NOCN Level 3 Diploma in Healthcare Support

NOCN Level 3 Diploma in Healthcare Support
Overview

The NOCN Level 3 Diploma in Healthcare Support is a professionally designed qualification that prepares learners for a skilled and responsible role within the health and social care sector. It provides a strong foundation in healthcare practice, supporting individuals who wish to work directly with patients, service users, and healthcare teams in a range of clinical and community settings.

This qualification focuses on developing essential knowledge and practical skills required to deliver safe, effective, and person-centred care. Learners gain understanding of healthcare procedures, infection control, safeguarding, communication, and supporting individuals with diverse health needs. The course also strengthens professionalism, empathy, and ethical practice in real healthcare environments.

It is suitable for individuals already working in healthcare support roles or those aspiring to enter the sector at a professional level. The programme is ideal for healthcare assistants, support workers, and care staff who want to enhance their competence and progress in their careers within hospitals, clinics, care homes, and community health services.

By completing this diploma, learners develop the confidence and capability to perform effectively in healthcare settings. It also provides a clear pathway for career advancement and further study in health and social care, supporting long-term professional growth in the healthcare sector.

To enroll in the NOCN Level 3 Diploma in Healthcare Support , learners are generally expected to meet the following entry requirements:

The NOCN Level 3 Diploma in Healthcare Support is a 65 credit qualification with a Total Qualification Time (TQT) of 650, including 374 Guided Learning Hours (GLH). Learners must achieve all 45 credits from the 15 mandatory units and a minimum of 20 credits from Mandatory Group B. A minimum of 37 credits overall must be at Level 3 or above.

Mandatory Group A

1. Causes and Spread of Infection
2. Cleaning, Decontamination and Waste Management
3. Duty of Care in Care Settings
4. Promote Communication in Care Settings
5. Promote Effective Handling of Information in Care Settings
6. Promote Equality and Inclusion in Care Settings
7. Promote Health, Safety and Well-being in Care Settings
8. Promote Personal Development in Care Settings
9. Promote Person-Centred Approaches in Care Settings
10. Responsibilities of a Care Worker
11. Safeguarding and Protection in Care Settings
12. Study Skills for Senior Healthcare Support Workers
13. The Principles of Infection Prevention and Control
14. Understand Mental Health Problems
15. Understand Mental Well-being and Mental Health Promotion

Mandatory Group B

Option 1 - Adult Nursing Support

Clinical Care Units

1. Undertake Physiological Measurements
2. Undertake Tissue Viability Risk Assessments
3. Undertake Treatments and Dressings of Lesions and Wounds
4. Care for Individuals with Urethral Catheters
5. Undertake Personal Hygiene Activities with Individuals
6. Undertake Stoma Care
7. Perform Intravenous Cannulation
8. Care for Individuals with Naso-Gastric Tubes
9. Obtain and Test Capillary Blood Samples
10. Obtain Venous Blood Samples
11. Carry out Blood Collection from Fixed or Central Lines

Health Navigation Units

1. Coordinate the Progress of Individuals through Care Pathways
2. Obtain a Client History
3. Support Individuals to Access and Use Services and Facilities

Elderly Care Units

1. Care for the Elderly
2. Understand the Process and Experience of Dementia
3. Support Individuals During a Period of Change
4. Support Individuals at the End of Life
5. Support Individuals Who are Bereaved

Learning Disability Support Units

1. Understand the Context of Supporting Individuals with Learning Disabilities
2. Awareness of the Mental Capacity Act 2005
3. Support Independence in the Tasks of Daily Living

Community Support Units

1. Support Independence in the Tasks of Daily Living
2. Advise and Inform Individuals on Managing Their Condition
3. Support Individuals to Live at Home
4. Work in Partnership with Families to Support Individuals
5. Implement Therapeutic Group Activities
6. Support Individuals to Develop and Run Support Groups

Option 2 - Maternity Support

1. Support Parents or Carers to Interact with and Care for Their Newborn Baby
2. Anatomy and Physiology for Maternity Support Workers
3. Care for the Physical and Nutritional Needs of Babies and Young Children
4. Provide Advice and Information to Enable Parents to Promote the Health and Well-being of Their Newborn Babies
5. Care for a Newborn Baby
6. Develop and Agree Individualised Care Plans for Babies and Families
7. Support Individuals with Feeding Babies

