The HCA Academy

Welcome to the HCA Academy!

Thinking of starting a career with the NHS but not sure where to start? Introducing an industry leading programme which gives our Health Care Assistants (HCAs) the best start possible.

Joining the NHS as a HCA is a great launchpad to a rewarding career. With the HCA Academy, there has never been a better time to join us! There are so many vacancies to chose from, working in physical, mental and community health care. The HCA Academy is available to applicants for Health Care Assistant roles across two Trusts, Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT), and Mid and South Essex Foundation Trust (MSEFT).

What is the HCA Academy and how can it benefit me?

The HCA Academy is provided by the Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System (MSEICS). It works with the two main NHS Trusts in Essex to provide additional support to Health Care Assistants.

The HCA Academy aims to give our HCAs the best start possible and will continue to support them throughout their journey. For new starters, this means attending an industry-leading induction week and being provided some guidance as they get settled in to their new role. Further benefits are also open to HCAs who already work for the Trust.

How can it benefit me?

The HCA Academy is here for all HCAs to take advantage of. We are always introducing new and exciting initiatives, all with the aim of helping you achieve your goals. Whether you want to progress in your career, get involved with our HCA community, or keep up to date with the training and news relevant to your role, we are here to make it happen.

Below are a few initiatives we are introducing:

A mailing list with a monthly newsletter, which shares relevant and exciting news about upcoming projects, progression opportunities and things for you to get involved with

Clearer progression pathways for apprenticeships

A closed Facebook group exclusive to HCAs working in the NHS in Essex

A HCA app, with relevant resources all in one place, to be launched on Support Worker Day

Recognition opportunities such as long-service awards

Invites to upcoming events

And much more!

If you have something you’d like to see introduced to make your role more rewarding, please let us know by emailing the team using: [email protected]

What is a Health Care Assistant?

A Health Care Assistant, or HCA, is a key role in the NHS which supports nurses and other staff to deliver excellent care to our patients. You can find HCAs across all sorts of different services, from mental health inpatient wards to elderly wards to community clinics.

It is a fabulous role to get into if you are thinking of starting a career with the NHS but are unsure of where to start or prefer to learn on the job.

HCAs need no prior healthcare experience to start work, which makes it a great option for anybody looking for a career change; whether you’re a student looking for some healthcare experience, the first step on the ladder to becoming a registered nurse, or just looking for a career change.

Watch the video below to learn more about the HCA role:

Healthcare Assistant Progression

Did you know joining as a Health Care Assistant opens a wealth of progression opportunities? There are so many different options to consider, with pathways for becoming Registered Nurses, Allied Health Professions, Midwifery, Mental Health specialisations and more!

Check out the different pathways below…

Pathway from Support Worker to Registered Nurse

This pathway takes approximately four to five years and results in a Registered Nurse career. Using apprenticeships, you can earn while you learn and progress to the next stage.

6 Year HCA to Registered Nurse Pathway (1) (1MB pdf)

Pathway from Support Worker to Registered AHP

This pathway takes approximately four to six years and can lead to a multitude of careers under the AHP banner, including Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Speech and Language, Dieticians and more. View the full array of AHP professions.

Health Care Assistant Clinical Pathways (1) (84kB pdf)

Pathway from Support Worker to Midwife

This pathway takes approximately four to six years and results in a registered midwife role.

Pathway-from-Support-Worker-to-Midwife (50kB pdf)

The HCA Academy App is Here!

The app brings together helpful resources and information into one easy-to-access place. The app is available to download for free for all HCAs, whether you work for Essex Partnership University Foundation Trust (EPUT) or Mid and South Essex Foundation Trust (MSEFT).

How do I download the app?

Simply click on the buttons below which link directly to the App Store and Google Play. Once you have downloaded the app ‘Healthzone UK’, search for ‘MSE HCA App’ in the search bar. This will open into the HCA app.

Download the HCA Academy App using Android (opens in new tab) Download the HCA Academy App using Apple (opens in new tab)

The HCA Academy app brings together helpful resources, contacts, training and progression schemes into one easy-to-access place.

You can access:

  • Bespoke resources including the training shared during the HCA Academy induction
  • A wellbeing and support hub with materials including advice for staying well and help to find the correct support
  • Alerts for upcoming events, new policies and interesting news
  • Clear benefits and rewards
  • A career development section bursting with information about progression schemes, continued professional development and e-learning hubs
  • Useful contacts across both Trusts so you know exactly who to contact for help and support

We’ll also be rolling out more initiatives as we move forward, so keep an eye out for updates and feedback surveys which will be shared via the app. 

If you have any suggestions for what you want to see added, or you are having issues with the app, please contact [email protected]

FAQ’s

The HCA Academy is a programme which provides extra support and guidance to HCAs hired across two Trusts – Mid and South Essex Foundation Trust (MSEFT) and Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT). If you are recruited for a HCA role at either Trust, you will automatically be enrolled onto the HCA Academy.

The HCA Academy includes an industry leading week-long induction where you’ll meet fellow HCAs, learn essential skills and find out more about the role of a HCA, all in preparation for placement on the ward or in the community. The induction is centralised between the two Trusts, giving you the opportunity to learn about both physical and mental health.

After the induction period, HCAs will receive ongoing pastoral support, check-in calls, progression pathways and a host of other opportunities.

As well as giving our HCAs the best possible start, the new induction includes training in both mental and physical health, offering a comprehensive understanding of the various healthcare scenarios they may encounter.

The week will cover essential skills such as the role of the HCA, infection prevention, vital signs and NEWS2, as well as training in mental health awareness and the Mental Health Act. By centralising the training offering between the two Trusts, we enable our HCAs to understand the importance of a holistic approach to patient care.

Following their induction, HCAs will be offered opportunities to upskill and signposted to pathways into apprenticeships and further education to obtain skills needed to progress. For their first few months with the Trust they will be given wellbeing and pastoral support with avenues to raise concerns and seek further guidance within their role.

The HCA Academy is offered to all HCAs who are employed by MSEFT and EPUT, covering services across Luton, Bedfordshire, Essex and Suffolk.

Want to find out more? Read our brochure for further information about the HCA role and how we can help you to achieve your goals.

Read the HCA Academy Brochure here: https://mse-nhs.pagetiger.com/bamgmro