EPA Standard
Healthcare Support Worker
Level 2 
£3,000 12 months
This is not the latest approved version of this apprenticeship.
View the latest version.
1. What the role entails
Working as part of a team, the Healthcare Support Worker provides high-quality and compassionate care to individuals. Your apprentice will carry out well-defined routine clinical duties like monitoring an individual’s condition by checking things like blood pressure, temperature or weight and evaluating their overall progress, comfort and wellbeing. Responsible for addressing straightforward problems in their day-to-day work, they will report concerns and changes to the appropriate person in a timely manner.
Entry: there are no specified entry requirements for this apprenticeship.
2. On-programme assessment
Before entering Gateway, the apprentice must complete the following on-programme assessment requirements:
- The 15 Standards as set out in the Care Certificate
- Level 1 English and maths
- Attempts at Level 2 English and maths by sitting Functional Skills test
- Any qualification specified by the employer
- A Portfolio of Evidence in the final 3 months.
3. Gateway requirements
The employer, independent training provider (ITP) and apprentice make the decision to take the apprentice through Gateway. The apprentice must achieve all the required on-programme elements before they enter Gateway.
4. End-point assessment
The end-point assessment (EPA) for Healthcare Support Worker contains three methods of assessment:
Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) Test
The assessment features 60 multiple-choice questions carrying one mark each. The test will last for 60 minutes, and will be in the form of real-life scenarios. The apprentice will answer questions that align to all knowledge requirements of the standard.
Grading: the Independent End-Point Assessor (IEPA) grades the MCQ test as Pass, Merit or Distinction.
Observation of Practice
The Observation of Practice will last a minimum of 90 minutes and will take place during the course of the apprentice’s normal work day. It will assess higher level skills and behaviours.
Grading: the IEPA grades the Observation as Pass.
Portfolio of Evidence and Interview
The apprentice will collect evidence for their Portfolio after completing their on-programme training and development. This will happen in the last 3 months of the apprenticeship.
The Portfolio must include direct observation in the workplace as the primary source of evidence, as well as reflective accounts completed by the apprentice. These accounts must demonstrate learning and application of knowledge in practice, and the values and behaviours against those areas of the standard in the assessment plan.
These pieces of evidence will make up the body of the Interview with the IEPA. The Interview will take place after the apprentice submits the Portfolio. This will last for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Grading: the IEPA grades the Portfolio and Interview as Pass, Merit or Distinction.
5. Grade aggregation table
| Observation of Practice | MCQ Test | Portfolio of Evidence and Interview | Overall Grade |
|
Pass |
Pass | Pass | Pass |
| Merit | Pass | ||
| Distinction | Merit | ||
| Merit | Pass | Pass | |
| Merit | Merit | ||
| Distinction | Merit | ||
| Distinction | Pass | Merit | |
| Merit | Merit | ||
| Distinction | Distinction |
If any assessment method is failed, the overall grade will be deemed a Fail.
6. Completion and certification
We’ll activate certification once the apprentice has successfully completed all EPAs, and the IEPA has verified this. Working with the apprenticeship certificate issuing authority, we’ll ensure the apprentice receives their certificate.
7. What next?
Apprentices can progress to a Level 3 Senior Healthcare Support Worker apprenticeship.
Why NCFE?
We’re an approved End-Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO) specialising in EPA delivery across health, education, early years, digital, social care, finance and business apprenticeship standards. We offer flexible and reliable EPA solutions supported by sector expertise, guidance documents and proactive service and support.