Personal Assistant (PA) to Young Disabled Man

Description

As a Personal Assistant (PA), your role is to enable Calum, a young disabled man and powerchair-user with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, to live independently in his own home, supporting him to participate in social, recreational and career-related activities, and meeting his healthcare and access needs, including his tracheostomy care, PEG feeding and bowel routine. You will assist him in his work as a freelance disability consultant, speaker and researcher, and postgraduate studies in social and political science at the University of Edinburgh, as well as support him to pursue his interests in activism, art, film, literature, music, nature, photography, travel and more.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

Support Calum to transfer from his bed to his powerchair or showerchair (and vice versa) as required.
Support Calum to maintain personal care routines, including dressing, showering and toileting, as required.
Provide Calum’s tracheostomy and PEG care, including suctioning, cleaning tubes and dressing wounds, as required.
Deliver Calum’s medication and nutritional packs via PEG as required. Maintain Calum’s ventilation, nutritional and mobility equipment as required.
Support Calum to remain comfortable in bed overnight, repositioning him on request.
Order Calum’s medication and supplies from pharmacy or home ventilation team as required.
Book Calum’s medical and disability-related appointments on request.
Support Calum to meet friends, go for walks in nature, watch movies at the cinema, attend concerts and more.
Support Calum to attend speaking engagements, networking events and other career-related activities.
Support Calum on trips and vacations in UK and abroad, including driving his Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV).
Support Calum to create social media content by capturing photos and videos under his direction.
Support Calum to manage domestic tasks, including tidying/cleaning and grocery shopping, as required.

Relevant Skills, Certifications & Personal Qualities

Compassion, optimism and confidence are essential.
Communication and interpersonal skills are essential.
Administrative, time-management and organisational skills are essential.
Good general health and physical fitness are essential.
Ability to follow instructions and work on your own initiative (as appropriate) are essential.
Previous experience delivering tracheostomy care and ventilator maintenance is essential.
Commitment to principles of person-centred care and social model of disability is essential.
Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme membership (or equivalent) is essential.
Driving licence valid in the UK is essential.
Fluent proficiency in English language is essential.
Manual handling training is desirable but not essential.
Background in intensive or high-dependence nursing care is desirable but not essential.
Previous experience producing social media content is desirable but not essential.

Additional information

Position open to both male and female applicants.
Employment is dependent upon successful completion of three paid shadow shifts and staff training.
Training delivered by current members of staff and the home ventilation team at the Western General Hospital.
Rotas provided at least eight weeks in advance, excluding annual leave and sickness cover.
Pay rates and working patterns negotiable, however, salaries only paid monthly through PAYE.
Staff room available to maintain Calum’s privacy when sleeping or working in his home office.

How to Apply

To apply, email your CV or resume with cover letter to pajobs@lothiancil.org.uk, quoting job reference CGOH in the subject line

Ad ID: 5418773749