Level 2 Diploma in Clinical Healthcare Support Wales

This qualification is for health care assistants primarily working within clinical hospital settings in Wales, providing support to individuals accessing Welsh health services under the direction of a professionally registered practitioner, or registered nurse. It provides the core qualification that recognises roles currently undertaken by health care assistants working within these settings.

To undertake this qualification, learners must be employed by Welsh health services in roles where clinical skills are central to their role. The qualification was developed to provide better governance of practice in Wales through external quality assurance.

It is the preferred qualification for NHS Wales health care assistants, and it is expected that all clinical support staff will have the opportunity to complete the qualification and/or to achieve elements of it for continuing professional development to support changes in practice over time.

Employers will set their own expectations about induction into a health care assistant role, some of which may provide evidence against this qualification through the recognition of prior learning.

Learners must achieve at least 60 credits to gain the qualification. To do this they must achieve all 28 credits from the Mandatory Units, and at least 32 credits from the Optional Units.