Training for PAs

There are many different training courses available to Personal Assistants (PAs), most of which will be specific to the job you do. 

The types of training you may do will depend on the needs of the person you are assisting. Some employers will require you to do training as a condition of their insurance or to comply with laws such as those around Health & Safety, for example to keep you and the person you are assisting safe.

Some roles will not require any formal training at all whilst others may require you to do several different training courses.

Responsibility for providing training 

The PA employer is responsible for ensuring any training you are required to do for your role is available to you. They should agree with whoever is funding the support, and their insurance provider, what training must be done. They should also cover the costs of the training – in many cases this will be included in their support budget. 

PAs should be paid for their time when completing required training and the employer should also make sure that they have funds to pay for replacement cover, if necessary, when their PA is attending training. The employer is also responsible for organising training and some employers are likely to need help to do this. You as their PA could assist them. 

Training PAs are often required to complete 

The most common types of training a PA may be required to complete are: 

• Moving and Assisting of People 

• Safe Administration of Medicines 

If a PA is required to prepare or cook meals for the supported person then Food Hygiene Training is normally required. In these circumstances, training should always be accredited and certificated as proof that it has been successfully completed. 

Other types of training PAs may be required to complete 

Training that might not be considered as mandatory but can often be very helpful and informative for a new PA can include: 

• First Aid at Work 

• Health & Safety 

• Person Centred Care 

• Confidentiality 

• Infection Control. 

There are many other training courses available and your employer should regularly review how you are developing and should encourage you to continue to enhance your existing skills and personal development. 

Where possible all PA training should be accredited, certificated and delivered by a fully qualified competent professional training company.  

Training that is specific to your particular job role, such as your employer or the person you support training you on the way they like things done, can be done ‘on the job’. This kind of training will not be certified. 

Personal Assistants can access free learning through the Open Badge scheme. Find out more in the resource below. 

A national training framework for PA Employers to enable them to identify training for their PAs is currently being developed. This page will be updated as more information becomes available. 

Next steps

Find out more about the free learning available through the Open Badge scheme below.