Skills for Health champions the benefits of workforce learning and development based on competences / National Occupational Standards (NOS). As a Sector Skills Council, we develop and maintain NOS for healthcare occupations.
Statements of competence
NOS describe the skills, knowledge and understanding needed to undertake a particular task or job to a nationally recognised level of competence. They focus on what the person needs to be able to do, as well as what they must know and understand to work effectively. They cover the key activities undertaken within the occupation in question under all the circumstances the job holder is likely to encounter.
Each NOS contains an agreed set of knowledge and understanding and performance criteria that must be met before someone can be deemed competent. They describe the minimum standard to which an individual is expected to work in a given occupation.
NOS in development
Skills for Health is currently undertaking the following project during 2025-2026:
- A review of 95 Healthcare NOS
The following NOS will be reviewed as part of this project:
| NOS Suite | Number Being Reviewed |
|---|---|
| Children and Young People’s Health Services (CS) | 1 |
| Clinical Health Skills (CHS) | 42 |
| Diabetes (Diab) | 1 |
| Emergency, Urgent and Scheduled Care (EUS) | 1 |
| Endoscopy (3) | 3 |
| General Healthcare (GEN) | 29 |
| Health Informatics (HI) | 2 |
| Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) | 2 |
| Perioperative Care Support (PCS) | 14 |
| Total | 95 |
This project is governed by a UK-wide Steering Group, along with smaller Working Groups which provide sector specific advice and guidance on the content of the NOS.
Background
The National Occupational Standards within the scope of this review are those which are used to underpin and inform occupational competence qualifications and apprenticeships for Healthcare Support Workers across the UK. These health NOS were last updated in 2020. They will now be reviewed to ensure that that they continue to reflect the most up to date practices and language.
In Scotland these NOS are used to create units in the four SVQs in Healthcare Support and there is an imperative to ensure that these health NOS are fit for purpose for use as qualification units.
How can I be involved?
Skills for Health carried out a public consultation for these Healthcare NOS which closed on 09/01/2026. The Steering Group are now reviewing the results of this public consultation with the aim of using insights from across the UK to inform the final standards which will be submitted for approval.
We expect that the updated NOS will be available for use in April 2026.
If you have any immediate questions, please contact competences@skillsforhealth.org.uk.