Nursing support workforce

We define them across two distinct levels:

1. Supportive level: Includes health care assistants, nursing support workers and equivalent roles.
2. Assistive level: Includes regulated nursing associates, assistant practitioners and equivalent roles.

Read more about defining nursing support workers and their level descriptors.

The information on this page will focus on those in a supportive role.

This definition relates solely to the support workforce who are supervised by a registered nurse. Nursing support workers—sometimes called health care support workers (HCSWs) or health care assistants (HCAs)—are collaborative members of nursing and multidisciplinary teams, providing person-centred nursing care across health, social care and education settings.

While they are responsible for their own actions, all nursing care they deliver is delegated and supervised by a registered nurse. Their role supports and assists registered nurses in delivering safe, effective care to individuals and populations.

Note: Supervision does not necessarily mean direct supervision. More guidance is available on the accountability and delegation section of the RCN website.

Nursing support workers will work within the team under the supervision of a registered nurse, delivering delegated task-oriented care consisting of routine, high-volume activities with little variance.

They have knowledge and understanding within the nursing support worker context, developed by education and training to the standard set for this level by the country of employment within the UK. They are responsible for recording their activity promptly and accurately, and for escalating any concerns to the registered nurse.

Further information

• Nursing Support Workers.
  
• Accountability and delegation.
• First Steps: Online learning resource for HCAs.
• RCN Professional Framework – development summary for the definition of nad level descriptors for the Nursing Support Workforce (PDF).

C-Card training is available across the UK through local education and service providers to support C-Card schemes. These provide young people (age 13 – 25) with sexual health support, easy access to free contraception and education about sexual health and wellbeing.

Universities across the UK provide a wide range of accredited modules and programmes related to sexual health and reproductive health.

Contact the local university and/or education leads/managers for further details, including access to support for funding and time to study, as part of CPD requirements.

An NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) Level 3 is a practice-based qualification that demonstrates advanced skills and knowledge for a specific area of practice and is equivalent to A-Levels/Highers and Advanced Highers (in Scotland).

An example of skills that can be developed under supervision and with the right competencies and support in place includes:

• chaperone/assisting
• phlebotomy
• asymptomatic screening
• microscopy.

Further information

• STI Foundation Theory Course.
• STI Foundation Gateway Competency.
• BASHH STI/HIV eLearning hosted on NHS eLearning for Healthcare.

In some integrated sexual health services, supportive staff may be involved in asymptomatic STI screening, PrEP follow-up and assisting health advisors with recalling patients.

This may include administering vaccinations in accordance with patient-specific directives.