HCA Programme Graduation 2024

This September there were Celebrations for the 2024 Graduates of the HCA Programme. At Beacon Hospital we believe that our HCA team should be afforded the opportunity to grow and develop. This is essential as often our HCAs are the team members that spend most time with patients. A highly qualified HCA can identify possible patient complications to nursing colleagues ahead of time, which is invaluable to our patients’ journey.

About the HCA Programme

The HCA programme was established to promote continued professional development of the Beacon Hospital HCA team. It provides our HCA team with the opportunity to grow and develop new skills, adding further value to their already invaluable role. The programme itself adds to the individual’s confidence and skillset which leads to an increase in the quality of care that we can provide to our patients.

Speaking about the HCA Programme Gillian Fagan, Radiotherapy Services Manager, said “The programme provides education and training in key areas such completing patient observations, performing ECG tests and increased knowledge in catheter care. The programme was developed in Beacon Hospital to provide an enhanced care experience for patients, while ensuring our HCA team are confident and competent in helping patients. The aim is to release time for nurses to spend more 1:1 time with their patients.”

2024 Graduate Enoque Garcia Moreira

2024 Graduate Enoque Garcia Moreira, spoke on behalf of his programme at the HCA Graduation.

“First of all, it’s such a privilege to be here representing all my HCA colleagues who went through all the training and different classes from the Beacon Hospital Enhanced HCA Programme.

Before mentioning some achievements reached on the course, I couldn’t miss the opportunity to say how happy I am to be part of the Beacon Hospital staff. To be part of a hospital which has been always looking ahead to deliver the best high standard in health services means a lot for someone who loves to make a difference in a patient’s life.

Nowadays, the knowledge of people regarding their own health and illness has increased because of the wider access of information, and once people are more aware about treatments, medications and health devices, our responsibility, in my point of view, just increases as we have to be prepared to explain and address their doubts.

During the Enhanced HCA Programme, we had an opportunity to boost our knowledge or even learn about things which some of us may have never seen or heard before. Learning and touching different braces, boots and other devices from an orthopaedic setting was very interesting. Knowing all the care needed with the urological catheters and the security of its fixation gave everyone better knowledge to reduce the risk of infection for the patient.  Understanding ways to talk with oncology patients in their different stages of treatment, advanced knowledge of how to act in a critical situation with patients. These and other classes, gave us HCAs such an opportunity to increase our knowledge and be prepared to deliver a better treatment and care to our patients.

To end, representing all the HCAs from my group, I would like to say thank you to Beacon Hospital for the opportunity to enhance the HCAs knowledge helping us to keep the high level of quality from our hospital and even to increase it.”

Continuous Professional Development of our HCA Team

The programme runs several times a year and since it was established, over 50 staff have graduated from the programme. The team intends to increase the number of programmes over the next 12 months.

Feedback from our Nursing Colleagues on the HCA Programme:

“Recently I had a sick patient and the qualified HCA was able to do an ECG and Obs while I administered medication.”

“When the HCAs are more trained, they are more confident in working with patients, they tend to assess what the patient needs prior to referring, instead of referring straight away.”

“HCAs have engaged well with their new skills and role fantastically, and are an asset to the ward.”