HEALTHCARE ASSISTANTS

Healthcare Assistants are essential to patient care across South West London’s NHS hospitals, working closely with nurses and clinical teams every day to support, comfort, and care for those in need.

Be at the heart of patient care as a Healthcare Assistant.

As a Healthcare Assistant in the NHS, you'll play a hands-on role in delivering compassionate care and supporting patients with their daily needs. Working alongside nurses and other healthcare professionals, HCAs are a crucial part of our hospital teams across South West London – helping patients feel safe, seen, and supported every step of the way.

You'll carry out tasks such as helping patients to:

wash and dress
eat and drink
move about the ward
go to the toilet

You'll also monitor patients by checking their clinical observations, for example, temperature, pulse, and breathing. You may also measure height and weight. Generally you'll help to make patients feel comfortable while they are in hospital.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need qualifications?

No formal qualifications are needed to become a Healthcare Assistant. Many of our team members have joined straight from school or college, often without prior healthcare experience or qualifications. Others have embraced this rewarding career path later in life, while some have transitioned to the NHS after working in social care settings, such as care homes.

Will I receive training?

As a HCA, you'll receive training in essential nursing skills and work towards achieving the Care Certificate – a national qualification. You may also be offered the chance to study for qualifications through an apprenticeships such as: The NCFE CACHE level 2 Certificate in Healthcare Support Services The NCFE CACHE level 3 Diploma in Healthcare Support

Is there career progression?

With experience and further training, you can progress to a senior healthcare assistant role. From there, you may choose to train as an assistant practitioner or nursing associate. With the right qualifications or evidence of academic ability, you could also go on to become a nurse, podiatrist, midwife, or occupational therapist.

Hear from Ana de Stefano a Health Care Assistant at Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust

How do I apply?

HCA recruitment is typically conducted through Open Days and dedicated recruitment events. To find out when the next open day is taking place, please get in touch.

Get in touch