HCA (Healthcare Assistant) Job Profile

Are you curious to know more about becoming a Healthcare Assistant? This highly diverse and rewarding job works to support registered nurses and qualified health professionals in delivering a high standard of care. 

 

How do I get a Healthcare Assistant Job?

Whilst there are no set entry requirements in order to secure a Healthcare Assistant job, also known as an HCA job, it’s commonplace for employers to ask you to have education to a GCSE level, or a healthcare qualification such as a BTEC or NVQ. In some cases, previous paid or voluntary work experience is helpful in order to take the next step into a healthcare assistant job. In order to succeed in your healthcare assistant job, you’ll need to be friendly and compassionate, as the role requires you to communicate with patients while remaining respectful and professional at all times. 

 

What does an HCA job involve?

You will be working under the supervision of a nurse or qualified healthcare professional. Day to day duties will differ depending on the environment or setting you’re working in, such as working as a healthcare assistant in a hospital, GP surgery or care home. Responsibilities may include:

 

• Assisting patients with personal care and hygiene
• Serving meals and helping patients to eat
• Monitoring patient health, including taking their pulse, temperature etc.
• Organising and/or sterilising equipment
• Communicating with patients and making them feel comfortable 

 

Where can my HCA job take me?

A healthcare assistant job can be a stepping stone for many other career options. You may be offered to study through an apprenticeship scheme, or gain additional experience and move up into a Senior Healthcare assistant job, or nursing associate job. A nursing associate programme is designed to allow you to “learn while you earn”, a 2 year programme that leads into a foundation degree. Healthcare assistants who undertake the nursing associate programme will be Band 4 once qualified, and paid a Band 3 equivalent salary during the course. Once qualified you can then study towards becoming a Registered Nurse and use your qualification to take a shortened version of either a nursing degree or a nursing apprenticeship. 

 

How much do HCAs get paid?

Healthcare assistant jobs within the NHS follow the Banding system. For more information on how much healthcare assistants get paid, visit our Salary Hub. 

 

Band 2 £18,546 - £19,918

Band 3 £20,330 - £21,777

Band 4 £22,549 - £24,882

 

As is often the case for salary data in the private sector, Healthcare assistant jobs are paid at different rates, at their employers discretion. 

 

What type of HCA jobs does Mayday Healthcare recruit for?

Mayday Healthcare for a wide range of Healthcare assistant jobs, across different healthcare settings and regions. If you are looking for an HCA job, get in touch with a member of our team or explore our current Healthcare assistant vacancies here.