Healthcare assistants

Healthcare assistants (HCAs) work in all of the specialities we offer at the Trust to support the delivery of clinical care under the supervision of qualified healthcare professionals like a registered nurse.

Our healthcare assistant roles also include: maternity assistants, therapies assistants, theatres assistants and paediatric assistants. Healthcare assistants are often known as healthcare support workers. 

The role

As a healthcare assistant you will have a vital role in delivering hands-on care to patients including:

• Understanding and recording a patient’s temperature, breathing, pulse and weight
• Supporting patients to eat and serving their meals
• Helping patients wash and dress
• Taking patients to the toilet
• Spending time talking to patients, answering their questions as far as possible and making sure they are comfortable
• Helping patients to get out of bed and move around
• Supporting patients to change position in bed

Entry requirements

To become a healthcare assistant, you must have level 2 literacy (English) and level 1 numeracy (maths) which will be tested at your job interview. You don’t need to have a clinical background or clinical skills – all training is provided on the job.

Training and development

Healthcare assistants join the Trust as a band 2 member of staff. Every HCA receives one week of classroom training and will be supported to complete a Care Certificate within three months of joining the Trust.

Every year we run a conference specifically for healthcare assistants focussed on different aspects of care and how we can better understand the perspective of our patients.

As a healthcare assistant at the Trust you can also attend London-wide events six times a year, which give you the opportunity to meet other professionals in a similar role.

Career progression

We offer the Health and Social Care (Adults) level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship to healthcare assistants, which covers the essentials of working in a health and social care environment.

Any healthcare assistant who is employed by the Trust on a permanent basis can apply for the apprenticeship, providing they have completed their Care Certificate and have the support of their manager.

There are 54 apprenticeships available each year. The application process is competitive but successful candidates have their apprenticeship funded by the Trust. The apprenticeship lasts 18 months and successful healthcare assistants receive a Diploma in Health and Social Care once they have completed it.

Routes into nursing

Nursing associates
After completing the level 3 qualification, healthcare assistants can apply for the nursing associate Level 5 apprenticeship, which allows you to work as a band 4 when qualified. The apprenticeship lasts for two years and is a combination of on the job training and completion of a foundation degree at university. 

At the end of this apprenticeship you can work as a nursing associate or apply to undertake your nurse training.

Nurse degree apprenticeships
Healthcare assistants who have completed the nursing associate apprenticeship can apply for a nurse degree apprenticeship.

Help and support
For more information call 020 3311 5511 and select option 2

Apply online

See current vacancies in healthcare assistants

If you have any questions or would like to speak to someone about our current vacancies you can email imperial.Nurse.Recruiters@nhs.net.