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Healthcare Assistants and Clinical Support Workers

Healthcare Assistants

Healthcare Assistants (HCAs) play an important part in providing excellent patient care. They work alongside, and assist, registered nurses and nursing associates.

They carry out tasks such as helping patients to:

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

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

Clinical Support Workers

Clinical Support Workers (CSWs) do slightly different work but their role is equally important. They support the general running of a department and mainly work in short-stay areas such as outpatient departments, day surgery, main theatres, or clinics.

CSWs usually have less contact with patients than HCAs.

Apply

When vacancies are open, complete an online form to apply.

You can find our vacancies on:

If you are shortlisted, we will invite you to an interview.

Read our advice on applying for a job at King’s.

Training and support

When you join King’s you will complete a one-week induction training programme. This will help prepare you with the knowledge and skills needed to safely care for our patients before you start work in clinical areas.

You will then have a local induction to help you familiarise yourself with your department and role.

To help you become familiar and confident in your new position, we will assign you a buddy to work with before you work on your own.

Band 2 HCAs

Band 2 HCAs will need to complete:

  • the Care Certificate within your first three months, if you do not already have it
  • a competency document

You will have the opportunity to complete qualifications in Maths and English at level 2 and enrol on a level 3 apprenticeship in Healthcare.

You can find out more about qualfication levels on the UK government website.

Band 3 HCAs

Band 3 HCAs will need to complete a competency document. You will also have study days in order to develop your knowledge and skills.