Senior Support Worker Apprenticeship

About the course

Help and support individuals through recovery and positive mental health outcomes with our Senior Healthcare Support Worker (Mental Health Pathway) programme, designed for those progressing into a senior healthcare role or further education.

Achieving learners have the opportunity to advance to higher qualifications, such as:

• Level 4 in Adult Care
• Level 5 in Leadership and Management for Adult Care
• Level 5 in Leading and Managing Services for End-of-Life and Significant Life Events

Eligibility

To be eligible for this course, candidates must:

• Be working with individuals who are diagnosed with a mental illness (Dementia is not classed as a mental illness)
• Be aged 16 or over
• Have the right to live and work in England (not including a student visa)
• Be contracted to work a minimum of 24 hours per week

No cost to the employee or employer. Fully funded by the Apprenticeship Levy.

Is this course right for you?

This programme is particularly suited to those working in:

Healthcare & Mental Health Services – NHS, private mental health hospitals, community mental health teams, inpatient psychiatric wards, specialist services for eating disorders, substance misuse, forensic/secure units.

Community & Social Care Services – Supported living environments and outreach services helping individuals live independently.

Primary & Public Health Services – GP practices with mental health provision and charities/ voluntary sector organisations and local support groups.

Senior Healthcare Support Workers would typically have the following key responsibilities and therefore be suitable for this Level 3 course:

• Care planning & risk assessment
• Basic life support techniques
• Fluids & nutrition
• Staff supervision, leadership and role modelling
• Mental health support for the individual, carers and family members
• Opportunity to undertake quality improvement
• Physiological measurements
• Managing pain & discomfort
• Cleaning, decontamination and waste management

What you’ll learn

What will the Apprenticeship include?

• Support and understand individuals with mental health needs and distress
• Develop person-centred care plans and carry out risk assessments
• Gain practical skills: physiological measurements, basic life support
• Understand health & safety, quality improvement, and leadership
• Involve individuals, carers and families in care
• Train in supervision and role modelling
• Safeguarding and confidentiality practices
• Mental health recovery practices and building a therapeutic relationship
• Quality improvement principles and investigatory techniques
• CPD and reflective practice to enhance your professional skills

How you’ll learn

How is the Apprenticeship delivered?

• Blended delivery – remote and face-to-face learning
• Group webinars and activity-based sessions
• Flipbook learning to prepare for assessment
• Classroom sessions for practical training (e.g., first aid, physiological measurements)

An end-point assessment:
 • Observation of practice with questions
 • Professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence