Who do you consider to be a HCP?

[Oldenpeculiar]

As in health care professional?

Do you consider allied jobs such as a health care assistant on a ward a HCP? Or care assistants in the community or care homes to be HCPs?

I'm doing some training as a care worker and it's surprised me that I am considered by some, to be a HCP. I don't think this is the general perception of care workers is it?

Although the course I'm doing is nvq level 5 (management) having completed 3, and that required a lot of knowledge, practical skills and evidence to pass. Looking at 5 there's a lot more. A really good thing.

I don't think generally, people realise how much in depth training into care and general health, good practice and legislation etc is covered in the training offered to care assistants, and thus don't consider them a professional. Though a higher level of training can command a better hourly rate, it often doesn't. I'm still on nmw despite having my 3.
I quite often hear how care is unskilled, and not a profession, to justify low pay and poor working conditions, however with the training being improved all the time, surely it should start to be considered as a profession?
It's quite demoralising to hear despite the training you've done, the skills you've learned, you're unskilled and bottom of the heap - and I don't think that reflects well on societies view towards those we look after either.
I'd welcome some regulation of care workers, like a pin, although the flip side to all this is care costing more, which affects everyone.
What do you think?

And I feel those that live and work in England do the same- it’s just not as formally recognised as up here.

A lot of posters on this thread are clearly saying “well done little carers, you’ve had your claps, now go back to your lane”. Our lane is just as important, just as accountable and just as professional as every other HCP. The system would not work without us.

Why keep coming back if it is pointless?

Saying this conversation is pointless really illustrates attitudes towards carers- totally dismissive

Someone registered with HCPC, GMC or similar

It is the registered provider and registered manager who are held accountable by the courts. CQC only enforces the law.

Nobody is personally accountable to CQC. Individual care staff are not regulated and CQC have no authority over them.

Care staff need to work professionally, but they are not professionals registered with a professional body that sets and upholds it’s own professional standards. They do not have the same level of training and expertise as registered healthcare professionals.

That isn’t to say they aren’t important or doing a good job, but they are not educated to the same level.

@vodkaredbullgirl

Why keep coming back if it is pointless?

I had ‘come back’ to address the points raised and the criticisms and untruths attributed to what I had previously written. Good luck in your drives to improve education, training and regulation and ultimately improve outcomes for patients and clients.

Predictable that this thread has boiled down to nurses vs HCAs feeling they need to defend themselves.

A lot of posters on this thread are clearly saying “well done little carers, you’ve had your claps, now go back to your lane”. Our lane is just as important, just as accountable and just as professional as every other HCP. The system would not work without us.

I fully agree that hcas are as important as other healthcare workers and that the system would fall down without them.

It isn't true that they are as accountable though, due to having not regulatory body to be answerable to.

It's a semantic issue - by the common use of professional to mean someone who behaves professionally while at work they are.

By the technical definition of a professional as someone with a level of qualification, a code of conduct and a regulatory body they aren't.

As Stompy says to be a registered HCP usually needs a degree. With that additional level of qualification brings additional duties and responsibilities that means someone is a HCP.

In a residential home residents won’t have nursing needs so carers may do most of the hands on stuff. HCPs such as nurses or physios will be called in if there are additional needs eg assessing and managing pressure areas. That is not a carers role and neither should it be!

Everyone plays a vital part in meeting a person’s needs. I have been a patient often enough to know how vital the HCA role is on the ward. Everyone is a health care worker who works in a professional way!

Of course you are a health care professional - you are training to observe and have practical skills - your place of work with struggle without you.