Option 3 - Theatre Support

1. Transport, Transfer and Position Individuals and Equipment within the Perioperative Environment
2. Contribute to the Safe Use of Medical Devices in the Perioperative Environment
3. Assist in the Delivery of Perioperative Care and Support to Individuals
4. Measure and Record Individuals' Body Fluid Balance in a Perioperative Environment
5. Assist in Receiving, Handling and Dispatching Clinical Specimens
6. Provide Support to the Surgical Team when Preparing Individuals for Operative and Invasive Procedures
7. Perform the Non-Scrubbed Circulating Role for Perioperative Procedures
8. Prepare Anaesthetic Environment and Provide Support for Pre and Post Operative Anaesthesia and Recovery

Option 4 - Mental Healthcare Support

1. Understand Mental Health Interventions
2. Effective Communication and Building Relationships in Mental Health Work
3. Enable Individuals with Mental Health Problems to Develop Alternative Coping Strategies
4. Support Individuals to Manage Their Own Recovery from Mental Health Problems
5. Support Positive Risk Taking for Individuals
6. Understanding Suicide Interventions
7. Enable Mental Health Service Users and Carers to Manage Change

Option 5 - Children and Young People

1. Understand How to Safeguard the Wellbeing of Children and Young People
2. Communicate with Children and Young People in Care Settings
3. Understand Child and Young Person Development
4. Develop Positive Relationships with Children and Young People
5. Enable Children and Young People to Understand Their Health and Well-being
6. Work with Babies and Young Children to Support Their Development and Learning
7. Care for the Physical and Nutritional Needs of Babies and Young Children
8. Support Children and Young People Experiencing Transitions

Option 6 - Allied Health Profession Therapy Support

Dietetic Support Units

1. Contribute to Monitoring the Health of Individuals Affected by Health Conditions
2. Undertake Physiological Measurements
3. Assist the Practitioner to Carry Out Health Care Activities
4. Monitor Individuals' Progress in Relation to Managing Their Body Weight and Nutrition
5. Provide Information and Advice to Individuals on Eating to Maintain Optimum Nutritional Status
6. Principles of Health Promotion
7. Monitor and Review Individuals' Progress in Relation to Maintaining Optimum Nutritional Status
8. Deliver Training through Demonstration and Instruction

Physiotherapy Support Units

1. Clinical Care Units
2. Assist the Practitioner to Carry Out Health Care Activities
3. Assist in Testing Individuals' Abilities Prior to Planning Physical Activities
4. Deliver Exercise Sessions to Improve Individuals' Health and Wellbeing
5. Assist in Implementing Treatment Programmes for Individuals with Severely Reduced Movement/Mobility
6. Assist in the Implementation of Programmes to Increase Mobility, Movement and Functional Independence
7. Implement Hydrotherapy Programmes for Individuals and Groups

Occupational Therapy Units

1. Support Individuals with Cognition or Learning Difficulties
2. Support Independence in the Tasks of Daily Living
3. Collaborate in the Assessment of Environmental and Social Support in the Community
4. Provide Support to Maintain and Develop Skills for Everyday Life
5. Support Individuals to Live at Home
6. Implement Therapeutic Group Activities
7. Assist in Planning and Evaluating Learning Activities

Speech and Language Therapy Support Units

1. Assist the Practitioner to Carry Out Health Care Activities
2. Develop and Prepare Speech and Language Therapy Resources for Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) Use
3. Assist and Support Individuals to Use Alternative and Augmentative Communication Systems (AAC)
4. Develop Activities and Materials to Enable Individuals to Reach Specific Communication Goals
5. Support Individuals with Speech and Language Disorders to Develop Their Communication Skills
6. Assist Professionals to Support Individuals from Diverse Linguistic and Cultural Backgrounds to Access Speech and Language Therapy Services
7. Provide Support for Individuals with Communication and Interaction Difficulties

Podiatry Support Units

1. Assist the Practitioner to Carry Out Health Care Activities
2. Provide Support for Mobility
3. Adapt and Fit Healthcare Equipment, Medical Devices, Assistive Technology, or Products to Meet Individuals' Needs
4. Assist in Implementing Treatment Programmes for Individuals with Severely Reduced Movement/Mobility
5. Provide Agreed Support for Foot Care
6. Examine the Feet of Individuals with Diabetes
7. Support Individuals Undergoing Healthcare Activities

Prosthetic / Orthotic Support Units

1. Assist the Practitioner to Carry Out Health Care Activities
2. Adapt and Fit Healthcare Equipment, Medical Devices, Assistive Technology, or Products to Meet Individuals' Needs
3. Provide Support to Individuals to Continue Recommended Therapies
4. Coordinate the Progress of Individuals through Care Pathways
5. Advise and Inform Individuals on Managing Their Condition
6. Examine the Feet of Individuals with Diabetes
7. Provide Advice on Foot Care for Individuals with Diabetes

