At Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, becoming an HCA is not just a job; it's the beginning of a pathway filled with possibilities. Welcome to a world where your passion for care can shape a future of endless opportunities.

What is a Healthcare Assistant (Band 3 HCA) and what do they do?

HCAs work in support of and under the direction of a Registered Nurse (RN), providing personal care and assistance to patients within defined parameters specified by the Registered Nurse. They provide essential patient care and document the care provided in the patient records. HCAs carry out a range of clinical/technical skills and duties as directed by the RN.

Main Duties:

  • Responsible for the maintenance of own skills and competencies required to undertake the role.
  • Assist the Registered nurse (RN) in the delivery of care to a designated patient group, and able to organise and prioritise such care.
  • Determine the comfort of patients by talking and listening to them and building up a rapport.
  • Assist in providing personal hygiene of patients who are unable to do so themselves, including washing, bathing and assistance with using the toilet.
  • Assessing patients' health safety and wellbeing, escalating to appropriate colleagues if required
  • Assist in feeding/ giving drinks to patients who are unable to do so for themselves and complete food and fluid charts where necessary.
  • Ensure patient dignity supporting patients with tact, empathy, and persuasion.
  • Ensure that all care provided is documented appropriately.
  • Report any changes in patient condition to the RN.

  • Whatever your age, experience or background, the Trust welcomes people from all different walks of life to begin their career as a healthcare assistants. Recruitment is based around ensuring new recruits have the right values to align with the Trust values of safe, caring and respectful.
  • In addition, HCAs must be positive, motivated, enthusiastic and willing to learn new skills with the support of our experienced and caring teams.
  • Blackpool Teaching Hospitals provide a dedicated HCA induction and training package, where all new HCA starters begin working towards achieving a Care Certificate which is then taken onto the ward/department to complete the competencies and skills needed for the role. 
  • Click on this link for more information about the care certificate: https://www.skillsforhealth.org.uk/info-hub/category/the-care-certificate

  • The Trust is committed to supporting the ongoing development and career progression of all our staff.  Once you have completed the induction, and care certificate you will be supported to undergo other training relevant to your job role and will be able to access supervision and support from your line manager and address your personal development goals through an annual appraisal. 
  • If you need to obtain English and maths qualifications, you can be supported to enrol onto Functional Skills English and maths which at level 2, are GCSE equivalents, along with being nationally recognised and can support eligibility to enrol onto higher and degree level apprenticeship programmes at the Trust. If you are an existing member of staff and interested in enrolling onto Functional Skills, please email the Apprenticeship and Widening Participation Team: bfwh.apprenticeandworkexperience@nhs.net

  • For Healthcare Assistants in a permanent post, there may be opportunity for you to enrol onto the Level 3 Senior Healthcare Support Worker Apprenticeship Standard. The completion of this apprenticeship can support career progression as it meets the eligibility criteria for the following Apprenticeship Standards: Nursing Associate, Assistant Practitioner or Operating Department Practitioner (pending a successful interview outcome).

    If you’re an existing Healthcare Assistant and you would like to learn more, please email the Apprenticeship and Widening Participation Team: bfwh.apprenticeandworkexperience@nhs.net