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Healthcare support workers or healthcare assistants (HCAs) are a vital part of our social care system and finding the right person can often be difficult.

We can help you recruit the perfect candidate, then train and support them in your workplace. 

Key information

Key information about this apprenticeship programme, with the main details like the level, duration and industry/sector. Full details about this standard can be found on the Skills England website.

  • Level: 2 (Intermediate)
  • Duration: 11 months
  • Training location: Workplace
  • Mode of Attendance: Employer based
  • Industry/sector: Health and science
  • Maximum funding available: £3,000.00
View more about this programme (opens in a new window/tab)

Apprenticeship overview

Providing high-quality and compassionate healthcare.

The key skills, knowledge, behaviours and duties that will be carried out by the apprentice as part of this apprenticeship.

  • Work in line with legislation, policies, standards, local ways of working and codes of conduct that apply to own role.
  • Work within the scope of practice, the limits of own knowledge and skills, escalating and reporting to others when needed.
  • Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to provide safe non-discriminatory person-centred care and support in line with individual’s established consent.
  • Implement a duty of care, recognising and responding to safeguarding and protection concerns and acting in the best interest of individuals to ensure they do not come to harm.
  • Recognise and respond to the signs and symptoms that an individual is in pain, distress or discomfort to maximise comfort and wellbeing.
  • Recognise and respond to changes in individuals’ health and wellbeing.
  • Perform basic life support.
  • Undertake physiological measurements, selecting and using the correct tools or equipment.
  • Assist the registered practitioner in encouraging individuals to take or use their prescribed medication.
  • Promote access to fluids and nutrition in line with an individual’s care plan.
  • Support individuals with activities of daily living to maximise independence in line with their desired outcomes and plan of care.
  • Contribute to the storage of supplies and equipment.
  • Contribute to the cleaning, disinfecting and disposal of materials and equipment.
  • Support others with appointments, enquiries and referrals.
  • Communicate with individuals using techniques designed to facilitate understanding.
  • Recognise and respond to limitations in an individual’s mental capacity.
  • Act on opportunities to support others to maximise their health, well-being and positive lifestyle choices.
  • Record and store information related to individuals securely and in line with local and national policies, including the safe use of technology.
  • Report and share information related to individuals securely and in line with local and national policies, maintaining confidentiality.
  • Maintain a safe and healthy working environment, using a range of techniques for infection prevention and control, including hand hygiene and the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
  • Move and handle equipment or other items safely and assist individuals.
  • Take action in response to identified concerns, risks, incidents or errors and near misses arising in the workplace.
  • Participate in appraisal and supervision to support ongoing personal development.
  • Participate in training and development activities including the Care Certificate Standards.
  • Reflect on own practice.
  • Contribute to improvement activities in the workplace, for example collecting and logging data for audit.
  • Use evidence to make suggestions for improving practice.

Further information

  • Healthcare assistant
  • Healthcare support worker
  • Mental health support worker
  • Nursing assistant
  • Personal assistant
  • Support worker

This occupation is found in the health and care sectors. Healthcare Support Workers work in a range of healthcare settings, for example in a hospital, General Practice, as part of a community team and in individuals’ homes where their wider team may include workers from both health and social care. They can also be found in social care settings where the scope of the role they carry out requires them to be responsible for a range of clinical tasks.  These roles are becoming more common as health and social care services in some areas become integrated or where residential and nursing homes are caring for residents who have health and care needs, are unwell or reaching the end of their life but have not been transferred to a hospital or primary care setting.

The broad purpose of the occupation is to provide high quality and compassionate person-centred care and support based on individual needs and setting. Daily activities for a Healthcare Support Worker will vary according to the workplace and will be determined by the needs of the individuals they are caring for. Healthcare Support Workers will check the overall comfort, wellbeing and progress of individuals in their care. They support individuals with their daily activities including eating, drinking, washing, dressing or going to the toilet.  They carry out clinical activities such as measuring and monitoring blood pressure, temperature or weight, checking wounds or applying dressings. They prepare individuals for healthcare activities carried out by other members of the healthcare team, looking after them before, during and/or after those activities in line with their care plan. They will also carry out non-clinical duties such as handling enquiries and signposting or escorting people, keeping records, making beds, tidying the work area, returning or cleaning equipment used during a clinical activity.

