Healthcare Assistants
Last updated: September 2025
Care Certificate
The Care Certificate is a set of 16 standards that health and care professionals adhere to in their working life. The standards were updated in March 2025, now including a new standard to capture awareness of learning disability and autism. The Care Certificate is aimed at HCAs and other non-regulated staff groups. The 16 standards are:
- Understand your role
- Your personal development
- Duty of care
- Equality, diversity, inclusion and human rights
- Work in a person-centred way
- Communication
- Privacy and dignity
- Fluids and nutrition
- Awareness of mental health and dementia
- Adult safeguarding
- Safeguarding children
- Basic life support
- Health and safety
- Handling information
- Infection prevention and control
- Awareness of learning disability and autism
Resources
- DHSC: Updated Care Certificate standards
- Skills for Health Care Certificate resources
- NHS England: Healthcare Support Workers’ Handbook
- RCN: First Steps – free online course for HCAs.
- NHS Employers: Care Certificate
- Care Certificate Student Toolkit
Library resources
The Library has some textbooks specifically for HCAs, as well as lots of other books which will be useful for doing the Care Certificate and as you develop your skills and knowledge. All East Cheshire NHS Trust HCAs are able to join the library and borrow books. You can join the library at the link below or in person – drop in to the LE&D Hub to speak to a member of the library team (staffed hours Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 4:30pm).
Athens
A lot of resources are accessed using an NHS Athens (also called OpenAthens) username and password. Athens accounts are free to set up and use – click the button below to register for an account. Make sure to select East Cheshire NHS Trust as your organisation.
LE&D Hub
The library is located in the LE&D Hub, 1st Floor New Alderley House. It has a mix of group and individual study spaces, drop-in computers, and houses our physical book collection.
Library moss wall
Breakout area and coffee machine
Study space
Library PCs and shelves
Library computers
Royal Marsden Manual
The Royal Marsden Manual of Clinical Nursing Procedures is available to borrow from the library and also available as an e-book. Access the e-book by clicking the link below and signing in with your Athens username and password. For more information, visit the Royal Marsden Manual page.
IT skills support
Training
The library can provide 1:1 training on basic IT skills, including getting started on the computer and Microsoft tools like Word and Teams. This can take place in the LE&D Hub or at your place of work. To arrange some training, call into the LE&D Hub or email the library on ecn-tr.stafflibrary@nhs.net.
Online tutorials
There are lots of free online resources to help you improve your IT skills. Some examples of online resources are:
- Microsoft Office online tutorials from GCFGlobal. Free tutorials for Office products like Word and Excel.
- IT basics tutorials from Learn My Way. Free online courses about using your device, online security, using the internet, and more.
Mobile resource
If you prefer to use your mobile phone, scan the QR code or click the link below to open our Digital Upskilling Web App. The web app contains information about things like DCS, key computer terms and phrases, and links to further support. No need to download anything – it’ll open in your mobile’s browser.
Communication skills
The library has books to help you improve your English language and communication skills, and an English Language Toolkit with links to lots of free online resources, including the ‘Healthy English’ e-learning developed at East Cheshire NHS Trust.