EPA Standard
Senior Healthcare Support Worker v1.5
Level 3 
£5,000 
24 months
1. What the role entails
Senior Healthcare Support Workers help registered practitioners deliver healthcare services to service users. As an experienced support worker, you carry out a range of clinical and non-clinical healthcare or therapeutic tasks, under the direct or indirect supervision of the registered healthcare practitioner. As a Senior Healthcare Support Worker, you will provide high-quality, compassionate healthcare; follow standards, policies, or protocols; and always act within the limits of your competence. You may work in a range of services; for example, a hospital, in the community, a health or day care unit, a birth centre or midwifery led unit, someone’s home, an operating theatre, a nursing or care home, an assessment centre, a hospice, a school, a prison, a GP surgery, a charity or voluntary organisation. You will also be working in partnership with individuals, families, carers, and other service providers.
This standard has 6 different pathways:
→ Option 1: Adult Nursing Support
→ Option 2: Maternity Support
→ Option 3: Theatre Support
→ Option 4: Mental Health Support
→ Option 5: Children and Young People Support
→ Option 6: Allied Health Profession Therapy Support.
2. On-programme assessment
The apprentice must achieve the following on-programme assessment requirements prior to Gateway:
• Level 2 Functional Skills English and maths or equivalent qualifications
• Level 3 Diploma in Healthcare Support
• A completed Portfolio of Evidence to underpin the Professional Discussion.
3. Gateway requirements
The decision to take an apprentice through Gateway is made between the employer, Independent Training Provider (ITP) and the apprentice. The apprentice should only enter Gateway once the employer is content that the apprentice is working at or above the level of the occupational
standard. The apprentice must also have completed all the on-programme elements before they enter Gateway, including submitting a Portfolio of Evidence to underpin the Professional Discussion.
4. End-point assessment
The end-point assessment (EPA) for Senior Healthcare Support
Worker contains two methods of assessment:
Observation of Practice with Questions
The Observation of Practice with Questions allows the Independent End-Point Assessor (IEPA) to see the apprentice during their normal everyday work. This assessment method is undertaken in the apprentice’s workplace and will be a total of 120 minutes. The Observation itself will last 90 minutes, followed by a 30 minute
questioning session to check the understanding of the knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) observed.
Grading – Fail or Pass.
Professional Discussion underpinned by Portfolio of Evidence
The Professional Discussion is a structured discussion designed to draw out the best of the apprentice’s competence and excellence, and cover the KSBs assigned to this assessment method. It is a two-way discussion which involves both the IEPA
and the apprentice actively listening and participating in a formal conversation. The apprentice will utilise their Portfolio of Evidence throughout to provide evidence of their practice during the Professional Discussion. The assessment duration is 60 minutes.
Grading – Fail, Pass or Distinction.
5. Grade aggregation table
| Observation of Practice | Professional Discussion | Overall Grade |
| Pass | Pass | Pass |
| Pass | Distinction | Distinction |
If any assessment method is failed, the overall grade will be deemed a Fail.
6. Completion and certification
Once the IEPA verifies the apprentice has successfully completed all EPAs, NCFE will activate certification. Working with the apprenticeship certificate issuing authority, we will ensure the
apprentice receives their certificate.
7. What next?
Once qualified, the apprentice could progress onto a Level 5 Assistant Practitioner or Nursing Associate apprenticeship. Alternatively, the apprentice may apply to university to become a registered Healthcare Practitioner (if entry requirements are met).
Why NCFE?
We’re an approved End-Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO)
specialising in EPA delivery across health, education, social
care, digital and business apprenticeship standards. We offer
flexible and reliable EPA solutions supported by sector expertise,
guidance documents and proactive service and support.