Role Descriptor
Both these terms describe non-registered clinical staff who assist in patient care and related activities under the supervision of other Registered Health Care Professionals such as General Practitioners, Practice Nurses and Allied Health Professionals in Primary Care.
HCA/HCSW are NOT regulated or registered with a professional body and the employer is accountable for their actions and omissions. Employers have a duty to ensure that they are properly trained and supervised to work within the limits of their competence.
Primary Care Setting
In a health centre/GP surgery they may carry out the following duties (this list is not exhaustive):
- New patient and NHS checks
- Population Health /health prevention programmes
- Group consultations
- Base line observations
- Chronic disease Management
- INR monitoring
- Simple wound care and dressings
- Adult immunisation (with additional training) – influenza, pneumonia, shingles
- Phlebotomy
- Administering injections (with additional training)
- ECG’s
Employers are required to evaluate which tasks they with the HCAs to undertake and ensure they have appropriate training and support to underpin their activity.
Qualifications
Since the Cavendish report in 2014 ALL HCAs in General Practice are required to have the Care certificate/working towards the Care Certificate.
No registrable qualification required.
Basic training to include fundamental skills appropriate to their setting
HCA / Health Care Assistant Training Course (not verified by Gloucestershire Training Hub)
Working towards the Care Certificate to meet the 15 standards required by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). It can be done as part of a level 2 or Level 3 health and social care programme ( Apprenticeship) or as part of a robust induction when starting your career in Health and Social Care. It is also free to access through: Care Certificate – elearning for healthcare.
Additional skills
- Active listening skills
- Good communicating skills
- Literate and numerate (ideally with functional Maths and English Level 2)
- Caring
- Be prepared to provide hands on clinical care
- Team player
- Use own initiative
Supervision
HCA/HCSW must work under the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional. Duties they perform are delegated by a registered healthcare professional. It is therefore the responsibility of that professional to ensure that they are delegating tasks within their scope of competence.
Career Aspirations
The HCA/HCSW role is often the first step onto a career ladder that can open opportunities into registered roles:
Aspiring Healthcare Assistants can join an apprenticeship to become Registered Nursing Associates. For more details, contact Hannah Gannon at Hannah.gannon2@nhs.net.