In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with

  • Patients, service users, carers and their families
  • Registered healthcare professionals, for example doctors, nurses and other allied health professionals
  • Social care staff including registered managers, adult care workers and social workers
  • Administration, management and other staff like cleaners, drivers, porters and receptionists

 An employee in this occupation will be responsible for working within the limits of their competence and agreed ways of working toprovide a defined range of healthcare tasks as part of the wider health and social care team. Healthcare Support Workers in health settings typically report to a registered healthcare practitioner who will directly or indirectly supervise their work. Healthcare Support Workers in adult social care settings typically report to a Registered Manager, Service Manager and, in the case of Personal Assistants, to the individual with whom they work. Healthcare Support Workers can address straightforward problems in their daily work, reporting concerns and changes to the appropriate person in a timely manner. They must communicate effectively and be able to adhere to strict standards, including legislation, when handling sensitive and confidential information. They must maintain a safe and healthy working environment and keep their knowledge and skills up to date through continuous professional development.

Occupational profile

Healthcare support workers (HCSWs) work as part of a team providing high quality and compassionate care to individuals(1). You will carry out well-defined routine clinical duties(2)  like monitoring an individual’s conditions (by checking things like blood pressure, temperature or weight), checking on their overall progress, comfort and wellbeing.

Depending on where you work, you may also help them to eat, drink, wash, dress or go to the toilet.  You will prepare individuals for healthcare activities carried out by other members of the healthcare team, looking after them before, during and/or after those activities in line with their care plan. You will also carry out non-clinical duties and, depending on where you work, this could include things like keeping records, making beds, tidying up your work area, returning or cleaning the equipment used during a clinical activity. You will be able to address straightforward problems in your day to day work, reporting concerns and changes to the appropriate person in a timely manner .  HCSWs work in a range of healthcare settings(3) and your team may include workers from both health and social care. You will report to a registered healthcare practitioner who will directly or indirectly supervise your work.

Responsibilities and duty of the role

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. During the first part of this apprenticeship you will be supported to achieve the Care Certificate(4) which forms part of your

induction and covers the fundamental skills needed to provide quality care.

Additional information

There are no entry requirements to the apprenticeship but employers may run their own selection process. Apprentices without Level 1 English and Maths will need to achieve this level and take the test for Level 2 English and Maths prior to completion of their Apprenticeship.

Level

Level 2

Duration

12 to 18 months

Review Date

After 3 years

Values 

You will be caring and compassionate; honest; conscientious and committed

Behaviours 

You will treat people with dignity, respecting individual's diversity, beliefs, culture, values, needs, privacy and preferences; show respect and empathy for those you work with; have the courage to challenge areas of concern and work to best practice; be adaptable, reliable and consistent; show discretion; show resilience and self-awareness.

 Skill 

You will be able to:

You will know and understand:

1. Communication
  • communicate effectively with individuals, their families, carers and healthcare practitioners using a range of techniques, keeping information confidential
  • handle information (record, report and store information) related to individuals in line with local and national policies
  
  • why it is important to communicate effectively at work; how to communicate with individuals that have specific language needs or wishes; ways to make yourself understood; how to reduce problems with communication;
  • legislation, policies and local ways of working(5) about handling information; how to keep information confidential; why it is important to record and store patient information securely and what to do if you think information is not secure

2. Health intervention

  
  • support individuals with long term conditions, frailty and end of life(6) care
  • identify and respond to signs of pain or discomfort
  • promote physical health and wellbeing of individuals
  • assist with an individuals’ overall comfort and wellbeing
  • support individuals with activities of daily living(7)
  • recognise deteriorations in health, long term conditions, physiological measurements, skin integrity and report appropriately
  • report any changes in physical health needs as appropriate
  
  • how to do routine clinical tasks (eg check blood pressure, temperature, weight etc) delegated from a registered nurse or other healthcare professional
  • the signs and symptoms of a person who is experiencing pain or discomfort
  • how to promote a person’s physical health and wellbeing
  • how to support a person’s comfort and wellbeing
  • the importance of hydration, nutrition and food safety
  • what the activities of daily living are and which ones you are expected to support in your role
  • the signs of a person whose health and wellbeing is deteriorating; and how to report changes and deterioration

2.1 Person centred care and support
  • demonstrate what it means in practice to provide person centered care and support
  • what it means to give ‘person centred care and support’; why it is important to get consent, even when it is difficult; why it is important to get people actively involved in their own care; why it is important to give people choices about their care; and why treating people as valuable and unique individuals makes a big difference in how they feel

