Carers Week 2019 - The Different faces of care - Healthcare Assistant

Carers Week 2019 - The Different faces of care - Healthcare Assistant

Carers Week 2019 is an important week in the healthcare calendar. It is a time for everyone to celebrate - and raise awareness for - hardworking carers across the UK. Paid or unpaid, nurse or homecarer, those working in healthcare provide one of the most vital services - supporting those in need.

To help paint a picture of the different types of care this Carers Week, we’ve spoken to a number of different individuals that all provide care in different capacities. Names have been changed to protect the identities of those taking part, but their answers and insights come from years of experience in care.

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After finishing her apprenticeship following college and leaving with an NVQ 2, Belle started working as a healthcare assistant in the local hospital. Starting in 2015, she now has over 4 years of experience working in the field and has established herself as a reliable and passionate HCA.

Spending the past two years working on the NHS bank, she has experience working in a number of different wards in the hospital and has supported and cared for individuals with varying needs.

After four years working as a HCA, we asked Belle what she enjoyed most about working in healthcare:

“There’s no better feeling than the hard work and dedication of your team paying off in the form of a patient's wound healing or a patient being able to mobilise again.

“It’s this part of the job that gives me a great sense of pride and satisfaction. Knowing my hard work changes lives is truly rewarding.”

Having worked on the bank for the past two years, Belle has met a number of other healthcare professionals. Much like any other profession, she believes healthcare isn’t the right choice for everyone.

“I’ve met a lot of people in my time through healthcare, but there are those that I’ve known since I first began and even before that during my apprenticeship.

“I think it’s important for people to understand that care work isn’t right for everybody. You have to be really invested and passionate about caring for others because this can be a tough job. For the right person though? It’ll be the most rewarding job they ever have.”

Healthcare professionals support and care for hundreds of patients on a yearly basis, but there are always individuals and circumstances that stay fresh in everyone’s mind. We asked Belle what her favourite memory in care was, an answer she was able to provide immediately:

“My favourite moment in care involved  supporting an elderly lady who was in a comatose state. I knew her family were due to visit later in the day, and I’d noticed that she unfortunately had head lice. I spent my lunch hour delousing her hair and giving it a wash before her family visited. Neither the lady nor her family knew what I did for them, but I know I made a difference.”

Now four years into her role as a healthcare assistant, Belle recently started an open university course for a career in criminology, something made easier by the flexibility that healthcare has provided her.

“Even though I am planning to move away from healthcare, it has given me so much over the past four years. I’ve learnt a lot about myself and have come to appreciate how important care is to our society.   

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We want to thank Belle for taking the time to talk with us this Carers Week. If you would like to find out about a career in care, why not visit our jobs page?