Careers with Surrey County Council
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Surrey County Council Early Careers: Care Assistant

What is a Care Assistant?

Are you interested in a healthcare career? In this junior role, you play an important part in making the lives of people in residential care homes (or day-care service users) more comfortable, safe, and happy. Your duties will range from medication to domestic and social activities.

Tell me more…

You’ll be part of a team delivering direct care services to individuals in their own homes and in-house residential establishments across the county. Together, you will help to attend to the personal, practical, social and emotional care needs of residents and Day Care service users with a view to creating a supportive and homely atmospherein which residents / service users can achieve their maximum independence, stimulation and choice.

What will this role involve?

You will undertake continual appropriate, accurate and legible record keeping, including completion of daily notes and care plans, and undertake all duties in accordance with departmental policy, procedures and practice, including health and safety at work.

You will administer medication in accordance with support plans, medication records and departmental policy and procedures.

You’ll develop the appropriate skills and knowledge of care by attendance and participation in supervision, monitoring meetings and training courses.

You’ll promote residents’ rights / choice, undertake any duties as directed by the Home Manager, and notify the Duty Officer of any significant change in the residents or clients.

You’ll take part in social activities at the home, ensure that laundry requirements are met and carry out kitchen and domestic duties as directed.

The role may involve participating in lifting and handling in relation to service users.

If you’re working for a care home, you will act as a key worker having particular responsibility for the care of a group of assigned residents, including introduction to the home, contribution to the continual assessment of care plans, and will contribute information for reviews and / or case conferences on individual residents / service users.

Following an established care plan, you’ll report to the supervisor and carry out routine tasks… and you will be trained to respond in an appropriate manner to more unusual tasks or situations.

What skills do you need?

The most important thing you need is a willingness to learn and a desire to care for others. You will also need:

• Basic numeracy and literacy, with potential for further study where appropriate.
• Ability to understand basic Health and Safety and other relevant procedures.
• Caring skills in order to provide front line support to service users.
• Ability to fulfil all spoken, written and comprehension aspects of the role with confidence through the medium of English in all public facing roles.
• Accuracy and ability to follow instructions.
• An organised approach to work.
• Reliable and able to work without stringent supervision.
• Satisfactory DBS clearance might be required.