Gemma Seal – Swindon College

City & Guilds recently worked with Swindon College, to successfully guide Gemma Seal through her Healthcare Assistant Practitioner End-Point Assessment.

Gemma Seal describes her experience, celebrating her “merit” achievement to pass her apprenticeship within the NHS.

Within my role under the indirect supervision of a register professional I can be responsible for setting up instrument trays, scrubbing alongside the Surgeons during operations and monitoring patients post operatively in the recovery area.

Having not been this nervous about being observed since my driving test I was reassured by my team that ‘I’ve got this’ the assessor was friendly, chatty and clear with how the afternoon would pan out. With the observation underway I felt relaxed and confident, the assessment ended with an interview where I was able to answer questions showing my underpinning knowledge of Healthcare. Overall, I was feeling positive that I had successfully shown the skills and knowledge I had gained from my apprenticeship, which helped me develop my career from a Theatre Support Worker to a Theatre Assistant Practitioner.

To prepare for the EPA with City & Guilds, Swindon College helped by revisiting and building on my previously assessed knowledge. Whilst working at the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust this gave me opportunity to put this into practice. Undertaking the end-point assessment can be daunting, but with the support and guidance I received from Swindon College, Oxford Brookes University and Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust I am very proud to have achieved a ‘Merit’ grade with City & Guilds".