This programme offers learners an opportunity to gain skills and knowledge suitable for a healthcare setting with the necessary qualification required for all healthcare support staff. Learners complete work experience in a clinical/ward environment and are trained using simulation equipment to help them understand how to care for people. Successful learners could go on to work in many different healthcare settings including hospitals, nursing homes and register with agencies for home help services.

This one year course is to enable the learner to acquire the knowledge, skill and competence to work under supervision in providing support in a variety of Healthcare settings or to progress to further and or higher education and training.

• It is a stand-alone qualification for employment as a Care Assistant/Healthcare Worker
• It can also be used as a route to 3rd Level Education

Students are offered a practical and theoretical introduction to a career in the caring field.

This course gives students a realistic understanding of what the world of work entails and the required qualification for working as care/care assistants.

This course prepares learners for professional roles as Healthcare Assistants (HCAs) by providing essential training in care skills, geriatric care, and infection prevention. Designed for both clinical and community settings, the curriculum emphasizes practical competency and safety, ensuring graduates are fully equipped to deliver high-quality support within hospitals, nursing homes, and home care environments.

The purpose of the Healthcare Support QQI Level 5 programme provides learners with the essential knowledge, practical skills, and professional competencies required to work as Healthcare Assistants across hospitals, nursing homes, community care, and social care environments.

This comprehensive major award develops person centred care skills while preparing students for further education in nursing, health science and social care pathways.

• To facilitate the learner to explore healthcare support with a view to re-skilling/up-skilling and exploring concepts and subject areas that may interest the learner in future programmes or employment
• To facilitate the learner to plan, develop and implement appropriate Healthcare strategies that contribute to the health and well being a wide range of client groups in a range of health care settings.
• To facilitate the contribute to planning, implementing and evaluating processes in providing holistic client centred care safely and effectively.
• To provide a programme of learning that is vocational in nature and flexible in structure so that the learner has the maximum opportunity to improve his/her academic and vocational literacy, numerical, ICT and planning skills while participating in the programme

Gain knowledge and skills to provide healthcare support. This includes recognising individual needs, providing assisted care and maintaining a safe, hygienic environment.

This traineeship includes 10 weeks of work placement, which is a key component of this course.

This programme is a culmination of a two-year development process, during which there was extensive consultation with the healthcare sector. It has been developed specifically for healthcare assistants to provide them with a pathway from Further Education and Training (FET) at Level 5 to this programme at Higher Education and Training (HET) Level 6.