Healthcare Support Worker

On a healthcare support worker apprenticeship course, you’ll help provide high-quality and compassionate health and social care for many people.

A healthcare support specialist provides individuals with high-quality, compassionate care. You’ll be in charge of monitoring a person’s health by taking measurements such as blood pressure, temperature, and weight and checking on their overall growth, comfort, and wellbeing.

You may also help them eat, drink, wash, dress, and use the restroom. In addition, individuals will be prepared for healthcare activities by other team members, and you will care for them before, during, and/or after those activities in line with their care plan.

Non-clinical duties as a healthcare support worker may include keeping records, making beds, cleaning your work area, and returning or cleaning equipment used during clinical activities, depending on where you work. You will manage minor problems in your day-to-day work, quickly reporting concerns and changes to the appropriate person.

What you’ll learn

On a healthcare support worker apprenticeship course, you’ll learn to:

• Communicate effectively with individuals, their families, carers, and healthcare practitioners in various ways while keeping information private.
• Individuals suffering from long-term diseases, frailty, and requiring end-of-life care should be assisted.
• Recognise and respond to signs of pain or discomfort.
• Contribute to a person’s overall comfort and wellbeing.
• Assist individuals with day-to-day activities.
• Recognise and report on worsening in health, long-term conditions, physiological measurements, and skin integrity.
• Encourage psychological health and wellbeing.
• Recognise and respond to mental capacity limitations.
• Recognise and respond to signs of poor mental health such as dementia, depression, anxiety, or other cognitive issues.
• Recognise and report any deterioration in an individual’s mental health.
• Use the appropriate equipment to collect physiological measurements such as height, weight, temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure.
• Take responsibility and reflect on your actions and efforts.
• Work as part of a group, asking for help and guidance when you’re uncertain.
• Maintain and enhance your skills and knowledge via development activities, monitor your progress, and actively prepare for and participate in appraisals.
• Keep a healthy and safe working environment.
• Take the appropriate measures in response to events or crises in line with local norms.
• Follow the criteria for carrying out a duty of care, always working in the best interests of individuals to ensure they are not harmed.
• Follow the concepts of safeguarding and protection.
• Use a range of infection prevention and control strategies, including waste management, hand washing, and the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
• Follow the principles of equality, diversity, and inclusion.

Entry requirements

You’ll usually need:

• Depending on the employer, but likely GCSEs or equivalent qualifications or relevant experience.
• Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this before taking the end-point assessment.

Assessment methods

The End Point Assessment comprises three distinct assessment methods: 

• A multiple-choice test  
• An observation of practise undertaken in the workplace 
• An evidence portfolio completed by the apprentice with an interview 

Duration, level, subjects and potential salary upon completion

Apprenticeship standard

More information about the Level 2 Healthcare Support Worker Apprenticeship standard can be found here.

Apprenticeship end point assessment

For more information about the End Point Assessment Process, please read the Institute of Apprenticeships’ information page.