The Registry is a database of credentialed* or “registered” care aides and community health workers working for, or wanting to work for, publicly funded employers in BC. This includes acute care, assisted living care, long-term care, and home and community care.
The BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry has an Advisory Committee which provides policy recommendations to the Registry. The Committee includes representatives from unions, employers, educational institutions, and the Registry’s Program Manager.
The Care Aide and Community Health Worker Registry is a division of HEABC Recruitment Solutions, which includes Health Match BC, Locums for Rural BC, and Practice Ready Assessment BC.
How the Registry Works
Employees / Registrants
To work in a publicly funded health care organization, all care aides and community health workers are required to register. An online application must be submitted for review. Once the application has been evaluated and approved by the Registry, the applicant will be provided with a registration number.
Employers
All publicly funded health care employers can verify and confirm that their current or prospective health care assistants (HCAs) are registered. Employers must be approved by the Registry before they can log in to check if an HCA is registered in BC.
Educators
To improve the educational standards of health care assistants in British Columbia, the Registry has compiled a list of educational institutions that offer the HCA provincial curriculum.
Public and private educational institutions that would like to be on the list must be approved by the Registry before they will be included.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
All health care assistants (HCA) on the Registry met registration requirements and were deemed competent at the time of registration.
The Registry has ensured that registrants have completed:
- a BC Health Care Assistant program, or,
- a Canadian Health Care Assistant or Nursing program recognized in their province or territory, or
- an assessment and, if required, additional education to meet the HCA core competencies
Employers should verify educational credentials and health care assistant work experience prior to hiring registered health care assistants.
Applicants may be required to complete a competency assessment (and additional education) to demonstrate they meet HCA core competencies. While assessed applicants may not have a BC HCA Program Certificate, they meet application requirements for registration.
It is incumbent on employers to screen candidates before hiring to ensure that they are registered and that they meet employer requirements.
What is a Care Aide?
Care aides and community health workers are also known as health care assistants or HCAs. They are frontline care providers in a variety of institutional and community settings including home support agencies and residential care facilities. HCAs are an integral part of our health care system.