Overview

Healthcare support workers work as part of a team providing high quality and compassionate care to individuals. You will carry out well-defined routine clinical duties 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 (extract from Healthcare Support Worker standard) 

The mandatory units cover core competencies whilst the optional units allow learners to choose from a variety of specialist areas to tailor the qualification to their needs, interests and to reflect the context of their work. 

Potential job roles:

• adult care worker
• healthcare assistant/support worker
• personal assistant