Healthcare and Social Care - Healthcare Assistant
Healthcare and Social Care - Healthcare Assistant
Amber
Healthcare assistants help to look after patients in places like hospitals and clinics. The things they do vary depending on the job. Their work is set for them by staff such as nurses or midwives. They help patients with things like washing, dressing, and going to the toilet.
- Help patients with daily tasks, such as showering, getting dressed, using the toilet, and eating
- Make beds
- Use equipment to lift and move patients
- Talk to patients and reassure them
- Take patients' temperature or pulse
- Attend meetings with other healthcare professionals
Healthcare assistants work indoors such as in hospital wards, hospital clinics and nursing homes.
Healthcare assistants in the NHS usually work about 37 to 40 hours a week.
Starting salary: £20,000
Experienced salary: up to £26,000
You'll usually need some GCSEs but not always some NHS trusts can be more flexible. You may also be able to access via a supported internship. You could work as a trainee care assistant in a residential or care home and complete qualifications on the job.
You'll find it useful to get some paid or voluntary experience in a healthcare setting or personal care role. This will help when you apply for jobs. You could also apply for an apprenticeship. If you have an EHCP you may be able to apply under the DfE exemption which allows the apprentice to use Entry level 3 English and Maths qualifications.
The apprentice would have to be component enough to successfully achieve all other aspects of the apprenticeship requirements, become occupationally competent and achieve Entry Level 3 in English and Maths before the end of their apprenticeship. College - you could start off on a Level 1 Introductory Certificate in Health and Social Care.