NHS Healthcare Assistant
Band 2–3 HCA Preparation
100% free · no sign-up needed · works on any device
Where can I practise NHS Healthcare Assistant for free?
PassNova offers free NHS Healthcare Assistant practice — 200 exam-style questions and 6 timed mock tests with a clear explanation for every answer. It's 100% free with no sign-up, works on any device, and mirrors the real NHS Healthcare Assistant format. Updated for 2026.
A complete map of the NHS Healthcare Assistant syllabus
Every question comes with a clear explanation. Pick a topic, or work the whole bank in study mode.
Built to get you exam-ready
Instant, worked explanations
Every question — right or wrong — comes with a clear explanation, so you learn the why, not just the what.
Real, timed mock papers
Sit full-length papers under exam conditions and the real pass mark, so the day itself feels familiar.
A live readiness scoreFree + Premium
See how ready you are at a glance — Premium turns it into a predicted result.
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Stuck on a question? Nova explains it step by step, in plain English, the moment you ask.
No paywall. No taster limit. No sign-up.
Every question and every mock paper for NHS Healthcare Assistant is free to practise. A free account just saves your progress — Premium is entirely optional.
Start practising free →- ✓All 200 questions across every topic
- ✓All 6 full mock papers
- ✓A worked explanation on every question
- ✓A live readiness score
- ✓No sign-up, no paywall, no limits
Mock papers under real conditions
NHS Healthcare Assistant: the skills you need
A Healthcare Assistant (HCA) supports nurses and other clinicians in NHS hospitals, GP surgeries and the community. There isn't one single national HCA exam — instead, recruitment and apprenticeships commonly check that you have the numeracy and literacy the role needs, and new staff complete the Care Certificate once in post.
Numeracy and literacy assessments
Many NHS trusts and Healthcare Support Worker apprenticeships ask you to pass a short numeracy and literacy assessment as part of recruitment, usually around Functional Skills Level 1–2. Numeracy covers the everyday calculations a carer uses — measurements, fluid balance, percentages, fractions and reading charts. Literacy covers clear reading, writing and record-keeping.
The Care Certificate
Once you start, new HCAs work through the Care Certificate — 15 standards covering duty of care, safeguarding, infection prevention, communication, privacy and dignity, basic life support and more. PassNova also has a free Care Certificate course.
How to prepare
PassNova's NHS Healthcare Assistant practice rebuilds the numeracy and literacy skills these assessments test, with a clear explanation for every answer so you can fix the gaps before your assessment day — 100% free, no sign-up. Always check the exact requirements with the trust you are applying to.
Where the real exam comes from
PassNova is free practice — you sit the official NHS Healthcare Assistant with the body that runs it.
External official sites — fees and booking are handled by the provider, not PassNova.
NHS Healthcare Assistant: your questions answered
There isn't one single national HCA exam. Most NHS trusts and Healthcare Support Worker apprenticeships check your numeracy and literacy as part of recruitment, and new staff complete the Care Certificate once in post.
A short assessment, usually around Functional Skills Level 1–2, used in HCA recruitment. Numeracy covers measurements, fluid balance, percentages, fractions and reading charts; literacy covers clear reading, writing and record-keeping.
A set of 15 standards new healthcare and care staff complete once in post — duty of care, safeguarding, infection prevention, communication, privacy and dignity, basic life support and more. PassNova has a free Care Certificate course too.
Practise the numeracy and literacy skills the assessment tests until you are confident, and check the exact requirements with the trust you are applying to. PassNova's free practice covers both, with an explanation for every answer.
Yes — it's 100% free with no sign-up, with a clear explanation for every answer so you can target your weak spots before your assessment.
Yes — NHS Healthcare Assistant practice on PassNova is 100% free. There's no paywall and no sign-up needed to start. A free account is optional and only saves your progress and badges.
No. You can start practising instantly with no account, no email and no card. PassNova is free forever.
PassNova has 200 exam-style NHS Healthcare Assistant questions and 6 timed mock tests, each with a clear explanation, plus topic-by-topic study mode.
Yes — PassNova's NHS Healthcare Assistant question bank is reviewed and kept current for 2026.
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