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Full time HCA and rejected for NHS Bank because of care certificate. PLEASE HELP.

Can someone advise on this?

I have 3 years experience of full time HCA work in a private setting which specializes in dementia care. I have certificates in manual handling, health and safety, fire training and protection of vulnerable adults. I do day to day care including hoisting, using stand-aids, slide sheets, attaching catheters, administering minor treatments etc.

I've just attempted to apply for NHS bank work and I've been rejected before I could even apply because the online system screens out applications where the applicant doesn't have a care certificate OR an NVQ 2 in health and social care. So someone with an NVQ 2 and zero experience could apply but I can't...

I've googled the care certificate and found all of the standards and work books along with a template of the certificate. It looks very simple to complete and needs to be signed off by an employer - it actually says the person signing it doesn't need any specific qualifications just experience of the work being assessed.

(for anyone else who is intereste, I found the documents here:http://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Learning-development/Care-Certificate/Care-Certificate.aspx)

Can I take the list of standards and a certificate template to my manager and get them to sign it? Can I do this if they are NOT an NHS employer?

This just seems like jumping through hoops/a box ticking exercise to me but until I have this thing I apparently can't apply for my own job with a different employer (I also looked at non-NHS roles and they all want the NVQ2!!).


Thanks for anyone who can shed some light on this.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by KatieBlogger
Can someone advise on this?

.


The care skills certificate is relatively new but was in the pipeline for a while to create a baseline of workers with the same knowledge etc and to try and ensure that all care workers had a qualification in care. Experience does count for a lot but the education and the theory behind it also helps tremendously and can also show why you do the things you do.
A lot of people get caught in the 'I've been shown this way so it must be right' or 'we've always done it this way' etc which isn't always the best.
I suggest you speak to your manager and say that you've realised more and more people have care qualifications etc and that you're interested in achieving the care certificate and could they help with this. I'm not 100% sure about private vs NHS but I'm sure it doesn't matter if they're private as it's still care governed by the CQC.
Best of luck

Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by deviant182
The care skills certificate is relatively new but was in the pipeline for a while to create a baseline of workers with the same knowledge etc and to try and ensure that all care workers had a qualification in care. Experience does count for a lot but the education and the theory behind it also helps tremendously and can also show why you do the things you do.
A lot of people get caught in the 'I've been shown this way so it must be right' or 'we've always done it this way' etc which isn't always the best.
I suggest you speak to your manager and say that you've realised more and more people have care qualifications etc and that you're interested in achieving the care certificate and could they help with this. I'm not 100% sure about private vs NHS but I'm sure it doesn't matter if they're private as it's still care governed by the CQC.
Best of luck

Posted from TSR Mobile


Thanks. I've looked at the standards and every work book for the care certificate and I've covered all of it during my training (ongoing) such as basic life support (first aid) etc. So although I don't have a care certificate I do have individual certificates for various other care related training that covers the care standards. Also, I've looked through the work books and they are so basic it is ridiculous - they are secondary school difficulty at best.

It's staggering that it has become a box ticking exercise to even be considered for a job that I'm trained in. I can't ask my employer to help me with the care certificate because I found out today that they only accept it from an NHS employer. I wasn't eligible for the NVQ 2 when I started this job and I'm still not because I already have a degree (History).

So I can't get either of the qualifications that the NHS want for HCAs.

I understand the reasoning behind creating the care certificate - to protect patients - but when different organisations use different training it's not universal and fair for staff. I just read a telegraph article which says the government have made it compulsory to train carers using the care certificate due to the winterbourne view scandal - but not a single member of staff in my workplace has it.

Something is wrong with the system and I don't know who I can contact about it - I'm trained for a job but not under one umbrella qualification set out by the government...so now I can't apply to my own job outside of my specific work place. I can't be the only one.
Posted from TSR Mobile
hey, im doing the care certificate and wondered if you have done it now? if so dont suppose you could help me im stuck on a few questions
thanks xx
Original post by KatieBlogger
Can someone advise on this?

I have 3 years experience of full time HCA work in a private setting which specializes in dementia care. I have certificates in manual handling, health and safety, fire training and protection of vulnerable adults. I do day to day care including hoisting, using stand-aids, slide sheets, attaching catheters, administering minor treatments etc.

I've just attempted to apply for NHS bank work and I've been rejected before I could even apply because the online system screens out applications where the applicant doesn't have a care certificate OR an NVQ 2 in health and social care. So someone with an NVQ 2 and zero experience could apply but I can't...

I've googled the care certificate and found all of the standards and work books along with a template of the certificate. It looks very simple to complete and needs to be signed off by an employer - it actually says the person signing it doesn't need any specific qualifications just experience of the work being assessed.

(for anyone else who is intereste, I found the documents here:http://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Learning-development/Care-Certificate/Care-Certificate.aspx)

Can I take the list of standards and a certificate template to my manager and get them to sign it? Can I do this if they are NOT an NHS employer?

This just seems like jumping through hoops/a box ticking exercise to me but until I have this thing I apparently can't apply for my own job with a different employer (I also looked at non-NHS roles and they all want the NVQ2!!).


Thanks for anyone who can shed some light on this.


Hi OP,

Fellow HCA here!

Ah the Care certificate. It is fairly simple to do - I found it more tedious to be honest and you have to have reflections which match up with different competencies. It is quite a big pack when it's printed - some SNs said it was bigger than what student nurses have to fill in -_-

Did you apply to NHS Professionals? If so, I'd give the call centre a ring and explain your situation. Basically the Care cert is mandatory for all new HCA entrants to the NHS after the Mid Staffs scandal.

It might be that they take you on bank as long as you complete it, but then at least you have it!

Before working for NHSP my NHS trust offered me the role with completion of the certificate a mandatory requirement.
It's a bit daft. I have to say I'm not a huge fan of the care certificate.

I started out working as a HCA on a private dialysis unit for 2+ years. I decided to move on from that but I also was not able to join NHSP without a care certificate or NVQ, even though I had a BTEC National Diploma in Health care (which included so many hours work placement etc). That qual ment nothing even though it's actually more in depth then the care cert.

So I applied for permanent job on a ward in an NHS hospital which I got and they have set me up to complete this care certificate.

They also set me up as a member of NHSP even though I haven't completed the care cert! In fact the NHSP recruiters were virtually begging all the new hcas to join.

So there you go! If you get a HCA job in the nhs you can join NHSP so long as your working on your care cert. And it is a lot of work! And for me, very tedious as it will probably be for you, because it is all basic stuff but just so much content which I have done before.

I was told you can use essays from other quals... but this has not worked out well for me because I did my BTEC so long ago, don't have paper copies of work and I lost all the digital files from a broken laptop so no good.

So all I can really suggest is, get a job in the nhs as a HCA (or theatre support and some other band 2 roles) and complete the care certificate that way and join nhsp at the same time. I know all the trusts differ however, and some won't recruit new hcas without a care certificate which is crazy because how are you really supposed to get one?

I'm also not sure what will happen if I hand in my notice on the ward and just work for nhsp which is what I want to do. Will there be a problem because I haven't finished my care certificate? I'm trying to get it done asap but I'm starting an access course in sept so need nhsp then to keep me earning!
(edited 7 years ago)

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