Health care assistants (HCAs)

RCN HCAs&APs

RCN health care assistants and assistant practitioners - caring for you while you care for others

Health care assistants (HCAs) and assistant practitioners (APs) are hugely valued members of the RCN and the nursing team. Although there are a wide range of titles used to describe these roles, we have chosen to encompass all of these under the titles HCA and AP.

Look on the left hand side of this page for topics that interest you, and see below for a full listing of the content.

We always appreciate receiving your views and feedback, so please contact us and share your stories!

Now that Congress is over until next year, we are busy getting on with business as usual. The RCN has produced its strategic plan for 2013-18 and one of our key aims continues to be around our activity to achieve regulation, registration and mandatory training for all categories of health care support workers.

We also want to look at ways of supporting greater engagement with HCAs and students as we know that there are not always opportunities for you to attend RCN events. So please let us know how we can do this – we have a twice yearly magazine and a regular e-newsletter. We have our HCA & AP network and send regular updates to network members. But what ways are best for you to hear what is going on? Let us know by emailing hca@rcn.org.uk.

This month will see the culmination of the Cavendish review into the support and educations of HCSWs, and I know that many of you have contributed to this. Watch this space for information of the recommendations when they are published in early June.

Results of the Health Practitioner (HP) Committee election

Congratulations to Deborah Jackson who will be joining the committee as the representative for the Yorkshire and Humber region. A further ‘run-off’ ballot will be held to determine who will rpresent the South West region. Find out more on our election page.

Remember – it is now cheaper than ever to join the RCN

Membership of the RCN now costs just £4.06 per month for HCAs and APs for the first year. Why not tell your colleagues about this fantastic offer and the huge range of benefits that come with being a member of the RCN? Find out more and urge your friends to find out more information.