Care Assistant / Carer
6 hours ago
£15–£16.5 hourly
Full-time
Enfield
Personal Care Assistant – 24-Hour Care Support We are looking for a reliable, professional and experienced Personal Care Assistant to provide long-term support to an adult client with a spinal cord injury in their own home. The client requires 24-hour care and comprehensive assistance with personal care and daily living. We are particularly interested in applicants who are mature in outlook, calm, dependable, respectful, well-presented and experienced in providing high-quality personal care. Consistency is extremely important, and we are looking for someone interested in becoming part of a stable, long-term care team. Main Duties Responsibilities will include: • Providing high-quality personal care and assistance with daily living, • Assisting with washing, bathing, dressing and grooming, • Supporting toileting and other intimate personal-care routines, • Assisting with safe transfers and mobility, • Repositioning and supporting pressure-care routines where required, • Following the client’s established care plan and daily routine, • Supporting the client’s independence wherever possible, • Preparing meals and drinks, • Light household duties associated with the client’s care, • Keeping the client’s immediate environment clean, tidy and hygienic, • Following appropriate infection-control and hand-hygiene procedures, • Providing companionship and general day-to-day assistance, • Respecting the client’s privacy, dignity, personal choices and boundaries, • Communicating appropriately with healthcare professionals or other members of the care team when required Spinal Cord Injury & Care Experience Previous experience supporting someone with a spinal cord injury is strongly preferred. Applicants with substantial experience in complex personal care are also encouraged to apply. Experience or training in the following would be particularly beneficial: • Spinal cord injury care, • Complex personal care, • Moving and handling, • Safe transfers, • Pressure-area care and repositioning, • Supporting wheelchair users, • Infection prevention and control Any necessary role-specific training can be discussed with suitable applicants. Personal Hygiene & Presentation Due to the close-contact and intimate nature of the care provided, excellent personal hygiene is an essential requirement of this position. Applicants must: • Maintain a consistently high standard of personal cleanliness and hygiene, • Arrive for every shift clean, fresh and appropriately presented, • Wear clean clothing suitable for providing personal care, • Maintain good hand and nail hygiene, • Maintain good oral hygiene, • Follow appropriate handwashing and infection-control procedures, • Avoid strong or excessive fragrances while providing close-contact care, • Ensure that their personal hygiene does not compromise the client’s comfort or the cleanliness of the care environment These standards are expected to be maintained consistently throughout employment. Communication & English Language Clear communication is essential to providing safe and effective care. Applicants must: • Be able to speak and understand English to a good standard, • Communicate clearly and confidently with the client, • Understand and follow verbal instructions, • Be able to read and understand written care instructions, care plans and safety information, • Communicate effectively with healthcare professionals and other members of the care team when required, • Be capable of communicating clearly and appropriately in an emergency Personal Qualities We are looking for someone who: • Has a mature, calm and professional approach, • Is reliable, punctual and dependable, • Is trustworthy and respectful, • Maintains excellent personal hygiene and presentation, • Is patient and understanding, • Is comfortable providing close-contact and intimate personal care, • Respects the client’s home, privacy and personal boundaries, • Can follow an established routine and care plan, • Has good communication skills, • Understands the importance of confidentiality, • Is interested in providing consistent, long-term support due to the intimate personal-care requirements of the role and the client’s privacy and dignity. This preference/requirement will only be applied where permitted under the Equality Act 2010 and where an occupational requirement is applicable.