2.2 Dementia, cognitive issues, mental health
  • promote mental health and wellbeing
  • recognise limitations in mental capacity and respond appropriately
  • recognise and respond to signs of poor mental health for example dementia, depression, anxiety or other cognitive issues
  • recognise and report any deterioration in an individual’s mental health
  • the main forms of mental ill health and their impact on people’s lives; and how to promote mental health and wellbeing
  • the possible signs of limitations in mental capacity and what to do when you notice them
  • the possible signs of mental health, dementia and learning disability in people ; why depression, delirium and the normal ageing process may be mistaken for dementia; the importance of early diagnosis in relation to dementia and other cognitive issues
  •  how to report changes or deterioration

2.3 Basic life support
  • perform basic life support for individuals using appropriate resuscitation techniques and equipment
  • how to perform basic life support

2.4 Physiological measurements
  • undertake a range of physiological measurements using the appropriate equipment including height, weight, temperature, pulse, breathing rate and blood pressure
  • the range of physiological states that can be measured including body temperature, weight, height, blood pressure, pulse and breathing rate
  • the normal range of physiological measurements

3. Personal and people development
  • take responsibility for, prioritise and reflect on your own actions and work
  • work as part of a team, seeking help and guidance when you are not sure
  • maintain and further develop your own skills and knowledge through development activities; maintain evidence of your personal development and actively prepare for and participate in appraisal
  • your role and the responsibilities and duties of your job; why it is important to work in ways that have been agreed by your employer and to follow standards/codes of conduct;
  • working relationships and the importance of working well with other people; who or where to go for help and support about anything related to your work
  • the importance of personal development and how to reflect on your work ; how to create a personal development plan

4. Health, safety and security
  • maintain a safe and healthy working environment
  • take appropriate action in response to incidents or emergencies following local guidelines
  • legislation, policies and local ways of working which relate to health and safety at work; your responsibilities, and the responsibilities of others, relating to health and safety at work
  • what to do in situations that could cause harm to themselves and others; how to handle hazardous materials and substances; and what to do when there is an accident or sudden illness

4.1 Duty of Care
  • follow the principles for implementing a duty of care, always acting in the best interest of individuals to ensure they do not come to harm
  • the meaning of ‘duty of care’ and why it is important; what support is available when you come across a difficult situation or when someone makes a complaint

4.2 Safeguarding
  • follow the principles of safeguarding and protection
  • legislation, policies and local ways of working about ‘safeguarding’ and protection from abuse ; the signs of abuse and what to do if you suspect abuse; and how to reduce the chances of abuse as much as possible

4.3 Infection prevention and control
  • use a range of techniques for infection prevention and control including waste management, hand washing and the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
  • legislation, policies and local ways of working that help to prevent infection; the meaning of ‘risk’ and ‘risk assessment’; the importance of good personal hygiene and hand washing ; how to select the right PPE (such as gloves, aprons and masks); how infections start and spread; the importance of cleaning, disinfecting and maintaining a clean workplace to reduce the risk and spread of infection; and the meaning of ‘antimicrobial resistance’

4.4 Moving and handling
  • move and position individuals, equipment and other items safely
  • why people and objects need to be moved safely; how to move and position people safely; how to move and handle equipment and other objects safely; agreed ways of working when moving people and know how to identify any risks

5. Equality and diversity
  • follow the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion
  • equality and diversity legislation, policies and local ways of working; why equality is important and how discrimination can happen at work
(1) Individuals - those requiring care and support, may include patients, service users or clients
(2) Duties - please note the list of duties is not exhaustive. Your duties will vary depending on where you work and your job description.
(3) Healthcare settings may include hospitals, community clinics or health centres, individuals’ homes, nursing/care homes, hospices, mental health settings and GP surgeries. List is not exhaustive.
(4) Care Certificate: for more details see http://www.skillsforhealth.org.uk/care-certificate
(5) Legislation, policies and local ways of working may include Data Protection Act, Health & Social Care Act, Information Governance policy, Health and Safety legislation, agreed guidance on how to carry out tasks in your workplace, etc. List is not exhaustive.
(6) End of Life Care – the end of life care phase may last for weeks, months or years and does not just equate with dying. End of Life Care is defined as care that helps those with advanced, progressive, incurable illness to live as well as possible until they die. (End of Life Care Network)
(7) Activities of Daily Living include: maintaining a safe environment; communication; breathing; eating and drinking; elimination; washing and dressing; controlling temperature; mobilisation; working and playing; expressing sexuality; sleeping; death and dying. (Roper, Logan and Tierney model of nursing, 1998).

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Information provided for this apprenticeship programme is sourced from the Skills England formerly the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE). For the information authored by Skills England, this was last modified on 1st August 2025.