Healthcare Support Worker

Healthcare Support Workers (HCSWs) are an essential part of a health or social care team, providing high quality and compassionate care to individuals.

They carry out well-defined routine clinical duties and essential fundamentals of care. HCSWs work in a range of healthcare settings and work with others from both health and social care, reporting to a registered healthcare practitioner. 

The role

Duties and responsibilities will vary slightly depending on the role, sector or industry, but a general outline of the role can be found here. 

• Health Interventions
• Promoting health
• Promoting exercise and Physical-activity
• Promoting healthy nutrition and fluids intake 
• Promoting urinary and bowel elimination  
• Dementia
• Basic life support
• Physiological measurements 
• Observation 
• Infection control 
• Asepsis and prevention of infection  
• Moving and handling
• Understanding medications  

• Conflict resolution 
• Digital and social communication
• Personal and people development
• Health, safety and security 
• Duty of care
• Safeguarding
• Equality and diversity
• Record Keeping
• Statutory and mandatory training
• Reflective practice 
• Managing stress 

Pay

In the NHS, Healthcare Support Workers are paid at Band 2 of the Agenda for Change pay scales. 

Frameworks

• Apprenticeship Opportunities for Healthcare Support Worker 

Training

• Care Certificate

Competences

• RCN First Steps
• National Minimum Training Standards for Healthcare Support Workers and Adult Social Care Workers in England

Your responsibilities as a level 2 HCA

• You will be able to work effectively as part of a team.
• You will always act within the limits of your competence, knowing who to ask for help and support if you are not sure.
• You will work within agreed ways of working, following the relevant standards, policies and protocols used in your workplace including the Code of Conduct for Healthcare Support Workers and Adult Social Care Workers in England.
• Understanding agreed ways of working 
• First Steps 
• Understanding the Code of Conduct for HCSWs 
• Accountability and Delegation 
• Understanding Governance 

Where it could lead...

After a period of working and gaining experience, you may be able to work towards a Senior Healthcare Assistant post.