A well-trained and competent workforce is vital for delivering safe, effective and patient-centred care. The Competency Framework for Healthcare Support Workers is targeted at healthcare support workers (HCSWs) working in supervision of registered professionals.
This framework is not mandatory but is intended to provide a set of core skills and competences to help deliver person-centred care, health risk assessments and to empower people to make health behaviour change. The competences are generic and are directly transferable to varied roles, and therefore can be used by any practitioner delivering healthcare support.
Health Scotland was tasked to take forward the development of this Framework. A National Anticipatory Care Working Group was established in June 2009 comprising of Keep Well project leads from Health Boards, NHS Education for Scotland (NES), Practice Managers and the Royal College of Nursing.
It linked with the Remote and Rural Health Education Alliance, Skills for Health, and the Scottish Social Services Council. Other key stakeholders that have been consulted include the Scottish Practice Management Development Network, Community Pharmacy staff, Practice Nurses, General Practitioners and Healthcare Support Workers.
Download the Keep Well Competency Framework for Healthcare Support Workers.