How to become a nursing auxiliaries and assistant
Official title: Nursing auxiliaries and assistants
Also called: Care assistant, Cssd assistant, Hsdu assistant, Tssu assistant, Ward assistant, X-ray assistant, Assistant nurse, Auxiliary nurse, Nursing orderly, Clinic assistant, Health assistant, Physio assistant
Nursing auxiliaries and assistants assist doctors, nurses and other health professionals in caring for the sick and injured within hospitals, homes, clinics and the wider community.
Main tasks
- Performs basic clinical tasks such as taking patients’ temperature and pulse, weighing and measuring, performing urine tests and extracting blood samples
- Prepares patient for examination and treatment
- Distributes and serves food, assists patients in feeding and prepares snacks and hot drinks
- Assists patients in washing, dressing, toiletry activities and general mobility
- Changes bed linen, makes beds and tidies wards
How to become one
There are no formal academic entry requirements. Off and on-the-job training is provided. NVQs/ SVQs in Health and Social Care are available at levels 2 and 3.
Ways in
- Apprenticeship (England): Healthcare support worker (level 2). England. Typically 8 months. Skills England standard ST0216.
- Apprenticeship (England): Nursing associate (NMC 2018) (level 5). England. Typically 24 months. Skills England standard ST0827.
- Apprenticeship (England): Senior healthcare support worker (level 3). England. Typically 24 months. Skills England standard ST0217.
Pay · Outlook
- Median full-time pay: £29,084 a year The middle half earn £25,189 to £33,294.
- About 301,600 people work in this job now, and about 330,500 are projected by 2035. (+9.6%)
Related jobs
- Ambulance staff (excluding paramedics)
- Dental nurses
- Houseparents and residential wardens
- Care workers and home carers
- Senior care workers
- Care escorts
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Questions people ask
How do I become a nursing auxiliaries and assistant?
There are no formal academic entry requirements. Off and on-the-job training is provided. NVQs/ SVQs in Health and Social Care are available at levels 2 and 3.
How much does a nursing auxiliaries and assistant earn in the UK?
Median full-time pay is £29,084 a year (Office for National Statistics). The middle half earn £25,189 to £33,294.
Is a nursing auxiliaries and assistant a growing career in the UK?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 10% by 2035, from about 301,600 to about 330,500 people (Department for Education).
Do you need a degree to become a nursing auxiliaries and assistant?
Not always. 34% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Healthcare support worker (level 2).
Sources
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03