Current Vacancies

Personal Assistant

• Reference: PER2197
• Location: Neyland
• Hours of work: 27 hours per week
• Rate of pay: £13.45 per hour

Purpose of the Role

To provide person-centred care and support to Helen, enabling her to remain safe, comfortable and independent within her own home and community. The role involves personal care, social support, assistance with daily living activities and overnight support, whilst promoting Helen's wellbeing, dignity and quality of life.

Key Responsibilities

Personal Care Support (2:1)

You will support Helen with all aspects of personal care, including:

• Assisting with washing, bathing and showering.
• Hoisting Helen safely onto and off a shower chair.
• Providing reassurance and keeping Helen calm during personal care activities.
• Ensuring water does not enter Helen's eyes during bathing/showering.
• Assisting Helen back to her bedroom following personal care.
• Drying and dressing Helen.
• Supporting with oral hygiene and mouth care.
• Changing continence pads and maintaining personal hygiene.
• Promoting Helen's dignity, comfort and wellbeing at all times.
  
  

Social and Community Support (1:1)

• You will support Helen to remain socially active and engaged by:
• Providing companionship and emotional support.
• Accompanying Helen into the community.
• Supporting attendance at social groups, activities and appointments.
• Encouraging participation in meaningful activities and hobbies.
• Providing support during mealtimes, as Helen prefers not to eat alone.
• Encouraging and assisting Helen with exercises and games designed to build strength and maintain mobility following Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS).
• Promoting independence and choice wherever possible.
  
  

Night Support (1:1)

• You will provide overnight support to ensure Helen's comfort, safety and wellbeing, including:
• Responding to Helen's care needs throughout the night.
• Assisting with repositioning and moving Helen safely using appropriate equipment, including a hoist and slide sheet.
• Changing continence pads as required.
• Supporting with medication administration in line with agreed procedures.
• Providing drinks, snacks and meal support when required.
• Applying prescribed pain relief gel.
• Changing bedding following spills or continence-related incidents.
• Offering reassurance, companionship and emotional support, including reading to Helen when requested.
• Monitoring and responding to symptoms associated with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, including pain, disturbed sleep and episodes of loose stools.
• Supporting Helen, who may require assistance frequently during the night and may become distressed if left alone.
  
  

Person Specification

Essential

• Caring, patient and compassionate nature.
• Ability to maintain dignity, respect and confidentiality.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to follow care plans and risk assessments.
• Reliable, trustworthy and punctual.
• Willingness to undertake training relevant to the role, including moving and handling.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a support team.
  
  

Desirable

• Previous experience in care or support work.
• Experience supporting individuals with physical disabilities or neurological conditions.
• Experience using hoists, slide sheets and other moving and handling equipment.
• Medication support experience.
  
  

Personal Assistant’s will be expected to provide cover for annual leave, sickness absence and other planned or unplanned absences where reasonably possible.

Flexibility is essential, as support is required across daytime, community and overnight hours. Where a regular member of the support team is unavailable, a Personal Assistant may be asked to work additional hours, subject to agreement, to ensure continuity of care and support for Helen. Maintaining consistency of support is important to Helen's wellbeing, therefore reliability and a willingness to assist with holiday and emergency cover are highly valued. The ability to work collaboratively with other Personal Assistants and family members to ensure Helen's care needs are met at all times is essential.

Benefits:

5.6 weeks holiday per year (pro rata)

Sick pay at SSP rate

Training is provided if required.

Disclaimer:

Please note that this vacancy is not for employment with Pembrokeshire County Council. Pembrokeshire County Council has posted this advert on behalf of a Direct Payments client. The client will be the employer and holds all the employer’s responsibilities associated with this role. Pembrokeshire County Council cannot be held responsible for any actions arising out of the job role being advertised.

Safeguarding and protecting children and adults at risk is of high importance and is everybody’s business. If you have any concerns about the safeguarding of an individual, you should contact the Local Authority as soon as possible.

This appointment is subject to a DBS disclosure check, at no cost to the applicant. We recommend that the applicant register using the update service.  Being on this service will enable you to speed up any future job applications for personal assistant roles.  Please note that there is a charge of £16.00 per year applicable to this service, which will be refunded.

We request that all applicants submit online applications. If you cannot do this, please contact the Direct Payments Team on 01437 775655. Additionally, if you have any further needs or require any further support in the recruitment process, please get in touch with the Direct Payments team at 01437 775655 or by emailing directpaymentsrecruit@pembrokeshire.gov.uk.