Senior Healthcare Support Workers help registered practitioners deliver healthcare services in a range of settings such as; hospital, community, birth centre, someone’s home, operating theatre, care home, assessment centre, hospice, school, prison, GP surgery, charity or voluntary organisation.  There are a number of roles available for senior healthcare support workers.

Senior adult nursing support workers look after adults in a range of settings, duties will vary accordingly. You may work out in the community, including in people’s homes or in a hospital setting. In most instances your supervisor will be a registered nurse. Some people you support have short term needs; e.g. they have sustained an injury. Others may have long-term conditions which affect them every day, all their lives e.g. asthma, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, dementia, depression, stroke or arthritis. Many people suffer from more than one condition e.g. an older person who has sustained a fall and has a wound that needs regular dressing, may also have heart disease. Some people will need round the clock care, being able to do very little for themselves, requiring you to look after all their personal needs including feeding, washing, going to the toilet as well as carrying out clinical tasks like checking their blood pressure or pulse.

Progression

After a period of working and gaining experience, you may be able to work towards an Assistant Practitioner post or apply to university to become a registered healthcare practitioner

Entry requirements

Often when recruiting, employers select apprentices with prior experience as a support worker

Programme qualification and requirements

You will be required:

• To meet the 15 standards as set out in the Care Certificate.
• Achieve Level 3 Diploma in Healthcare Support
• Have or Achieve level 2 English and maths
• Complete a learning journal

Programme details

It usually take 18 months to complete this apprenticeship during which you will participate in training, development and on-going review activities. These typically include:

• Induction which is specific to your workplace and at a minimum meets the 15 standards required by the Care Quality Commission (as set out in the Care Certificate)
• Study days and training courses
• Mentoring/buddy support
• Completion of workbooks or a portfolio through which you gather evidence of their progress
• Structured one to one reviews of your progress with your employer and/or Dynamic Training

Dynamic Training will support you to complete the Level 3 Diploma in clinical healthcare support during the on-programme phase of your apprenticeship.

Your apprenticeship will cover values and behaviours and provide knowledge and core skills for:

• Health and well being
• Duty of care, candour, safeguarding, equality and diversity
• Person centred care, treatment and support
• Communication
• Personal, people and quality improvement
• Health, safety and security
• Assist with clinical tasks
• Activities of daily living

Assessment gateway

Your employer will make the decision as to when you are ready to undertake the end point assessment. In order to be put forward for end point assessment, you will need to have achieved the key requirements of your apprenticeship. 

End point assessment

The end point assessment is undertaken by an independent assessment organisation chosen by your employer and comprises of a multiple choice and short answer test, an observation of practice and a learning journal assessment with interview. You will need to pass all three components to achieve and complete your apprenticeship. 

Please click the above image to download a pdf of the Adult nursing support worker apprenticeship programme outline