A clinical support worker is a healthcare professional who assists nurses, midwives, doctors, and allied health professionals in delivering high-quality care to patients. They work with an individual practitioner or a team, taking on tasks such as welcoming and preparing patients, explaining treatment, and updating patient records. Clinical support workers have a range of roles, including:
- Dietetic assistant
- Healthcare assistant
- Maternity support worker
- Occupational therapy support worker
- Orthotic technician
- Physiotherapy assistant
- Podiatry assistant
- Prosthetic technician
- Cardiographer
- Creative therapy support roles
- Donor carer
- Dental support worker
- Newborn hearing screener
- Orthopaedic technician
- Phlebotomist
- Support, time and recovery worker
- Theatre support worker
- Assistant practitioner
- Healthcare science associate
Some clinical support workers, with experience and further qualifications, can take on more responsibility in a clinical or technical area. Clinical support roles can be a good entry point to the NHS, especially for people with commitment and enthusiasm rather than academic qualifications. Clinical support workers work a variety of days, nights, weekends, and bank holidays on a shift basis, depending on where they work. They play a vital part in providing high-quality, compassionate care to patients in a ward or department under the supervision of a registered practitioner. Some of the responsibilities within the role of Clinical Support Worker are:
- Communicating with patients
- Working under the supervision of a Registered Nurse/Midwife
- Washing/dressing patients
- Taking patients physiological observations
- Making beds and cleaning bed areas
- Serving meals and assisting feeding patients
- Talking/listening to patients
Clinical support workers are expected to deliver and maintain high standards of acute and planned care and be skilled in taking appropriate action(s) to achieve the best outcomes for patients.
