What does the role involve?
The role of the Healthcare Assistant (HCA) will be dependent on the needs of the practice and the experience and competencies appropriate for HCAs to undertake. Some examples of the role are wound care management, phlebotomy and basic measurements.
What benefit does this role bring to Primary Care?
The role of HCA is as a valued member of the nursing team. The HCA supports practice nurses and GPs by providing healthcare to patients, freeing up their time for patients with more complex needs.
What is the career pathway?
It is possible for HCAs to develop their career as an assistant practitioner, nursing associate and progressing to becoming a registered nurse. You can find our more about this here.
What training opportunities exist?
Some training is provided by the practice staff and there is also access to courses provided by registered trainers, colleges, Trusts and Approved Education Institutions (AEI).
Where can I find additional resources/best practice guidance?
Where can I find out more?
https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/healthcare-assistant
Caitlin Hayton, Training Hub Fellow
Caitlin is a qualified Health Psychologist and works day to day in a GP practice as a Research and Development Lead. Caitlin has a keen interest in Health Psychology and understanding how our physical and mental health interact.
For her fellowship project Caitlin will be working on developing an understanding of the current barriers of young men in up taking HPV vaccinations. She will explore the current research into HPV uptake in this population and the prevalence of head and neck cancers related to HPV. A main goal of the project is to generate collaborative resources with service users and clinicians to improve understanding of HPV risks and to promote behaviours to improve outcomes for health.
