I did the exact same role at age 22 after leaving uni, but got paid for it as an HCA - although I wasn’t allowed to take obs at all, that required you to be a band 3 .
I got zero training, induction was six months after starting and was paper based . No hands on . Moving and handling was about eight months later .
I had never done anything like it and remember my hands trembling the first time I had to wipe someone’s bum . Absolutely terrifying at the time - my first day I had to deal with tracheostomies , unstable spinal injuries, log rolling , hoisting, feeding, hourly catheters, all sorts . My first patient was dying, she was told that 5 minutes before I walked in . God Bless her she was more concerned for me and gave me a big hug and shared her chocolates , when I apologised tearfully because I was scared I’d hurt her (having zero moving and handling training at all).
I learnt it all on the job - probably not for the better at all , although I flourished and lasted a few years in that role .
I can’t actually believe the amount of training they got , I wish I’d had that - and the fact that a lot of us get paid for the same role .
I vividly remember getting to 7.15 , locking myself in a toilet and howling my eyes out for half an hour .
It was invaluable though as that’s where I essentially grew up and matured enormously , I don’t think any other job would have taught me so much so quickly . But I do feel a bit iffy that they’re saying no other hospital does this - they do, but they call it auxiliary nurses or HCAs, HCSWs etc .