Enhanced Care Worker
People in this role provide hands-on care and support to help individuals live as independently and fully as possible. This could be in their own homes, in residential care, or through supported living.
They may carry out healthcare tasks delegated by qualified professionals and offer condition-specific support. They also complete extra training to meet people’s needs safely.
While they do not have management responsibilities, they are expected to demonstrate kindness, respect, honesty, and a positive outlook. They always focus on the whole person and deliver care with dignity and compassion.
You can see below which of our qualifications map to the Enhanced Care Worker role as part of the Care Workforce Pathway.
You can use this to see what’s expected in this role and where learners can upskill. It will also help learners see how to progress to the next stage of their career in adult social care.
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NCFE qualifications for the Enhanced Care Worker pathway
The following qualifications are the knowledge and competencies required to succeed in Enhanced Care Worker roles.
Please note: In this role category, care workers may be undertaking delegated healthcare activities or condition specific support.
The highlighted learning products should be considered in conjunction with bespoke training. For delegated healthcare activities the registered healthcare practitioner will provide training, supervision and assessment of competency.
A delegated healthcare activity is one that has been delegated by a regulated healthcare professional. All activities must be undertaken in line with current legislation and regulation. Some delegated healthcare activities must be overseen by a registered nurse.
Always refer to the Care Workforce Pathway Enhanced Care Worker Role Category and the Guiding Principles for Delegated Healthcare Activities co-developed by Skills for Care, the Department of Health and Social Care and partners.’
Behaviour that Challenges
Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Behaviour that Challenges Unit:Implement positive behaviour support
Diabetes
Level 3 Certificate in Understanding the Care and Management of Diabetes
Coaching, Mentoring and Supervision
Unit: NCFE CACHE Mentoring in adult social care (H/616/6380)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Professional supervision in adult care R/616/6407*
Unit: Supervision skills and developing and supporting others
Apprenticeship
Lead Practitioner in Adult Care
*Unit available upon request.
Unit: AN 1 Undertake physiological measurements
Unit: AN 4 Obtain venous blood samples
Unit: AN 5A Obtain and test capillary blood samples
Unit: NCFE CACHE AN 10 Supporting the care of individuals with nasogastric tubes (J/650/5267)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE AN 12 Care for individuals with urethral catheters (L/650/5269)*
Unit: AN 13 Undertake stoma care (J/615/7302)
Unit: NCFE CACHE AN 14 Prepare for and carry out extended feeding techniques (L/615/7169)*
Unit: AN 16 Undertake tissue viability risk assessments
Unit: AN 17 Obtain and test specimens from individuals
Unit: NCFE CACHE AN 18 Undertake treatments and dressings of lesions and wounds (L/615/7236)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE AN 19 Carry out wound drainage care (J/650/5276)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE AN 20 Remove wound drains (K/650/5277)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE AN 21 Remove wound closure materials (L/650/5278)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE AN 22 Carry out vision screening (M/650/5279)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE AN 23 Conduct hearing assessments (Y/650/5280)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE AN 24 Conduct external ear examinations (A/650/5281)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE AN 27 Perform routine electrocardiograph (ECG) procedures (H/650/5284)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE AN 28A Undertake agreed pressure area care (M/650/1688)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE AN 29A Administer medication to individuals and monitor the effects (R/650/1689)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE AN 31 Assist in the administration of oxygen (M/650/5288)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE AN 32 Administer oral nutritional products to individuals (R/650/5289)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE AN 73 Support individuals undergoing healthcare activities (L/650/5312)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE DHCS 19 Undertake physiological measurements (K/650/5196)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE AN 80 Human structure and functionality (T/650/5315)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE AN 82 Select and wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for work in healthcare settings (A/650/5317)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE AN 84 Monitor and maintain the environment and resources during and after healthcare activities (F/650/5319)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE AN 90 Perform first line calibration on clinical equipment to ensure it is fit for use (Y/650/5325)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE AN 92 Conduct routine maintenance on clinical equipment (D/650/5327)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE DHCS 10 Maintain infection prevention and control in a care setting (K/650/5187)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE DHCS 11 Cleaning, decontamination and waste management (L/650/5188)*
Unit: DHS 12 Cleaning, decontamination and waste management (R/615/7156)
*Unit available upon request.
