Job Title: Senior Healthcare Assistant (HCA)
Service Area: Clinical Services – Recovery Unit
Locations: Usher’s Island
Salary: 39,463.75
Role:
The Healthcare Assistant (HCA) provides person-centred, practical, and compassionate care to adults living in long-term supported accommodation who have complex needs. These may include mental health difficulties, addiction, chronic physical illness, mobility issues, and the long-term impact of homelessness. Working within a trauma-informed and recovery-focused environment, the HCA supports service users to maintain dignity, improve wellbeing, and engage in daily living activities. This is a demanding but highly rewarding role, delivered in close collaboration with on-site service teams and primary care nursing services.
The HCA builds respectful and trusting relationships with highly vulnerable adults, offering non-judgemental support and encouraging engagement in daily routines and wellbeing activities. The role requires a compassionate and respectful approach, strong communication and teamwork skills, and a willingness to provide personal care and practical support while adhering to safeguarding, infection control, and health and safety procedures.
Responsibilities:
Personal Care & Daily Living Support
· Support clients with activities of daily living (ADLs), including:
· Showering, personal hygiene, grooming, and dressing
· Laundry and clothing care
· Bed changing and maintaining a clean, safe bedroom environment
· Encourage independence while providing hands-on support where required
· Observe, monitor, and report changes in physical or mental health to the Nurse Manager or service team
· Demonstrate willingness to upskill and support the primary care nursing team by accurately monitoring and recording vital signs, including blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature, with an understanding of normal parameters and escalation procedures.
· Build and maintain therapeutic, professional relationships with clients to promote trust, dignity, and trauma-informed care.
· Engage with and provide appropriate support to clients with complex mental health needs, working collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team to ensure safe and effective care.
· Report any emerging pressure sores, ulcers or changes to skin to nursing staff
· Support health routines, nutrition, hydration, and mobility.
· Assist with daily exercises and mobility support where appropriate, walk around the garden or shop.
· Work collaboratively with the primary care nursing team, support workers, project workers, key workers, and management to support operational and strategic goals, follow up on support plans, and assist service users in achieving their individual goals.
· Attendance at team meetings, handovers, and case reviews
· Work in line with organisational policies, procedures, and guidelines.
Required Qualifications:
Essential for the role
· Level 6, 7 or 8 in a relevant field with 6 months experience in similar setting (including volunteer and college placement)
Or
· Level 5 in relevant field with 12 months experience in similar setting (including voluntary work and college placement)
· A Passion for helping people.
· Flexibility to work in an agile environment.
· Willingness to learn.
· Experience in carrying out Health & Safety inspections and audits.
· Understanding why people become homeless and the needs they have.
· Ability to manage challenging behaviour, whilst being respectful and professional.
Desirable
· Experience working in a social or caring setting
· Understanding of trauma-informed care
Pay: €39,463.75 per year
Work Location: In person
