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Are you looking for a senior healthcare support worker to provide clinical, therapeutic or diagnostic care under the direct or indirect supervision of a registered healthcare professional? Maybe you are looking to promote a current member of staff who needs some support. 

Employ an apprentice and we will support and train them in the workplace with online and face to face meetings.

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: 3 (Advanced)
  • Duration: 27 months
  • Training location: Workplace
  • Mode of Attendance: Employer based
  • Industry/sector: Health and science
  • Maximum funding available: £9,000.00
View more about this programme (opens in a new window/tab)

Apprenticeship overview

Providing high-quality and compassionate specialist health and social care for a range of people.

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

  • Core: Work in line with legislation, policies, standards, local ways of working and codes of conduct that apply to own role.
  • Core: Work within the scope of practice, the limits of own knowledge and skills, escalating and reporting to others when needed.
  • Core: Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to provide safe and non-discriminatory person-centred care and support with individuals’ established consent.
  • Core: 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.
  • Core: Support individuals to make informed and positive lifestyle choices.
  • Core: Actively seek out and act on opportunities to support individuals to maximise their health, well-being and positive lifestyle choices.
  • Core: Recognise and respond to changes in an individual’s health and wellbeing.
  • Core: Recognise and respond to the signs and symptoms that an individual is in pain, distress or discomfort to maximise comfort and well-being.
  • Core: Promote and monitor access to fluids and nutrition in line with an individual’s care plan.
  • Core: Communicate with individuals, their families, carers and others in the workplace using techniques designed to facilitate understanding.
  • Core: Recognise and respond to limitations in an individual’s mental capacity.
  • Core: Maintain a safe and healthy working environment, using infection prevention and control techniques including hand washing, sanitisation, disinfection and personal protective equipment (PPE).
  • Core: Maintain the safe supply, storage, use and disposal of supplies and equipment.
  • Core: Move and handle equipment or other items safely and assist individuals.
  • Core: Take appropriate action in response to concerns, risks, incidents or errors and near misses arising in the workplace.
  • Core: Perform basic life support techniques.
  • Core: Recognise and respond to potential conflict, challenging behaviour or an escalating situation.
  • Core: Undertake own training and development activities and contribute to the training and development of others.
  • Core: Participate in appraisal to support professional development.
  • Core: Reflect on and develop your own practice.
  • Core: Record and store information related to individuals securely, including the safe use of technology.
  • Core: Report and share information related to individuals securely and in line with local and national policies, maintaining confidentiality, duty of confidence and disclosure.
  • Core: Participate in and support others with quality improvement activities in the workplace.
  • Core: Use investigatory techniques to source evidence to validate and improve the delivery of care and support within own scope of practice.
  • Core: Critically appraise sources of information and apply to practice.
  • Core: Provide leadership and act as a role model for others within the scope of own role.
  • Core: Contribute to mentoring and supervision of others in the workplace within the scope of own role.
  • Core: Undertake physiological measurements, selecting and using the correct tools or equipment.
  • Options 1 and 5: Adult nursing support and children and young people support: Support individuals with activities of daily living to develop and maintain their independence in line with their desired. outcomes and plan of care.
  • Options 1, 2 and 5: Adult nursing support, maternity support and children and young people support: Assist with tissue viability risk assessments and manage pressure areas.
  • Options 1 and 5: Adult nursing support and children and young people support: Assist with wound care in line with the care plan.
  • Options 1, 2 and 5: Adult nursing support, maternity support and children and young people support: Obtain and test specimens in line with the care plan.
  • Options 1, 2 and 5: Adult nursing support, maternity support and children and young people support: Provide care and support for individuals and their family during the end-of-life phase.
  • Options 1, 2, 5 and 6: Adult nursing support, maternity support, children and young people support and allied health professional therapy support: Contribute to signposting to relevant agencies and, discharge or transfer of individuals between services, in line with their care plan.
  • Options 1, 2, 4 and 5: Adult nursing support, maternity support, mental health support and children and young people support: Recognise and respond to deteriorations in physical health, mental health and wellbeing.
  • Option 1: Adult nursing support: Support adults to take responsibility for their own health and wellbeing and for managing their own condition.
  • Option 2: Maternity support: Assist the midwife with teaching, feeding and hygiene needs of babies-parenting skills and antenatal and postnatal exercise.
  • Option 2: Maternity support: Assist health care professionals with antenatal and newborn screening and provide information to parents about immunisation activities.
  • Option 2: Maternity support: Provide support to the maternity team by maintaining the supply of resources, instruments and equipment.
  • Option 2: Maternity support: Support personal care such as providing care for women with urethral catheters.
  • Option 2: Maternity support: Identify the baby and provide wristband or label in line with local security procedures.
  • Option 2: Maternity support: Care for the physical needs of babies by undertaking routine healthy baby observations and reporting any abnormalities.
  • Option 2: Maternity support: Support parents and carers to meet the developmental, nutritional and hygiene needs of babies.
  • Option 2: Maternity support: Work in partnership with families and other support services to support individuals in difficult circumstances, bereavement and loss.
