How to become a palliative care assistant
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly
College
You could do a college course to learn some of the skills you need for this job. Courses include:
- Level 3 Diploma in Healthcare Support
- T Level in Health
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T level
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Apprenticeship
You could train towards this role through:
- a healthcare support worker intermediate apprenticeship
- a lead adult care worker advanced apprenticeship
This will usually take 12 months to complete. You'll do on-the-job training and spend time at a college or training provider.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
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Volunteering
Experience, either paid or voluntary in a healthcare role, is usually expected by employers. You can contact the voluntary services co-ordinator or manager at your local NHS trust for more details.
Some employers will also expect you to have a good understanding of end of life care, or palliative care.
You may also find relevant volunteering opportunities through The National Council for Voluntary Organisations and Do IT.
Direct Application
You may not need any formal qualifications to start work as a palliative care assistant, but GCSEs grades (A* to C) in English and maths may be useful in helping you to find a job.
Some employers may also want you to have a level 2 qualification in health and social care, like a certificate, diploma, GCSE or NVQ.
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Further information
You can find out more about careers in healthcare from Health Careers.