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Job Title: Carers Support Officer (Health Services)

Location: North Ayrshire

Contract Type: Full Time – 35 Hours inc. Evening and Weekend

Salary & Benefits: £24,222 + 5% Employer Pension Contribution

Supervisor: Gateway Manager

Role Purpose: The Carers Support Officer (Health Services) works to identify carers across primary and acute health settings across all localities in North Ayrshire, providing information, support, and advice on carers rights in relation to the Carers Act (Scotland) 2016. They work closely with Discharge without Delay, patient support and Social Work staff to ensure unpaid carers are informed, involved and supported throughout discharge planning processes for loved ones. The Carer Support Officer also identifies carers by establishing and maintaining links with GP’s, Community Link Workers, Pharmacies and clinics/ health centres throughout North Ayrshire, referring to the appropriate locality Gateway Carer Support Officer.

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities:

• Responsible for establishing links within community health settings across North Ayrshire and liaise with hospital staff, social work and DwD teams to identify carers and their families who need information, advice and support.

• Responsible for providing a direct service to individual carers informing them of their rights under the Carers Act (Scotland) 2016.

• Responsible for facilitating carer involvement in discharge planning of patients and in meeting their assessed care needs.

• Responsible for regular check-in with carers throughout the hospital stay and following the point of discharge.

• Responsible for facilitating access to carer information, advice and support via the wider Carers Gateway service, with the aim of reducing carer stress and anxiety, allowing them to sustain their caring role.

• Responsible for the smooth transition of identified carers within healthcare settings into the wider Carers Gateway North Ayrshire service

• Responsible for attending team meetings within Health Teams to promote the work of the Carers Support Officer (Health Services) and the wider Carers Gateway service.

• Being available across North Ayrshire primary and acute settings at arranged times to support carers who are looking after someone in receipt of healthcare services.

• Responsible for educating and influencing healthcare practitioners in primary and community-based settings, sharing best practice and feedback that will lead to greater awareness and involvement of carers.

• Responsible for embedding a carer-centred approach across North Ayrshire’s healthcare system, developing a culture in which carers are viewed as equal partners in the delivery of care.

• Responsible for collating data from the hospital discharge programme to support future planning, as well as monitoring and reporting.

• Responsible for ensuring Carers Gateway processes are always followed, and electronic case management records are updated and regularly reviewed.

• Through a MOU referring carers to other local carers services where they live out with North Ayrshire.

• Maintain a sound knowledge of the National and Local Carers Strategy and any changes to national and local entitlements for carers.

• Any other appropriate tasks as directed by the Gateway Manager.

• All Gateway staff are required to undertake out of hours provision on a rotational basis.

Person Specification

Qualifications-

* Educated to Standard Grade General Level (or equivalent) in a minimum of four subjects, including English (Essential)

* HND in a related qualification (Desirable)

* Full driving licence (Essential)

Knowledge & Experience-

* Previous work experience with unpaid carers, lived experience, or relatable voluntary experience (Desirable)

* Understanding of carers' rights under Section 28 of the Carers Act – Hospital Discharge (Desirable)

* Experience of overseeing a large project and managing multiple projects simultaneously (Essential)

* Knowledge of the localities of North Ayrshire (Desirable)

* Understanding of healthcare structures and systems within Inverclyde (Desirable)

* IT Skills, with experience utilising the MS Office suite (Teams, Sharepoint, Word, Excel, etc.) (Essential)

How to Apply:

To apply for this role, please click apply and send an up to date CV in support of your application in the first instance. For more information about the positions available and a detailed job description, please contact Danielle Frame/Sean Carruthers at 21 HSC. Suitable applicants will be contacted asap and will be invited for an initial face to face/teams interview with one of our recruitment team.

21 HSC Limited is an equal opportunities employer