  • Option 2: Maternity support: Provide support to the midwife and others in the multi-disciplinary team in an emergency situation during pregnancy, labour, birth or the postnatal period.
  • Option 3: Theatre support: Complete pre- and post-operative checklists.
  • Option 3: Theatre support: Support the surgical team to maintain the sterile field.
  • Option 3: Theatre support: Participate in team briefing, patient sign in, timeout, sign out and debriefing.
  • Option 3: Theatre support: Support and monitor the pre-medicated, sedated and unconscious individual.
  • Option 3: Theatre support: Measure and record an individual’s body fluid balance.
  • Option 3: Theatre support: Move, position and transport individuals and specialist equipment before, during and after surgery.
  • Option 3: Theatre support: Prepare the clinical environment and provide surgical instrumentation and supplementary items for the surgical team.
  • Option 3: Theatre support: Carry out counts for swabs, sharps, instruments and disposable items and take action if something is missing.
  • Option 3: Theatre support: Assist in receiving, handling and dispatching clinical specimens or blood products.
  • Option 4: Mental health support: Use strategies and tools to promote mental wellbeing and to support individuals with mental ill health.
  • Option 4: Mental health support: Observe, record and report changes and barriers, using proactive approaches to manage behaviour which challenges.
  • Option 4: Mental health support: Take an active approach in supporting individuals to manage their condition.
  • Option 4: Mental health support: Build, monitor and sustain therapeutic relationships with individuals, carers and their families.
  • Option 4: Mental health support: Promote a recovery-based approach that enables the individual to manage their condition.
  • Option 4: Mental health support: Enable and empower individuals to actively participate in society and recognise the impact of mental health on them and others.
  • Option 4: Mental health support: Identify situations of risk to yourself or others and take action including seeking support.
  • Option 4: Mental health support: Involve the individual, carers and family members in risk management processes.
  • Option 4: Mental health support: Review and promote your own mental health and wellbeing.
  • Option 5: Children and young people support: Support the development of children and young people through therapeutic play and learning.
  • Option 5: Children and young people support: Support children and young people through transitions by enabling shared or independent decision making.
  • Option 5: Children and young people support: Support parents, families and carers to meet the needs of children and young people.
  • Option 5: Children and young people support: Support children and young people before, during or after diagnostic, clinical or therapeutic procedures.
  • Option 6: Allied health professional therapy support: Provide therapeutic support in line with care plans to encourage independence, self-management and skills for everyday life.
  • Option 6: Allied health professional therapy support: Assist with undertaking clinical risk assessments and management plans.
  • Option 6: Allied health professional therapy support: Recognise the impact of mental or physical capacity, health condition, learning disability or overall wellbeing on the therapeutic or clinical task or intervention and when to adapt.
  • Option 6: Allied health professional therapy support: Enable individuals to meet optimum potential.
  • Option 6: Allied health professional therapy support: Facilitate group sessions to support health and well-being of individuals or communities.
  • Option 6: Allied health professional therapy support: Support people to engage in the community and access activities or resources in line with their treatment goals.
  • Option 6: Allied health professional therapy support: Identify, order or fit therapeutic equipment and resources in line with the individual’s care plan.
  • Option 6: Allied health professional therapy support: Use equipment and resources therapeutically in a safe way in line with local policy and procedure.
  • Option 6: Allied health professional therapy support: Demonstrate and teach the safe and appropriate use of therapeutic equipment and resources.
  • Option 6: Allied health professional therapy support: Complete safety checks for therapeutic equipment and resources, following protocols to report issues or make adaptations if appropriate.
  • Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Assist and support the multi-disciplinary team in the safe and effective operation and maintenance of the imaging environment.
  • Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Support the multi-disciplinary team in the safe flow of individuals through the imaging environment, recognising and complying with current legislation and best practice.
  • Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Prepare individuals for imaging procedures, including those that maybe pre-medicated, sedated or unconscious.
  • Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Support and position individuals during imaging procedures, including those that maybe pre-medicated, sedated or unconscious.
  • Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Support practitioners with the preparation and administration of medicines and contrast agents within the scope of own role.
  • Option 7: Diagnostic Imaging Support: Administer medicines supplied by a registered practitioner within the scope of own role.
  • Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Insert, flush and remove cannulas in line with local protocols and within the scope of own role.
  • Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Provide after care for individuals following imaging procedures.
  • Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Assist practitioners in setting up and maintaining aseptic or clean area in the imaging environment.
  • Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Support the multi-disciplinary team in the safe delivery of an imaging service.
  • Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Review and promote the health and wellbeing of self and others, including mental health.
  • Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Participate in team briefing, patient sign in, timeout, sign out and debriefing.
  • Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Assist with undertaking clinical risk assessments and management plans.
  • Option 7: Diagnostic imaging support: Recognise the impact of mental or physical capacity, health condition, learning disability or overall wellbeing on the therapeutic or clinical task or intervention and when to adapt.

