Healthcare Assistant (HCA): Roles, Duties & Career Path

If you’ve ever thought, “I’d love to help people, but I don’t know how to start a career in healthcare,” then this guide is for you. As a beginner, you can start as a Healthcare Assistant (HCA). HCAs play a vital role in supporting patients and making a real difference in their lives.

The good news is you don’t need a degree or years of experience to get started. What you do need is the desire to care for others, be patient, and be ready to learn on the job. It’s a rewarding career where you get to support people when they need it most.

In this guide, we’ll break down what being an HCA involves, your daily duties, and how to start your journey. We’ll make it simple and easy to follow, step by step.

So, without further delay, let’s get started.

What is a Healthcare Assistant?

A Healthcare Assistant, often called an HCA, is someone who helps patients with everyday tasks and supports nurses and doctors in places like hospitals, clinics, care homes, or even in the patient’s own home.

They don’t do complex medical procedures. But they do a lot of hands-on work, like helping someone wash, feeding patients, or checking things like their temperature or pulse. Basically, they make sure the patient feels clean, safe, and supported.

Depending on where you work, you might also hear different names for this role, like support worker, nursing assistant, or healthcare support worker — but they all mostly mean the same thing.

Where Do HCAs Work?

HCAs basically work under the guidance of a nurse or other healthcare worker. HCAs can work in many places. Depending on where you work, the tasks will feel a little different.

Place	What You Might Do There
Hospitals	Assist patients with bathing, meals, and moving around
Care Homes	Help old people with daily care and emotional support
Home Visits	Go to patients’ homes and help them there
GP Surgeries	Take vitals, clean rooms, and prepare equipment
Mental Health Clinics	Talk to patients and help them feel calm
Hospices	Care for people who are very sick or near the end of life

Basically, HCAs are everywhere. They are part of every type of care team.

What Do HCAs Actually Do Every Day?

Let’s break healthcare assistants’ responsibilities into 3 big areas of daily tasks:

1. Personal Care

1. Helping patients wash, bathe, or shower
2. Assisting with toileting and changing clothes
3. Helping with meals (cutting food, feeding, giving water)
4. Brushing hair, trimming nails (basic grooming)

2. Medical Support (only after training)

1. Checking vital signs: temperature, pulse, breathing, oxygen levels
2. Taking urine samples or helping with blood pressure
3. Recording notes and reporting to nurses
4. Helping with wound care, taking blood, or monitoring weight (with training)

Taking blood is one of the key jobs of a healthcare assistant. Read this blog to learn all about Venipuncture and 8 sites of Venipuncture.

3. Emotional and Social Support

1. Talking to patients who are lonely or sad
2. Keeping them company
3. Reassuring nervous patients (especially before surgery)
4. Keeping the patient’s area tidy and cheerful

You are often the first person a patient sees in the morning and the last before bed. You are a big part of their daily life.

Do You Need Experience or a Degree to Become a Healthcare Assistant?

Not at all! You don’t need a university degree to become a Healthcare Assistant (HCA). That’s one of the best things about this role, it’s open to many people, even if you’re just starting out.

But here’s the thing: while a degree isn’t needed, most employers like it when you have some experience in care. This could be from paid jobs, volunteering, or even helping care for a family member. Any kind of experience where you’ve supported others can be helpful. It shows that you understand the basics of caring for people and that you’re serious about working in healthcare.

If you’ve never worked in care before, don’t worry. You can start by volunteering in a care home, hospital, or with a local charity. This gives you hands-on experience and helps your job applications stand out. You can find volunteering opportunities through the National Council for Voluntary Organisations and Do IT.

Also, some people begin as trainee care assistants and learn on the job. That’s another great way to get started.

What Training or Qualifications Can Help?

Even though formal qualifications aren’t always required, having the right training can really help you get noticed by employers and it makes you feel more confident too!

Most employers want you to have basic maths and English skills. They might ask for GCSEs in English and maths (or something similar). They may ask for a healthcare qualification, such as BTEC or NVQ.

If you don’t have these, you can usually take short courses at your local college or online.

Some useful care-related courses include:

1. Level 2 Diploma in Health and Social Care
2. Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care
3. Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care Course – (NVQ/RQF)
4. Level 3 Award in Health and Social Care Course – NVQ/RQF
5. T Level in Health (a mix of classroom learning and work placement)

These courses often include work experience, which is great for building skills and your CV.

