Job overview

Ambulance Care Assistant/Driver

Non-Emergency Patient Transport (NEPT) is a service made available for those who meet the eligibility criteria set by the Epsom and St Helier Hospitals Trust and transport commissioners.

The post holder will be a vital member of the team who will assist in:

• Helping patients out of their home and into the ambulance (which does involve some lifting).
• Transporting patients safely, comfortably and in good time to their appointment.
• Returning the patient home and making sure they are settled in before leaving.
• Keeping accurate records of journeys on both the PDA and Daily Log Sheet.

The people you would transport may be in very poor health. An important part of your work would be to show kindness and respect to often worried patients and their relatives, who may include:

• Older people
• Individuals who are physically disabled
• People with mental health problems

During a shift you would keep in contact with staff at the control room via PDA who would allocate your work to you and also be on hand to offer advice.

The role is rather physically demanding, you would spend a lot of time on the road covering a particular geographical area. Occasionally you may deal with distressing situations or circumstances with seriously ill patients.

You would wear a uniform which will be provided to you. You may work alone or in a two-person team, in an adapted ambulance or a wheel chair accessible vehicle.

Main duties of the job

Important Note:

Operational responsibilities include:

• Working alongside the Fleet Team complete a range of vehicle checks including but not limited to tyre pressure, oil and screen wash levels
• To report any vehicle defects to the Fleet Team
• To report any equipment defects to the Fleet Team
• To Ensure that your allocated vehicle is adequately stocked with essential consumables and to report any missing stock to the Fleet Team
• Report the return of untidy ambulances to the Shift Manager
• To keep in regular communications with the Control Team to gain instructions throughout shift, calling following each completed conveyance, calling to report any aborted, cancelled or delayed journey, calling to report any incorrect details relating to a patients docket, calling to request a meal break.
• To ensure that your allocated vehicle remains refuelled and is returned to base refuelled at the end if shift.
• Work in line with all Policies and Procedures
• To wear correct issued uniform at all times following the BBO guidelines.
• To sign out/in all equipment issued to them to assist with a patients conveyance.

* Salary £15.42 per hour (inc. HCAS). Please note this opportunity is not currently on Agenda for Change terms & conditions but is on a pathway to transition to this*

Working for our organisation

St George’s, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group cares for a population of four million people in South West London and North East Surrey. Our sites include St George’s Hospital, one of 11 major trauma centres in the UK and the largest healthcare provider and major teaching hospital in the area; St Helier Hospital, home to the South West Thames Renal and Transplantation Unit and Queen Mary's Hospital for Children; and Epsom Hospital, home to the South West London Elective Orthopaedic Centre (SWLEOC).

After years of collaboration, our two Trusts became a hospitals group in 2021. While remaining as two separate Trusts, being a hospitals group will help us to collaborate more closely on research, and the development, education, and training of our 17,000-strong workforce.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Important Note:

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.