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
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for working within the limits of their competence and agreed ways of working to provide 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.
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Duty 1 Act within the limits of own competence and within agreed ways of working, following the relevant local and national standards, policies and protocols used in the workplace |
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Duty 2 Monitor the health and well-being of individuals in your care |
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Duty 3 Assist individuals to maximise their independence |
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Duty 4 Contribute to the daily running and administration of an effective and efficient service or team |
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Duty 5 Use communication methods and techniques to overcome barriers and meet individuals’ wishes, preferences and needs |
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Duty 6 Promote the health and wellbeing of individuals |
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Duty 7 Record, report and store information related to individuals |
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Duty 8 Maintain own and others’ safety at work |
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Duty 9 Maintain and further develop your own skills and knowledge |
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Duty 10 Contribute to the quality of services by participating in improvement activities |
K1: The legislation, policies, standards, local ways of working and codes of conduct that apply to own role.
Back to Duty
K2: The scope of practice, limitations of own competence and who to ask for support
Back to Duty
K3: The principles of ‘person-centred care and support’, including principles of equality, diversity and inclusion, active participation, consent and choice
Back to Duty
K4: The principles of a ‘duty of care’ and ‘safeguarding’, including the signs and types of abuse and ways to reduce the risk of abuse
Back to Duty
K5: The signs and symptoms that an individual is in pain, distress or discomfort
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K6: The signs and symptoms that an individual’s health and wellbeing is changing and ways to report changes
Back to Duty
K7: Techniques and principles to perform basic life support
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K8: The physiological states, their normal ranges and the correct tools or equipment used to measure them
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K9: The importance of prescribed medication and the limitations of own role in relation to medication
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K10: The principles of hydration, nutrition and food safety
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K11: The activities of daily living and ways to support individuals in developing and maintaining their independence in carrying out these activities
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K12: Local systems to order and manage supplies and stocks
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K13: Methods to safely clean and dispose of materials and equipment, including ways to handle hazardous materials and substances
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K14: Local systems to manage appointments, including IT and telephone systems, how and where to sign-post individuals
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K15: Communication techniques to maximise understanding including for individuals with specific communication needs or wishes
Back to Duty
K16: The meaning of ‘capacity’, the differences between mental illness, dementia and learning disability and the impact of these conditions on an individual’s needs
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K17: The principles of health promotion, availability of services to support individuals with lifestyle choices and how referrals can be made if required
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K18: Ways to record and store information securely and in line with national and local policy and legislation, including the safe use of technology
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K19: The principles and organisational policies for confidentiality, duty of confidence and disclosure
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K20: The principles of infection prevention and control and the importance of good personal hygiene, hand hygiene and correct use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
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K21: The health and safety legislation, the principles of safe moving and handling of equipment and other objects and assistance of individuals
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K22: The meaning of ‘risk’ in the workplace, ways to identify and raise concerns and own responsibilities in relation to incidents, errors and near misses
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K23: The principles of continuing personal development and the local arrangements for appraisal and supervision
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K24: The principles of the ‘Care Certificate’
Back to Duty
K25: The principles of reflective practice
Back to Duty
K26: The principles of ‘quality improvement’
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K27: Ways to source evidence to support improvement in the workplace
Back to Duty
S1: Work in line with legislation, policies, standards, local ways of working and codes of conduct that apply to own role
Back to Duty
S2: Work within the scope of practice, the limits of own knowledge and skills, escalating and reporting to others when needed
Back to Duty
S3: 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
Back to Duty
S4: 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
Back to Duty
S5: Recognise and respond to the signs and symptoms that an individual is in pain, distress or discomfort to maximise comfort and wellbeing
Back to Duty
S6: Recognise and respond to changes in individuals’ health and wellbeing
Back to Duty
S7: Perform basic life support
Back to Duty
S8: Undertake physiological measurements, selecting and using the correct tools or equipment
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S9: Assist the registered practitioner in encouraging individuals to take or use their prescribed medication
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S10: Promote access to fluids and nutrition in line with an individual’s care plan
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S11: Support individuals with activities of daily living to maximise independence in line with their desired outcomes and plan of care
Back to Duty
S12: Contribute to the storage of supplies and equipment
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S13: Contribute to the cleaning, disinfecting and disposal of materials and equipment
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S14: Support others with appointments, enquiries and referrals
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S15: Communicate with individuals using techniques designed to facilitate understanding
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S16: Recognise and respond to limitations in an individual’s mental capacity
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S17: Act on opportunities to support others to maximise their health, well-being and positive lifestyle choices
Back to Duty
S18: Record and store information related to individuals securely and in line with local and national policies, including the safe use of technology
Back to Duty
S19: Report and share information related to individuals securely and in line with local and national policies, maintaining confidentiality
Back to Duty
S20: 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)
Back to Duty
S21: Move and handle equipment or other items safely and assist individuals
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S22: Take action in response to identified concerns, risks, incidents or errors and near misses arising in the workplace
Back to Duty
S23: Participate in appraisal and supervision to support ongoing personal development
Back to Duty
S24: Participate in training and development activities including the Care Certificate Standards
Back to Duty
S25: Reflect on own practice
Back to Duty
S26: Contribute to improvement activities in the workplace, for example collecting and logging data for audit
Back to Duty
S27: Use evidence to make suggestions for improving practice
Back to Duty
B1: Treat people with dignity
Back to Duty
B2: Show respect and empathy for those you work with
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B3: Be adaptable, reliable and consistent
Back to Duty
Qualification type: TQ
Qualification level: 2
Awarding organisation: NCFE
Approval date: 23/05/2024
Occupational pathway: N/A
Qualification category: Occupational entry technical qualifications
Age range: 16-19 and adults
Work placement: Yes
ST0216 Healthcare support worker
Qualification type: TQ
Qualification level: 2
Awarding organisation: NCFE
Approval date: 23/05/2024
Occupational pathway: N/A
Qualification category: Occupational entry technical qualifications
Age range: 16-19 and adults
Work placement: Yes
ST0216 Healthcare support worker
Qualification type: TQ
Qualification level: 2
Awarding organisation: NCFE
Approval date: 23/05/2024
Occupational pathway: N/A
Qualification category: Additional specialist technical qualifications
Age range: 16-19 and adults
Work placement: No
ST0216 Healthcare support worker
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