FAQ

• Supporting people with social and physical activities as well as basics such as eating and drinking.
• Booking and accompanying people at appointments.
• Assist with personal care.
• Monitoring individuals’ conditions by taking their temperature, pulse, respiration and weight, and possibly helping with medication.

While entry requirements may vary, nursing is a graduate career in Ireland and involves significantly more study. A healthcare assistant requires a QQI Level 5 qualification, but a nurse must earn a degree. While an HCA is involved in a patient’s basic care, a nurse is responsible for their medical care.

HCAs support nurses and other healthcare workers in assisting patients with activities of daily living including movement, clothing, eating, and bathing. Patients receive social and emotional support from them as well, which helps them feel safe and at ease while they are in the hospital.

This domiciliary care service is registered with the Care Quality Commission (or Care Inspectorate) under the category of personal care and/or as a nursing agency registered under treatment of disease, disorder or injury. These regulated activities involve agency employees as care workers or registered nurses providing physical assistance to people in their own homes in respect of such daily activities as eating and drinking, using the toilet, washing and bathing, dressing, mouth care, hair care and some skin and nail care, and, where applicable, nursing care (describe as relevant).

Personal care can also involve care workers’ prompting and supervising people to complete such tasks where the person receiving the care is unable to take decisions for themselves in respect of those tasks (but who do not necessarily require physical assistance).

• Care workers should carry out driving or escorting duties with the service user as driver, only with the express permission of their manager and on the basis of a risk assessment.

• There should be a written agreement (as a separate agreement or written into the contract) with the service user and the care workers acting as drivers or escorts along the lines of:

  “I [service user] agree that [names of driver(s)] will use my/their care to drive me and [anyone else] to [places] for the purpose of [reasons] on the following occasions [describe the arrangements]. [As owner of the vehicle to be used] I can produce evidence that it meets all legal requirements in terms of taxation, insurance and road worthiness.” [Followed by signatures and dates.]

  Alternatively:

  “I [service user] will drive my car to [places] for the purpose of [reasons] on the following occasions [describe the arrangements] with my nurse/carer as passenger. [As owner and driver of the vehicle to be used] I can produce evidence I am a safe, competent driver with an up-to-date driving license and I meet all legal requirements in terms of taxation, insurance and road worthiness.” [Followed by signatures and dates.]

• Care workers as escort drivers should have a full driving license clear of any penalty points (available to be seen on request by the service user and/or manager).

• If using their own car, it must be roadworthy, taxed and properly insured for the purpose and against loss, damage and personal injury and have seat belts that conform to current regulations.

• If driving service users’ cars or acting as escorts to service users as drivers, they must ensure that the vehicle used is roadworthy, taxed and fully insured for third parties to drive and is properly insured against loss, damage and personal injury; it must be fitted with seat belts that conform to the current regulations.

• If children are to be driven, they must use car seats in line with current regulations. All adult passengers should wear seat belts in line with current regulations.

• The care worker driver as escort should have a mobile phone in case of emergency [but must not use it when driving]. They should always carry identification for themselves in case of emergency.

• Care staff should be given specific moving and handling training, where required, to support service users in safely accessing their vehicles, which might include transferring from a wheelchair to a car seat, etc. They should also be given training over any particular access/parking issues that they might have to address as drivers.

To make sure there are no issues with transport, client details and condition or logistics it would be advisable to make a booking before any final instructions are carried out. 

There is no minimum and maximum period. if you need help we are here to offer our services for as long as its required.

Yes! Please contact us directly for circumstances under this topic.