Healthcare Support Worker

APPRENTICESHIP LEVEL 2 - 13 MONTHS

Apprenticeship
Includes:

Healthcare Support Worker, Level 2

Healthcare support workers (HCSWs) work as part of a team providing high quality and compassionate care to individuals. This role includes the ability to carry out well-defined routine clinical duties like monitoring an individual’s conditions (blood pressure, weight), checking overall progress, comfort and wellbeing.

Responsibilities may include: preparing 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, carrying out non-clinical duties which could include keeping records, making beds, tidying up the work area, returning or cleaning the equipment used during a clinical activity.

 

Who is this for?

Depending on your job role, your title may vary but typical job roles for this apprenticeship include:

Healthcare support worker, Healthcare assistant, Care assistant, Night care assistant, Homecare support worker, Substance misuse worker

What is covered?

Values 

You will be caring and compassionate; honest; conscientious and committed

Behaviours 

You will treat people with dignity, respecting individual’s diversity, beliefs, culture, values, needs, privacy and preferences; show respect and empathy for those you work with; have the courage to challenge areas of concern and work to best practice; be adaptable, reliable and consistent; show discretion; show resilience and self-awareness.

 Skill 

You will be able to:

You will know and understand:

1. Communication

  • communicate effectively with individuals, their families, carers and healthcare practitioners using a range of techniques, keeping information confidential
  • handle information (record, report and store information) related to individuals in line with local and national policies
 
  • why it is important to communicate effectively at work; how to communicate with individuals that have specific language needs or wishes; ways to make yourself understood; how to reduce problems with communication;
  • legislation, policies and local ways of working(5) about handling information; how to keep information confidential; why it is important to record and store patient information securely and what to do if you think information is not secure

2. Health intervention

 
  • support individuals with long term conditions, frailty and end of life(6) care
  • identify and respond to signs of pain or discomfort
  • promote physical health and wellbeing of individuals
  • assist with an individuals’ overall comfort and wellbeing
  • support individuals with activities of daily living(7)
  • recognise deteriorations in health, long term conditions, physiological measurements, skin integrity and report appropriately
  • report any changes in physical health needs as appropriate
 
  • how to do routine clinical tasks (eg check blood pressure, temperature, weight etc) delegated from a registered nurse or other healthcare professional
  • the signs and symptoms of a person who is experiencing pain or discomfort
  • how to promote a person’s physical health and wellbeing
  • how to support a person’s comfort and wellbeing
  • the importance of hydration, nutrition and food safety
  • what the activities of daily living are and which ones you are expected to support in your role
  • the signs of a person whose health and wellbeing is deteriorating; and how to report changes and deterioration

2.1 Person centred care and support

  • demonstrate what it means in practice to provide person centered care and support
  • what it means to give ‘person centred care and support’; why it is important to get consent, even when it is difficult; why it is important to get people actively involved in their own care; why it is important to give people choices about their care; and why treating people as valuable and unique individuals makes a big difference in how they feel

2.2 Dementia, cognitive issues, mental health

  • promote mental health and wellbeing
  • recognise limitations in mental capacity and respond appropriately
  • recognise and respond to signs of poor mental health for example dementia, depression, anxiety or other cognitive issues
  • recognise and report any deterioration in an individual’s mental health
  • the main forms of mental ill health and their impact on people’s lives; and how to promote mental health and wellbeing
  • the possible signs of limitations in mental capacity and what to do when you notice them
  • the possible signs of mental health, dementia and learning disability in people ; why depression, delirium and the normal ageing process may be mistaken for dementia; the importance of early diagnosis in relation to dementia and other cognitive issues
  •  how to report changes or deterioration

2.3 Basic life support

  • perform basic life support for individuals using appropriate resuscitation techniques and equipment
  • how to perform basic life support

2.4 Physiological measurements

  • undertake a range of physiological measurements using the appropriate equipment including height, weight, temperature, pulse, breathing rate and blood pressure
  • the range of physiological states that can be measured including body temperature, weight, height, blood pressure, pulse and breathing rate
  • the normal range of physiological measurements

3. Personal and people development

  • take responsibility for, prioritise and reflect on your own actions and work
  • work as part of a team, seeking help and guidance when you are not sure
  • maintain and further develop your own skills and knowledge through development activities; maintain evidence of your personal development and actively prepare for and participate in appraisal
  • your role and the responsibilities and duties of your job; why it is important to work in ways that have been agreed by your employer and to follow standards/codes of conduct;
  • working relationships and the importance of working well with other people; who or where to go for help and support about anything related to your work
  • the importance of personal development and how to reflect on your work ; how to create a personal development plan

4. Health, safety and security

  • maintain a safe and healthy working environment
  • take appropriate action in response to incidents or emergencies following local guidelines
  • legislation, policies and local ways of working which relate to health and safety at work; your responsibilities, and the responsibilities of others, relating to health and safety at work
  • what to do in situations that could cause harm to themselves and others; how to handle hazardous materials and substances; and what to do when there is an accident or sudden illness

4.1 Duty of Care

  • follow the principles for implementing a duty of care, always acting in the best interest of individuals to ensure they do not come to harm
  • the meaning of ‘duty of care’ and why it is important; what support is available when you come across a difficult situation or when someone makes a complaint

4.2 Safeguarding

  • follow the principles of safeguarding and protection
  • legislation, policies and local ways of working about ‘safeguarding’ and protection from abuse ; the signs of abuse and what to do if you suspect abuse; and how to reduce the chances of abuse as much as possible

4.3 Infection prevention and control

  • use a range of techniques for infection prevention and control including waste management, hand washing and the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
  • legislation, policies and local ways of working that help to prevent infection; the meaning of ‘risk’ and ‘risk assessment’; the importance of good personal hygiene and hand washing ; how to select the right PPE (such as gloves, aprons and masks); how infections start and spread; the importance of cleaning, disinfecting and maintaining a clean workplace to reduce the risk and spread of infection; and the meaning of ‘antimicrobial resistance’

4.4 Moving and handling

  • move and position individuals, equipment and other items safely
  • why people and objects need to be moved safely; how to move and position people safely; how to move and handle equipment and other objects safely; agreed ways of working when moving people and know how to identify any risks

5. Equality and diversity

  • follow the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion
  • equality and diversity legislation, policies and local ways of working; why equality is important and how discrimination can happen at work

Cost:

£150

with Government funding of 95%  (non levy employers/SMEs)

£3,000

full cost for levy payers

Why Partner With Us?

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My apprenticeship has given me a huge confidence boost whilst helping me to develop my skills and career. I feel better equipped and prepared to deal with situations as they happen - and I know what my manager expects.

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