HCSWs enter the role via a number of access points including school leavers, college, university, other NHS roles or from a non-NHS background.
Some new HCSWs may have already achieved relevant healthcare experience and / or related qualifications prior to starting in post for example:
Using Recognition of Prior Learning and mapping learning against the SCQF levels helps to identify a new HCSWs starting point and their future direction.
No matter where you are in your career journey, you’ll already have lots of skills which can be transferable to a role in health and care. What are transferable skills and how can I demonstrate them when applying for jobs? You may find the blog article 'How to write about transferable skills for your NHSScotland job application' helpful.
You can visit the NHS Scotland Careers website to see how your current skills match the profiles of over 100 different job roles. Remember that the skills you use everyday can be applied in so many different settings.
Read the blog article on how a Modern Apprenticeship helped Jodie to reach her potential and become a maternity support worker.
If you are considering a career in the NHS or social care sector as a Support Worker, you may find the preparing for work in healthcare website or the induction resource for adult social care of interest and helpful.
Preparing for work in Health and Social Care
This resource is intended to complement your organisations induction programme and relevant policies and procedures. It will support workers, together with their employers to identify what knowledge and guidance they need to be equipped and confident to safely provide person centred support to people in their new role.
The resource is split into 2 components
The modules and resources found in the resource are designed to be accessed according to your own learning needs. Although the topics are related, they do not follow on from one another. Speak to your supervisor/ line manager to discuss what your particular learning needs might be.
Induction resource for adult social care
As part of Scottish Government’s commitment to develop a national induction framework for new entrants to adult social care, the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and NHS Education Scotland (NES) are working in collaboration on a new framework will support workers moving between employers or undertaking different roles.
Workers can use the learning assessment in the resource, together with their employers, to identify what knowledge and guidance they need to be equipped and confident to safely provide person centred and compassionate support to people in their new role.
This resource is intended to complement your organisation’s induction programmes and relevant policies and procedures.