Health Care Assistants and Assistant Practitioners

Health Care Assistants (HCAs) and Assistant Practitioners (APs) are hugely valued members of the RCN and the nursing team. The RCN Northern region has created this page to keep our HCA and AP members up-to-date with what’s going on in the region, and what the RCN is doing for you.

Essentials of Care Event

The RCN Northern region is running an exciting learning event for HCAs and APs, on 23 May 2013 at the Open University in Gateshead. The event is designed to give you the opportunity to discuss the principles and clinical practices that support the delivery of high quality, compassionate care. 

For more information and to book your place, please visit our events section.

The RCN Health Care Assistant and Assistant Practitioner Network

The RCN HCA and AP Network gives you the opportunity to share best practice, get local news updates, debate current issues, and to get your opinions heard. The network is free for RCN members to join, and gives you access to a group of like-minded HCA and AP colleagues, HCA and AP specific events throughout the year, and a dedicated project group member who will ensure your views and opinions are heard by the national RCN HCA team.

You can join the HCA and AP network online or by downloading the HCA and AP joining postcard (PDF 339KB) [see how to access PDF files].

Work Based Education Facilitator Network

The RCN Northern region is working closely with the Work Based Education Facilitator Network (WBEF) to keep HCAs and APs up-to-date with issues affecting them, and are in the process of developing an HCA/AP Network across Cumbria.

For more information about this, please see RCN Learning Representative Karen Dutton’s presentation on The Work Based Education Facilitator Network (PDF 296KB).

Francis report

The independent inquiry conducted by Robert Francis QC into the care provided at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust has implications for HCAs and APs.

RCN Health Care Assistant Adviser Tanis Hand looks at key themes affecting support workers in health care post-Francis here. For more information, you can also view Tanis’ presentation on The Future, Registration and Regulation (PDF 889KB).

Become an RCN Representative

Have you thought about becoming an accredited local RCN representative? You could increase, develop or improve your personal and professional skills. You could make a real difference to your patients, the working lives of yourself and your colleagues – and even the future of nursing care.

The RCN Northern Region currently has a number of opportunities for HCA and AP members who would like to develop their careers further by becoming RCN representatives.

Register your initial interest by filling out the form Your chance to make a difference- becoming an RCN representative (PDF 1.6MB). Please send this to: RCN Northern Region, 2nd Floor Avalon House, St Catherine's Court, Sunderland Enterprise Park, Sunderland SR5 3XJ.