
• Evidence of appropriate training/competency to undertake Healthcare Assistant clinical duties within primary care
• Relevant mandatory clinical training appropriate to the HCA role, or willingness to complete/update this as required

Desirable

• Care Certificate
• NVQ Level 2 or Level 3 in Health and Social Care, or equivalent relevant healthcare qualification
• Additional recognised training/competency certificates relevant to primary care HCA duties

Knowledge and skills
Essential

• Good understanding of patient confidentiality, GDPR and information governance
• Good understanding of infection prevention and control and safe clinical practice
• Ability to recognise the limits of own competence and escalate clinical concerns appropriately
• Good communication and interpersonal skills with patients and colleagues
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to the wider clinical team
• Accurate and organised approach to clinical documentation and patient care
• Reliable, professional and able to manage a busy clinical workload
• Patient-focused approach with respect for dignity, privacy and individual needs
• Flexible approach to working across different practice sites according to the rota
• Ability and willingness to work early starts as required for morning phlebotomy clinics

Desirable

• Good understanding of health promotion and prevention within primary care
• Confidence using GP clinical systems and other digital healthcare systems
• Understanding of long-term condition monitoring within general practice
• Ability to contribute to service improvement and development of HCA services

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.