eCPD Resource - Job Roles

Health & Social Care

Job Roles1

eCPD

Health & Social Care

The aim of this resource is to give you an overview of Health and Social Care and an understanding of

what it is like to work in the sector.

The resources will help you to build knowledge and understanding, develop your skills, and prepare for

further study once your traineeship is completed.

On the role of a Health and Social Care Worker, a staff member from In Touch Care said

‘The role of a health and social care worker is diverse. It can be the most rewarding job that you

ever undertake and by the same token it can be frustrating too. It can feed a deep desire to help and

nurture people and provide a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment when things are put into

place to support a person to enjoy the most that life can offer them.

It gives chances and choices to those who may otherwise not have anything. It allows growth and

development of the clients supported and the staff who help them to achieve what they may have

thought impossible.

To be able to give someone something they thought would never be achievable, gives a sense of

satisfaction to all who are involved in achieving the outcomes.

To maintain dignity, equality, diversity, choice, rights and provide protection and safeguard well

being is rewarding, motivating and inspirational.

When a family member can come and ask you for help and support, or enlist your help with

something they are unsure about and you can say “Yes I can, I know just who you need to speak to,

we can provide what you are asking for” Their relief and gratitude is moving.

Being able to do just a small fraction of any of the above is the reason most people in care

undertake the roles, and also job role satisfaction is easy to achieve when you get a smile of thanks

or words of praise from those who barely say their own name, or choose not to converse in usual

day to day activities. Why do I do care? Because I can.’

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Another staff member discusses what qualities they think you have to have or develop while working

with individuals with learning disabilities.

‘You need to be supportive and caring to work with individuals with learning disabilities. You need

to have great patience and it is essential you have flexible communication skills. You need to have

good self-awareness and you will need to be confident and assertive to ensure barriers are reduced

for individuals with a learning disability to ensure they are not discriminated against. You will use

theories, research, risk assessments, care plans and interpersonal skills to help empower and

support decision making. You need to listen and empathise with different individuals. Working in

Health and Social Care is both challenging and rewarding."

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Introduction2

This activity will take place within the first month while you are on placement in your setting.

You are interested in undertaking a caring role and need to find out more about it. We all require Health

and Social Care Services at some point in our lives; this might be in hospitals, clinics, surgeries, the

community, residential settings or at home. There are many different Job Roles in Health and Social

Care this is due to the high demand for support and care across the sector, in different specialist fields;

this includes Emergencies, Dementia, Mental Health, Learning Disabilities, Physical Disabilities,

Conditions and Impairments.

eCPD Resource

Job Roles

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Task 1

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Ask your training provider for a copy of the Training and

Qualifications Document. Please read through the Training and

Qualifications Document

Now you have read about the different job roles, please choose a

role that best fits the sector you are interested in now.

Highlight the key phrases out of this role.

Task 2

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Research or speak to a staff member about the roles and tasks

they have to carry out and find out what you need to do to gain

the skills and qualities required for the role.

List below the mains points you have found out.

Task 3

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Thinking about the skills and qualities you need for the role,

how will you be able to use the time at your work experience

placement to be able to improve your knowledge?

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Notes

Health & Social Care Job Roles - eCPD Resources

© In Touch Care

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These resources have been produced as part of the Traineeship Staff Support Programme

commissioned and funded by The Education and Training Foundation. Find out more on the TSSP

website: www.traineeship-staff-support.co.uk