This course can support your entry to a career in health care, and progression to higher education courses in health and social care.

Are you passionate about making a real difference in people’s lives?

You’ll learn how to create and lead activities that bring joy, purpose, and stimulation—such as art, music, gentle fitness, cookery, and reminiscence therapy—to individuals with additional needs, disabilities and to older adults, including those living with dementia.

The Healthcare Assistance course provides students with the knowledge, skills, and competence to work under supervision in providing support in a variety of healthcare settings or to progress to further and higher education and training.  It provides a recognised qualification for healthcare workers, currently in employment and those seeking to work in this sector. This Healthcare Support Award is one of the Department of Health and Children’s recommended qualifications for Healthcare Assistants working in the public and private sector. The course aims to develop communication, practical and caring skills in the learner, to allow them to respond effectively and with empathy to the needs of the older person. Learners will be introduced to current and emerging legislation that applies to the care of the older person and the need for personal and professional development while working with older people and their families.

If you have a compassionate nature and would like to take on the roles and responsiblities associated with the profession of caring, then this is the course for you. Learn all of the required competencies and skills but also learn about the importance of issues such as dignity, respect, empathy and confidentiality.

Become a qualified Healthcare Assistant (HCA) with a special focus on care of the older person. There is increasing demand for qualified HCAs to work on the frontline in hospitals, dementia care, and hospices, or caring for vulnerable people in their homes and in residential settings.

With this professional qualification you will gain the skills, knowledge and valuable work experience to create a pathway to employment for you.

The course provides students with essential knowledge and skills required to work in various healthcare settings. A Healthcare Assistant supports existing staff in a hospital or care setting in the practical care and general welfare of clients. They play a vital role in the care team. Career opportunities are excellent as many care settings require prospective employees to hold relevant certification such as this one. The course will allow you to develop the necessary skills and training to enable you to seek employment in the healthcare sector.

Learners work towards the QQI Level 5 Health Service Skills major award while also developing their English language skills. If you are over 21 and 6 months unemployed you may be eligible for VTOS (Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme). This scheme gives unemployed adults over 21 the opportunity of returning to full time education, while retaining their benefit.

This one year course promotes a range of skills and competencies necessary for students to work as Healthcare Assistants in a range of care environments such as hospitals, nursing homes and in the community

This course enables the student to develop the skills required to carry out a security function in a healthcare setting such as a hospital, nursing home, clinic or primary care centre. The role of security officer in a healthcare setting merges the skills of a conventional security officer with specific additional skills that would be essential to work in a healthcare setting. As well as a structured programme of induction at St. James Hospital this course features work experience at the hospital as well as on the job training in new generation technologies by SAR Security.