There are also apprenticeships, where you learn and work at the same time. One popular one is the Intermediate Apprenticeship for Healthcare Support Workers. While doing the apprenticeship, you’ll get paid and gain real experience in the NHS or care homes.

Besides, you can visit this detailed guide to learn all about NVQ level 3 and its equivalent qualification.

What is the Care Certificate?

Once you get hired as a healthcare assistant, your employer will give you some basic training called the Care Certificate. This training helps you understand how to:

• Take care of people safely
• Keep everything clean and infection-free
• Communicate clearly
• Support people with dignity and respect
• Handle emergencies or problems

There are 15 topics you go through, and you usually finish this training in your first few months on the job. It’s done while you work — so you’ll be learning and helping at the same time.

What Skills Do You Need?

You don’t need to be a genius or super strong. But you do need to:

1. Be calm, even when things are stressful
2. Be kind and understanding
3. Have the energy to move around a lot
4. Listen well and follow instructions
5. Work well with others in a team
6. Respect people, even when they’re unwell or confused

Most importantly — you need to care. If you’re the kind of person who feels happy helping others, then you already have the most important skill.

How Much Does a Healthcare Assistant Get Paid?

As a beginner HCA working in the UK, you can expect to earn about £22,000 to £24,000 per year or about £10 to £11 per hour. If you work evenings, nights, or weekends, you usually get paid more.

As you gain experience, your pay can go up to £26,000 or more, and senior HCAs can make around £27,000 per year. If you work in London, pay is often a bit higher. And in private care homes, the pay may vary depending on the company.

But it’s not just about money, many jobs also include:

• Paid holidays (about 27+ days per year)
• Pension plans (especially in NHS jobs)
• Free training and career development.

What Happens After You Become an HCA?

This Healthcare Assistant job is not the end but it’s a stepping stone. Many people start as healthcare assistants and later become:

• Nursing Associates
• Registered Nurses
• Midwives
• Occupational Therapists
• Mental Health Support Workers
• Dietitians
• Or even Managers in Healthcare Settings.

Some people take extra training to become Assistant Practitioners, which is like a more advanced version of an HCA. Others go into areas like children’s health, community work, or even education.

Here’s a clear salary comparison chart showing how pay increases as you progress from a Healthcare Assistant to more advanced roles like Assistant Practitioner, Nursing Associate, and Registered Nurse.

So, you’re not stuck — you’re starting.

How Do You Apply for the Healthcare Assistant Job?

You can find HCA jobs on the NHS Jobs website, or on job sites like Indeed. You can also go directly to your local care home or hospital and ask if they’re hiring.
When applying:

1. Write a simple CV that shows any caring experience (even helping family)
2. Be honest in your cover letter, say why you want to help people
3. Mention if you’re willing to do night shifts, weekends, or travel

Employers aren’t looking for perfect people. They’re looking for real people who are willing to care.

Wrapping Up

If you’ve read all this and thought, “Yes, I’d love to help people every day,” then this might be the perfect career for you. It’s not always easy. Some days are busy, and some patients might be upset or confused. But every small task you do such as helping someone eat, getting them out of bed, sitting and talking with them, matters. You’ll leave work knowing that you made someone’s day better. That’s powerful.

So, if you want to start your journey:

• Try volunteering
• Apply for entry-level jobs
• Join a course or apprenticeship

Whatever path you take, becoming a healthcare assistant is one of the most meaningful careers you can choose.

FAQs

1) Why should I become a Healthcare Assistant?

Being a healthcare assistant lets you help people every day and truly make a difference. It’s a tough job sometimes, but also very rewarding. You can also grow in your career and train to become a nurse or take on other healthcare roles.

2) What is the best part of being a Healthcare Assistant?

The best part of being a healthcare assistant is helping people feel better and seeing them improve. You build strong bonds with patients and support them through tough times. You also get to do fun activities with them and teach them useful life skills.

3) What’s the distinction between a Healthcare Assistant and a Care Assistant?

A care assistant helps people at home with daily tasks like washing, cooking, etc. A healthcare assistant works in hospitals or clinics with nurses and doctors. The main difference is where they work and the type of care they give.

4) Can a Registered Nurse Work as a Healthcare Assistant?

Yes, a nurse can work as a healthcare assistant if they want to. Sometimes nurses do this while settling into a new job, country, or area of care. But the HCA job won’t use all their nursing skills.

5) Why Should You Choose to Be an HCA?

Being an HCA lets you help people and really make a difference in their lives. There are many jobs available, and you can grow and learn new skills. It’s a stable and rewarding career with lots of support and training in the UK.