Health and Social Care NVQ Made Simple | NVQ Assessors Resources.

Whatever your current situation, whether you are seeking promotion, looking to change career, desiring a new job, taking your first steps into teaching or management, the Health and Social Care sector has something to offer you.

If you have been looking for a job, full time or part time to raise income for your family or build a career around your children, there is room for you in health and social care, the job loss within this sector is very low.

What exactly do I need to do?

You will also need to decide the kind of environment – hospitals, care homes, individual homes or education and training.

Once you have made your decision, consider where you are now and what you need to do to get to where you want to be. In most cases your experience and training will count and you need to get both but for some it is how to package their existing experience and training to get the job they desire – You need to improve on areas such as CV writing and interview skills.

Here is a breakdown of courses that you can do to move to the next level.  

 NVQ Health and Social Care Level 1– This is usually a two weeks training that introduces you to the principles of Health and Social Care. You do not need to be in employment to do this training as it is meant to give you a fundamental understanding of the role of a care worker or support worker. This is the first building block if you are new to Health and Social Care. This course comprises of a one week workshop experience and the second week is a practical experience within a health and social care environment. Afterwards you receive a certificate of attendance. Some of the topics usually covered are: 

• Basic nursing procedures
• Communication
• Health and Safety at Work
• Moving and handling procedures
• Incontinence care
• First Aid
• Infection Control
• Basic food hygiene
• Safeguarding and protecting individuals
• Confidentiality
• Report writing

Most employers will require you present certificates of attendance for some mandatory training in healthcare such as Manual Handling Training, First Aid Training & Basic Food Hygiene. By Law, when you get a job your employer would organise an induction which would provide you with information specific to your role.

Pay rates for this level range from £5 – £8 per hour depending on the employer 

NVQ Level 2   –  This is the ideal level for you if you are working in Health and Social Care, providing support to professionals, carrying out clinical care, health or personal care to individuals in a hospital or community- based healthcare setting. It really doesn’t matter if you are new to the job you can enrol on this course. These days if you have been working without an NVQ or other qualification you will be advised by your employer to consider enrolling on NVQ 2 as you may not be allowed to keep your job from the year 2010. Many other employers would only offer jobs to care workers with a minimum of NVQ 2.

This course comprises of 4 mandatory units and 2 optional units based on a skill scan. The mandatory units are:  

 HSC 21- Communication and record keeping

 HSC 22- Health and Safety at Work

 HSC 23 – Develop your practice

 HSC 24 – Protection of Individuals

You will be allowed to choose your 2 optional units from a list based on your skills and job role. This is a very interesting course and you will find it easy if you have been working according to your organisational policies and procedures.  Having NVQ 2 Adults would qualify you to work with all groups of adults although you may need to attend trainings in specialised areas coupled with your existing experience, for example if you currently work with the elderly and wish to work with individuals with learning disability, your NVQ 2 adults is relevant except that you will need some additional training which are short courses.

Pay rates for this level range from £6.50 – £10 depending on the employer

If you are interested in enrolling for this course, please fill the enquiry form below this article.

NVQ Level 3  – At Level 3, the Health and Social Care NVQ has two pathways: “Adults” and “Children and Young People”.  This qualification is designed for workers delivering care and support often without direct supervision or probably working on their own in an individual’s own home.

Common job roles that would qualify you to do the NVQ 3 are senior care workers, team leaders, domiciliary care workers, homecare organisers and community support workers.

You will be required to complete 4 mandatory units and 4 optional units based on a skills scan. The mandatory units are:

HSC 31 – Promoting Communication

HSC 32 – Promoting Health and Safety

HSC 33 – Reflect on and develop your Practice

HSC 34/ HSC 35 – Protecting children (HSC34) or Adults (HSC35)

You will be allowed to choose your 4 optional units from a list based on your skills and job role. This is also a very interesting course and you will find it easy if you have been practising within health and social care. 

If you are interested in enrolling for this course, please fill the enquiry form below this article.

  In the next article I will write about progression unto management and teaching roles which requires you achieve qualifications at Level 3 or Level 4. Do you want to know what the A1 Award is about? Or you have noticed our most visited page PTTLS 7303 and you are wondering what this course is about. Stay tuned and look out for the next article.