Further information

  • Community support worker
  • Imaging support worker
  • Maternity support worker
  • Mental health support worker
  • Senior healthcare support worker
  • Theatre assistant
  • Therapy assistant

This occupation is found in the health and care sector. Senior healthcare support workers work in a range of settings for example in a hospital, as part of a community team, in a day-case unit, birthing centre, individual’s homes, operating theatres, nursing or care homes, hospices and in general practice.

The broad purpose of the occupation is support registered healthcare professionals in the delivery of high quality and compassionate health and care services. A senior healthcare support worker will provide clinical, therapeutic or diagnostic care under the direct or indirect supervision of a registered healthcare professional. For this standard, one of the following occupational options will be completed:

1. Adult nursing support: Providing care and support for adults as part of the nursing team. Some of the individuals the adult nursing support worker cares for will have short-term needs for example, if they have a wound which requires dressing. Others may have long-term conditions which affect them every day, all their lives. Many individuals will have more than one condition, and some will need round the clock care for all their personal needs including feeding, washing, going to the toilet as well as for their clinical needs.

2. Maternity support: Providing care and support for women, babies and their families as part of the maternity team. The maternity support worker will contribute to the care of women antenatally and during birth, and care for women and babies postnatally. They support new parents to care for their baby and to develop confidence and bonding.

3. Theatre support: Providing care and support for individuals before, during and after operations as part of the multi-disciplinary theatre team. They will support individuals as they are preparing to go into theatre, reassuring them if they are anxious, and helping them move them back to recovery following their procedure. The theatre support worker will support the operating team by checking individuals into the theatre department, preparing equipment, counting swabs or other instruments and measuring fluids. They may be involved in routine, traumatic and emergency surgery.

4. Mental health support: Providing care and support for individuals with mental ill health as part of the multi-disciplinary mental health team. They will support individuals, and their families, at different stages of their recovery by listening, providing emotional support, collaboratively developing care plans, implementing them creatively and reviewing them to meet the needs of the individual. The mental health support worker observes and reports changes in mental and physical well-being, encouraging independence and enabling individuals to live their life and achieve their goals. Usually, they will have to work closely with carers and with other organisations for example in housing and social care.

5. Children and young people support: Providing care and support for babies, infants, children and young people as part of the children’s team. They work within guidelines and legislation designed to protect and support children and young people, recognising the different needs and rights they have at different ages and stages of their development. The children and young people support worker promotes person and family-centred care, including looked-after children, and working in partnership with parents, carers, families and other services and agencies.

6. Allied health profession therapy support: Providing care and support for individuals through therapeutic activities as part of a multi-disciplinary team. Illness, disability or a change in life circumstances often means that individuals have to learn or be supported to do things in new and different ways. This can change the pattern of a life-course, but individuals can often expect to regain and enjoy a quality of life with support and rehabilitation. Some individuals may have short-term needs, others may have long-term physical and/or mental ill health or a learning disability that affects their independence, function or way of living. The therapy support worker will be required to work with the individual either on their own or within a group setting. They may also work with others to support the individual eg training carers or working with families.

7. Diagnostic imaging support: Providing care and support for individuals through screening programmes, elective and emergency diagnostic imaging examinations including interventional procedures as part of a multi-disciplinary team within hospital and community sites. They will support individuals and help to manage the equipment used for imaging procedures. They support individuals and the team before and during the procedure, reassuring people if they are anxious and helping them with post-procedure care where necessary. Many individuals will have more than one condition, including serious traumatic injuries or life-changing diagnoses such as cancer. Diagnostic imaging support workers interact with patients, their carers and their families with various dependencies and ages. Diagnostic imaging support workers work within strict legislation and other guidelines designed to protect themselves and the individuals in their care.

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

• patients, service users and carers

• registered healthcare professionals, for example doctors, nurses, midwives and allied health professionals

• social care staff including registered managers, care workers and social workers

• administration, management and other non-clinical staff like porters, cleaners and receptionists

An employee in this occupation will be responsible for working within the limits of their competence, following standards, policies or protocols and agreed ways of working to provide a range of clinical, diagnostic or therapeutic interventions as part of the wider health and care team. Senior healthcare support workers report to a registered healthcare professional and undertake delegated activities in line with an individual’s care plan. Senior healthcare support workers use their knowledge, experience and understanding to take decisions within their area of responsibility. They are accountable for their own work and for reviewing the effectiveness of their actions. Senior healthcare support workers may supervise or guide other staff in their team. They must communicate effectively and be able to adhere to standards, including legislation, employer policies and procedures when handling sensitive information. They must maintain a safe and healthy working environment and keep their knowledge and skills up to date.

  • Level 3 Diploma in Healthcare Support (Level 3)

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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 16th October 2024.