Meet Becky, 22, from Wiltshire. She is a healthcare assistant at Royal United Hospitals Bath.
Part of our Bitesize world of work series.
How would you want to be looked after in hospital? That's how I always think of it.
My name is Becky and I'm a healthcare assistant at a hospital.
Becky:
Hi Brian. Are you okay?
Patient:
Fine, thanks.
Becky:
Would you like a cup of tea?
Patient:
Yes please.
Becky:
A healthcare assistant looks after patients and makes sure they're comfortable. I work in a trauma orthopaedic ward, which is broken bones, broken hips or knees. I assist the registered nursing team. We do everything from clinical stuff like taking bloods, we also do tasks like helping make meals, handing out the meals.
If a patient needs a wash or they need help getting changed or something, we can always help with that as well. We have a massive variety of things that we do. It inspires me how resilient people are, like one minute you're on holiday and the next minute, you end up in hospital, and it must be super scary to have to go through that.
How would you want to be looked after in hospital? Is how I always think of it. I really feel like it's important to give people a nice, positive experience, because it could be us one day.
Do you want a biscuit?
Patient:
Oh yes please.
Becky:
Ah what one would you like?
Patient:
Custard cream, please.
Becky:
That one?
Patient:
Yes please.
Becky:
Yeah?
Patient:
Yes, thank you.
Becky:
It can be challenging having to do long hours. However, we do get to go home at the end of the day and a lot of patients don't, like they'll be in here for a few days or weeks or sometimes months.
(to patient) If you need anything else, let me know. I'm just going to pop off and help the others.
Patient:
Okay then.
Becky:
After my GCSEs, I didn't want to do A-levels just for the sake of doing A-levels, so I went to agricultural college. I decided that I wanted to just work locally on farms. I have my own sheep and a horse, and I really enjoy looking after animals and the medical side of animals, but I was never really interested in being a vet, because I'm a really big people person.
Then when Covid hit, my friend actually worked in the hospital at the time, and she was like "have you ever thought about being a healthcare assistant?", and I was like “oh no, not really.” But I thought actually I might just give it a go. So I went on NHS Jobs and there were just lots of different types of jobs.
You could be a health care assistant in a GP surgery, care home, hospital, there's so many different places. I applied through the online portal.
When I went to the interview, I had to do like a little Maths and English tests, and then they rang up to say that I got the job. I started and I was really nervous because I'd never done it before, but actually everyone was really kind and caring, and they were just really enthusiastic about new people coming in.
Patients love it when it's lambing season, they always ask me for photos, and I'll tell them when I come back tomorrow you can think of some names and you can let me know what we should call them.
I wish I'd known all about the opportunities for further training in healthcare. I'm now on an apprenticeship route to getting my nursing degree. I go to uni once a week on a Wednesday and it's being paid for by the NHS.
Ultimately, I think I'd like to be an advanced nurse practitioner. I think like if you're not sure what you want to do, and you're quite a practical person, you should definitely have a look at health care and just try it out.
It's such a varied role and there's I think a ward and a department to suit everybody.
- Becky works in the trauma orthopaedics ward, which deals with broken bones, hips and knees. Her job involves looking after patients and making sure they are comfortable
- Prior to becoming a healthcare assistant, she worked in agriculture, where she drove tractors and looked after sheep
- She had no experience in care before starting the job and fully admits she didn’t even know what a catheter was, but she received full training and really enjoys her role
- After her GCSEs, she went to college to study a Level 3 Diploma in Agriculture and Business Management. She then worked in a farming community, and has her own sheep and horse
- During the Covid-19 pandemic, her friend suggested for her to apply for an NHS role. After researching various roles, she applied for the healthcare assistant role. She is now doing an NHS apprenticeship with a view to doing a degree in Nursing. She works three days a week, which enables her to look after her animals for the rest of the week.
Top tips
- If you are unsure of what you want to do, consider healthcare as there are many opportunities
- If you are a practical person, then there is a department or a ward which will suit your skills.
What to expect if you want to be a healthcare assistant
- Healthcare assistant average salary: NHS bands 1-4. Read more about NHS bands. Salaries will differ in private healthcare.
- Healthcare assistant typical working hours: 37 to 40 hours per week, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
What qualifications do you need to be a healthcare assistant?
You could get into this role via an apprenticeship, a college course (such as a T-level in Health – England-only), or by working towards the role.
Sources: LMI for All, National Careers Service, NHS Health Careers, GOV.UK
This information is a guide and is constantly changing. Please check the National Careers Service website and the NHS Health Careers website for the latest information and all the qualifications needed and the GOV.UK website for more on T-levels.
For careers advice in all parts of the UK visit: National Careers Service (England), nidirect (Northern Ireland), My World of Work (Scotland) and Careers Wales (Wales).
The Open University and BBC have been working in partnership for over half a century to provide a unique public service offer covering all four nations of the UK. Each year the OU co-produces a wide range of content for television, audio – radio and Sounds, digital and social with the BBC, including BBC Bitesize.
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A collection of stories from people working across the healthcare sector.
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