Health Care Support Worker ManagerNHS

Job summary

The Health Care Support Worker Manager provides day-to-day leadership and support for the Health Care Support Workers within either the Inpatient Unit or Hospice at Home service. They ensure that the fundamental aspects of care are delivered consistently and compassionately, and that patients and families feel respected, listened to and well supported.

Working closely with the Head of Inpatient Unit / Head of Hospice at Home and the Nurse Manager, the Health Care Support Worker Manager coordinates the deployment, supervision and development of Health Care Support Worker s, helping them to work safely and confidently within their roles. They champion high standards of personal care, communication, dignity and comfort, and support staff to work effectively as part of the wider multidisciplinary team.

The Health Care Support Worker Manager is first and foremost a people manager for the Health Care Support Worker team. They are responsible for setting clear expectations, delivering monthly one-to-one meetings, undertaking return-to-work discussions, and managing attendance, performance and conduct in line with hospice policies. Alongside promoting excellent hands-on care, they ensure that support workers are well led, well supported and held to consistent standards so that the quality of care and staff experience remain high.

Main duties of the job

Leadership and coordination of support workers

• Provide visible, day-to-day leadership and support for Health Care Support Workers within the service.
• Coordinate the allocation of Health Care Support Worker priorities agreed with the Nurse Manager and Head of Service.
• Ensure support workers understand their responsibilities, work within their competence and know how to seek help or escalate concerns.

Staff supervision, development and wellbeing

• Line manage Health Care Support Workers, providing clear expectations, regular feedback and supportive day-to-day guidance.
• Deliver monthly one-to-one meetings for all direct reports, using the hospice one-to-one framework to review performance, behaviour, wellbeing and development needs.
• Complete return-to-work meetings following sickness absence in line with hospice policy, ensuring supportive but firm management of attendance and escalation where patterns cause concern.
• Address performance or conduct issues at an early stage, having timely conversations, documenting concerns and escalating to the Head of Service and HR where formal processes are required.
• Ensure Health Care Support Workers complete mandatory training, the Care Certificate (where applicable) and role-specific competencies within required timescales, maintaining accurate records of compliance.

Job description

Key Responsibilities

Leadership and coordination of support workers

• Provide visible, day-to-day leadership and support for Health Care Support Workers within the service.
• Coordinate the allocation of Health Care Support Worker priorities agreed with the Nurse Manager and Head of Service.
• Ensure support workers understand their responsibilities, work within their competence and know how to seek help or escalate concerns.

Quality, safety and clinical governance

• Promote safe and effective practice by Health Care Support Workers, including adherence to care plans, infection prevention and control, moving and handling and documentation standards.
• Ensure Health Care Support Workers use the hospice incident reporting system appropriately and support them to document, follow up and learn from incidents, near misses, complaints and compliments.
• Lead or support local audits and quality improvement activities relevant to Health Care Support Worker practice and the fundamental aspects of care.

Staff supervision, development and wellbeing

• Line manage Health Care Support Workers, providing clear expectations, regular feedback and supportive day-to-day guidance.
• Deliver monthly one-to-one meetings for all direct reports, using the hospice one-to-one framework to review performance, behaviour, wellbeing and development needs.
• Complete return-to-work meetings following sickness absence in line with hospice policy, ensuring supportive but firm management of attendance and escalation where patterns cause concern.
• Address performance or conduct issues at an early stage, having timely conversations, documenting concerns and escalating to the Head of Service and HR where formal processes are required.
• Ensure Health Care Support Workers complete mandatory training, the Care Certificate (where applicable) and role-specific competencies within required timescales, maintaining accurate records of compliance.
• Support HCSW wellbeing, recognising the emotional impact of the work and encouraging use of supervision, reflection and available support services.
• Contribute to the development and progression of Health Care Support Workers, identifying staff with potential for additional responsibility or future roles and supporting their growth.

Staffing, rota oversight and deployment

• Work with the Head of Service, Nurse Manager and the Administration team to ensure safe deployment of Health Care Support Workers within the agreed rota and workforce plan.
• Provide clear information on HCSW staffing requirements, skill mix and competency needs to inform rota planning.
• Respond to short-term HCSW staffing issues on the day, reallocating staff in line with agreed principles, and escalating gaps or concerns to the Head of Service and Nurse Manager.
• Patient, family and carer experience
• Promote a culture of kindness, respect and good communication in all HCSW interactions with patients, families and carers.
• Encourage Health Care Support Workers to involve patients in decisions about their daily care, and to feed back any concerns, preferences or changes in condition.
• Gather feedback related to HCSW-delivered care and share themes with the Nurse Manager and Head of Service.

Teamwork and culture

• Help foster a supportive, inclusive and learning culture for Health Care Support Workers and the wider team.
• Act as a role model for hospice values and professional behaviours.
• Work collaboratively with the Nurse Manager and Clinical Practice Lead to ensure joined up leadership across nursing and care staff.

About us

Rotherham Hospice is a charity dedicated to the people of Rotherham, offering specialist palliative and end of life care to our community since 1996.

We provide comprehensive, compassionate care through two primary patient services:

• 24-hour, 14-bed Inpatient Service
• 24-hour Hospice at Home Service

Additionally, we offer wider support to patients and their families through:

• Complementary therapies & hairdressing
• Counselling and Bereavement Support for adults, children and teenagers
• Day services with individual and group sessions
• Family memory events
• Occupation therapy and physiotherapy
• Social work
• Spiritual care
• Tailored experiences for patients and loved ones