Level 3 Certificate in Understanding Autism
Unit: NCFE CACHE Support individuals with autism spectrum condition (ASC) (A/616/6353)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Understand how to support individuals with autism spectrum condition (ASC) (F/616/6354)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Specialist areas of care L/616/6325*
*Unit available upon request.
Level 3 Award in Awareness of Dementia
Unit: NCFE CACHE Understand the process and experience of dementia (M/615/7228)*
Level 3 Certificate in Understanding the Principles of Dementia Care
Unit: NCFE CACHE Provide support to individuals with dementia (J/616/6355)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Specialist areas of care L/616/6325*
*Unit available upon request.
Level 3 Certificate in the Principles of End-of-Life Care (610/2967/1)
Unit: NCFE CACHE Level End of life care (D/616/6359)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Support individuals at the end of life (M/615/7326)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Understanding the effect of dementia on end-of-life care (R/650/5298)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Managing symptoms in end-of-life care (T/650/5299)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Understand end-of-life care for individuals with specific health needs (J/650/5301)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Support individuals during the last days of life (K/650/5302)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Specialist areas of care (L/616/63253)*
*Unit available upon request.
Level 3 Award in Supporting Individuals with Learning Disabilities
Unit: Understand the context of supporting individuals with learning disabilities
Unit: NCFE CACHE Principles of supporting individuals with a learning disability regarding sexuality and sexual health (Y/616/6361)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Support individuals with learning disabilities to access healthcare (D/616/6362)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Specialist areas of care (L/616/6325)*
*Unit available upon request.
Level 3 Certificate in Understanding Mental Health
Unit: NCFE CACHE Promote mental wellbeing and mental health (H/616/6363)
Unit: NCFE CACHE Understand mental health problems (Y/615/7157)
Unit: NCFE CACHE Understand mental ill health (M/650/5189)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Awareness of mental health legislation (J/650/5294)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Understand the legal, policy and service framework in mental health (F/650/5148)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Support individuals to manage their own recovery from mental health conditions (H/650/5149)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Understanding suicide interventions (L/650/5150)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Support positive risk taking for individuals (M/650/5151)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Support individuals with mental health conditions to change patterns of behaviour using coping strategies (R/650/5152)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Understand mental health interventions (T/650/5153)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Effective communication and building relationships in mental health work (Y/650/5154)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Enable mental health service users and carers to manage change (A/650/5155)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Enable individuals with behaviours that challenge to develop strategies to manage their behaviour (D/650/5156)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Understand care and support planning and risk management in mental health (H/650/5158)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Understand the importance of personal wellbeing when working in mental health services (M/650/5160)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Specialist areas of care L/616/6325*
*Unit available upon request
Unit: NCFE CACHE Specialist areas of care L/616/6325*
Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Addiction Recovery
Unit: NCFE CACHE Carry out assessments to identify the needs of substance users (R/616/6374)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Support individuals who are substance users (D/616/6376)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Test for substance use (K/616/6378)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Recognise indications of substance misuse and refer individuals to specialists (T/615/7277)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Specialist areas of care L/616/6325*
*Unit available upon request.
Unit: NCFE CACHE Understand sensory loss (J/616/6369)
Unit: NCFE CACHE Support the assessment of individuals with sensory loss (F/616/6371)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Specialist areas of care L/616/6325*
*Unit available upon request.
Unit: NCFE CACHE Support individuals with multiple conditions and/or disabilities (M/616/6365)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Understand long-term conditions and frailty (L/615/7365)*
Unit: NCFE CACHE Specialist areas of care (L/616/6325)*
*Unit available upon request.
Skills for Care resources
Every journey will be unique. Use the Skills for Care assessment tools to evaluate skills, plan development and advance careers in adult social care:
Role profile
More advanced than a standard care worker, with additional responsibilities or specialisms.
Career path
Can lead to roles such as Practice Leader or Deputy Manager, especially with specialist training.
Next steps:
Explore other roles across the Adult Care pathway.
Practice Leader Deputy Manager
