Children's Palliative Community HCA

We’re growing our Community Team at Acorns Children's Hospice Trust!  We have an exciting opportunity in our Three Counties Hospice, Worcester for an experienced Healthcare Assistant to join the team. In this new role, you’ll deliver holistic care to children and young people with a range of complex health needs, life-limiting or life-threatening conditions in the community.  This is a part time role, working 30 hours per week.

About the Role

At Acorns Children’s Hospice, we provide specialist palliative care for children, and young people with life-limiting and life‑threatening conditions, and we support their families through every step of their journey, and through transition. Our work is defined by compassion, expertise, and an unwavering belief that every child deserves comfort, dignity, and the chance to experience joy.  Our Community Healthcare Assistants are part of a supportive, multi-disciplinary team delivering care packages that are tailored to each child’s individual holistic needs.

As a Children’s Palliative Community Healthcare Assistant, you will: 

• Work under the direction of the registered nurse to provide care in a variety of settings outside of the hospice
• Independently provide personalised care of children, young people and families as per the child’s holistic care plan and identify changes in condition, ensuring these are escalated to the registered nurse
• Empower children, young people and their relatives to make decisions about their care and to exercise choice
• Help ensure that children and young people are introduced to and encouraged to engage in a wide range of stimulating and creative activities by interaction and play, both indoors and outdoors, encouraging the use of local community facilities where appropriate
• Travel within a designated geographic area to visit patients in their homes or community settings

About You

• Care Certificate or willing to work towards
• Previous community and lone working experience
• Previous experience of working with children with complex health needs
• Ability to provide care sensitively, taking into account culture, beliefs and wishes
• Knowledge of procedures related to safeguarding adults and children
• Ability to travel independently around the Acorns region

What We Offer

• £21,600 to £22,032 per annum (£27,000 to £27,540 FTE)
• 30 hours per week
• Based around the Three Counties Hospice, Worcester (WR5 3EZ)
• Employee discounts from leading retailers – including the Blue Light Card
• Discounts on refurbished tech
• Eye Test discount
• Health cash plan
• Gym membership and equipment discount scheme
• Bike2Work scheme - save up to 42% on bikes and equipment 
• Wellbeing, legal and financial support
• Generous contribution to group personal pension plan (7.5%) or continuation of current NHS pension scheme
• NHS pension scheme life assurance or Acorns group life assurance scheme 

Interviews are scheduled to be held on 1 June

You need to be eligible to work in the UK to be considered for this role. We are committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and therefore any successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check for children and will be asked to provide two satisfactory references.  In addition, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of immunisation against specific diseases or confirm their willingness to receive the necessary vaccinations.

As a UNICEF Gold Rights Respecting organisation we are committed to ensuring that the United Nations Convention for the Rights of the Child is embedded into both culture and practice within the organisation. As an employee you will be a Duty Bearer for Children’s Rights and support all children to be Rights Holders.

If you have any questions, please contact us at recruitment@acorns.org.uk

Find out about our culture, career development, benefits and more here: Why Work for Acorns?