Members Update Dec 2019
We the Alliance of Health Care Assistants (AHCAI) are working to raise the profile of the Healthcare Assistant and create a career path for this discipline, so it can stand shoulder to shoulder in recognition and respect with other disciplines in the healthcare sector.
Who are we? We are a membership organisation set up by a group of Healthcare Assistants in 2015 to be the voice of the Healthcare Assistants. We are a not-for-profit company and are registered as a charity.
A consortium, including the private healthcare sector, AHCAI and Griffith College, have been working on a two-year apprenticeship program, at Higher Education Qualification Level 6, over the past three years. This course is for Healthcare Assistants (HCAs) who wish to increase their knowledge and obtain competence in a range of clinical skills which the registered nurse can delegate to them.
Details of this industry led course, its modules, cost and the method by which you can apply will be released at a later date. The bulk of the teaching will be carried out by a preceptor in the workplace with release for one day a week in the classroom. We hope to have this course up and running early next year. If you would like to register your interest please visit the web site https://www.griffith.ie/faculties/apprenticeships/courses/health-care-assistant-apprenticeship
The next step in the process is to seek regulation for this Advanced Healthcare Assistant Practitioner (AHAP) so that they will have a national scope and code of practice. The AHAPs will be responsible for their own practice.
Looking into the future AHCAI intends to seek a national set standard of training followed by registration for the current HCA. This in fact, is creating a career path for the discipline of the Healthcare Assistant. It is intended that this discipline will be attractive to school leavers choosing their future career.
We keep Healthcare Assistants informed through Facebook and Twitter. We offer free CPD courses on the members section of the website for which we issue a certificate of course completion. Our next conference will be held in Cork City.
Only the Minister and the membership body of the particular discipline can seek regulation/registration. As your membership body we need a representative number of members to speak for Healthcare Assistants nationally. For this reason, we ask you to join this, your membership organisation, and encourage your colleagues to join also. The more members we have the stronger the voice of the Healthcare Assistant will be. The application form is on our website: www.ahcai.ie
We are working for all grades of Healthcare Assistant so it in your interest to join and support us.
Anne Marie Lee, RGN, SCM, RPHN
Chairperson
Charities Registration No: CR116067
Company Registration No: CRO 572079