Other Units

1. Administer medication to individuals and monitor the effects
2. Administer oral nutritional products to individuals
3. Assist and support individuals to use alternative and augmentative communication systems (AAC)
4. Assist in the administration of medication
5. Assist in the administration of oxygen
6. Assist individuals who have mental health problems when they are transferring between agencies and services
7. Assist others to monitor individuals' progress in managing dysphagia
8. Assist others to plan presentations
9. Assist professionals to support individuals from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds to access speech and language therapy services
10. Carry out arterial puncture and collect arterial blood
11. Carry out intravenous infusion
12. Carry out vision screening
13. Carry out wound drainage care
14. Collate and communicate health information to individuals
15. Communicate with individuals about promoting their health and wellbeing
16. Conduct external ear examinations
17. Conduct hearing assessments
18. Conduct routine maintenance on clinical equipment
19. Contribute to the care of a deceased person
20. Contribute to the discharge of individuals to carers
21. Contribute to the effectiveness of teams
22. Control the use of physical resources in a health setting
23. Dementia awareness
24. Enable individuals to develop strategies to manage their behaviour
25. End of life and dementia care
26. Facilitate and monitor housing and accommodation services to support individuals with mental health needs
27. Facilitate learning and development activities to meet individual needs and preferences
28. Give presentations to groups
29. Human structure and functionality
30. Inform an individual of discharge arrangements
31. Insert and secure nasogastric tubes
32. Interact with and support individuals using telecommunications
33. Maintaining quality standards in the health sector
34. Make recommendations for the use of physical resources in a health setting
35. Manage the availability of physical resources to meet service delivery needs in a health setting
36. Managing symptoms in end of life care
37. Manufacture equipment or medical devices for individuals within healthcare
38. Monitor and maintain the environment and resources during and after health care activities
39. Move and position individuals in accordance with their care plan
40. Obtain and test capillary blood samples
41. Obtain and test specimens from individuals
42. Obtain venous blood samples
43. Operate equipment for intraoperative cell salvage blood collection
44. Operate equipment for intraoperative cell salvage blood processing and complete intraoperative cell salvage blood process
45. Perform first line calibration on clinical equipment to ensure it is fit for use
46. Perform routine electrocardiograph (ECG) procedures
47. Prepare and apply dressings and drains to individuals in the perioperative environment
48. Prepare and dress for scrubbed clinical roles
49. Prepare and provide surgical instrumentation and supplementary items for the surgical team
50. Prepare equipment for intraoperative cell salvage blood collection
51. Prepare equipment for intraoperative cell salvage blood processing
52. Prepare for and carry out extended feeding techniques
53. Prepare individuals for healthcare activities
54. Promote positive behaviour
55. Promotion of general health and well-being
56. Provide support for leisure activities
57. Provide support for sleep
58. Provide support to individuals to continue recommended therapies
59. Provide support to manage pain and discomfort
60. Receive and handle clinical specimens within the sterile field
61. Recognise indications of substance misuse and refer individuals to specialists
62. Remove wound closure materials
63. Remove wound drains
64. Reprocess endoscopy equipment
65. Select and wear appropriate personal protective equipment for work in healthcare settings
66. Service improvement in the health sector
67. Support carers to meet the care needs of individuals
68. Support child and young person development
69. Support children and young people with additional needs
70. Support children and young people with mental health conditions
71. Support individuals during emergency situations
72. Support individuals during the last days of life
73. Support individuals in undertaking their chosen activities
74. Support individuals to access and manage direct payments
75. Support individuals to access and use information about services and facilities
76. Support individuals to access education, training or employment
77. Support individuals to access housing and accommodation services
78. Support individuals to carry out their own health care procedures
79. Support individuals to eat and drink
80. Support individuals to manage continence
81. Support individuals to manage dysphagia
82. Support individuals to manage their finances
83. Support Individuals to meet personal care needs
84. Support individuals to prepare for and settle in to new home environments
85. Support individuals who are distressed
86. Support Individuals with specific communication needs
87. Support parents/carers and those in a parental role to care for babies during their first year
88. Support the spiritual wellbeing of individuals
89. Supporting individuals with loss and grief before death
90. Understand advance care planning
91. Understand care and support planning and risk management in mental health
92. Understand end of life care for individuals with specific health needs
93. Understand long term conditions and frailty
94. Understand mental health and behaviour management of children and young people
95. Understand risk management in the paediatric mental health setting
96. Understand the administration of medication
97. Understand the legal, policy and service framework in mental health
98. Undertake agreed pressure area care
99. Undertake urethral catheterisation processes