Assignment Detail

Unit 1- Structure and Overview of the Health and Social Care Sector

Learning outcome 1: Understand the structure of health and social care provision

Learning outcome 2: Understand health and social care provision for different ages and stages of life

Learning outcome 3: Understand the different areas of specialism within health and social care

Learning outcome 4: Understand issues in health and social care

Assignment

You are doing a work placement in the training department of a large health and social care organisation. The manager has asked you to draft some materials for an induction programme for new trainees to give them a background on the health and social care sector.

The Study Skills used, developed and assessed through this assignment are as follows:

• Critical thinking
• Planning, organising and time management
• Gathering information, note taking and summarising
• Analysis
• Written skills
• Academic skills, including referencing
• Application of IT skills

Assessment Problem 1

You need to prepare a set of slides for a presentation which explains the structure of the health and social care sector in a country of your choice. Your presentation must:
• Explain the aims of health and social care provision in your country.
• Describe the organisation of health and social care provision within your chosen country.
• Describe the size of the health and social care sector within your chosen country in terms of total spend, employment compared to population size, and percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
• Explain how health and social care provision is funded within your chosen country.

Extension activities:
To gain a merit grade, you should also:
• Outline how the sector is regulated in your chosen country

Assessment Problem 2

Prepare a timeline or table, relating to your chosen country which:
• Outlines the points at which health and social care provision may be required during a lifetime.
• Describes the health and social care services required and provided at each point.
• Explains how services are accessed at each point of provision.

You should include a note about longer term provision which:
• Explains the arrangements for long-term care provision.

Extension activities:
To gain a merit grade, you should also:
• Analyse barriers to access to provision at different stages of life.

To gain a distinction grade, you should also:
• Assess how barriers to access are being overcome.

Assessment Problem 3
Prepare a handout for trainees that will help them in their choice of specialism/job role. The handout should
• Analyse the different specialist areas within health and social care.
• Describe a range of health and social care professions.

Extension activities:
To gain a merit grade, you should also:
• Outline how access to professions is regulated.

Assessment Problem 4
Prepare detailed notes for the basis of a discussion on the final day of the induction programme. The notes should:
• Assess equality of access to health and social care within your chosen country
• Explain current public health issues within your chosen country
• Describe current issues in the provision of health and social care within your chosen country

Extension activities:
To gain a merit grade, you should also:
• Outline campaigns to address current public health issues.

Unit 2 – Principles, Values and Regulation in the Health and Social Care Sector (M/618/4168)

Learning outcome 1: Understand current policy on health and social care
Learning outcome 2: Understand legislation and guidance which impact on the provision and practice of health and social care
Learning outcome 3: Understand the principles and values that underpin the provision of care

Assignment
You have started work for a health and social care organisation. As you have just finished college and are up to date with your knowledge of legislation, regulation and guidance, the manager has asked you to put together a guide on key points that staff can use as a reference.

You should choose a country on which to base the guide.

The Study Skills used, developed and assessed through this assignment are as follows:

• Critical thinking
• Planning and organising
• Gathering information, note taking and summarising
• Analysis
• Written skills
• Academic skills, including referencing
• Application of IT skills

Assessment Problem 1

Section 1 of your guide is about current policy on health and social care in your chosen country. You need to:
• Identify current government policies relating to health and social care in your chosen country.
• Explain the impact of policy on the health and social care sector and on the provision of care within your chosen country.

Extension activities:
To gain a merit grade, you should also:
• Assess how policy meets the current needs of the population in terms of health and social care.

Assessment Problem 2

Section 2 of your guide is about legislation and guidance that impacts on the sector. You should:
• Outline sources and status of legislation, regulation and guidance in your chosen country
• Analyse the impacts of legislation and guidance on the provision of health and social care provision and on health and social care workers

Extension activities:
To gain a merit grade, you should also:
• Analyse the aims and purpose of legislation and guidance

To gain a distinction grade, you should also:
• Assess the implications of failure to comply with legislation or guidance.

Assessment Problem 3
The final section of your guide looks at principles and values that underpin the provision of care in your chosen country. You should:
• Describe the underpinning principles of health and social care.
• Outline how these principles impact on the provision of care.
• Explain initiatives to promote the fundamental principles among those working in health and social care.

Extension activities:
To gain a merit grade, you should also:
• Assess how underlying principles support basic human rights.

To gain a distinction grade, you should also:
• Assess the implications of failing to adhere to fundamental principles of care.

Unit 3 – Human Growth and Development

Learning outcome 1: Know stages of growth and development throughout the human lifespan.
Learning outcome 2: Understand potential effects of life factors and events on growth and development.
Learning outcome 3: Understand physical and psychological changes of ageing.
Learning outcome 4: Understand the effect of transitions and significant life events.

Assignment
It is important that health and social care practitioners develop their knowledge in relation to supporting people in every stage of their lives, and they need to know how growth and development relate to health and wellbeing.

The Study Skills used, developed and assessed through this assignment are as follows:

• Critical thinking
• Planning, organising and time management
• Gathering information, note taking and summarising
• Analysis
• Written skills
• Academic skills, including referencing
• Application of IT skills

Assessment Problem 1

As a newly recruited health and social worker, you have been asked to create a portfolio containing information on human growth and development across the life stages.

You will also need to create material for a presentation, which you will present to your colleagues in a staff training session. Produce a presentation that details human growth and development across the life stages.

You should:
• Describe physical, intellectual, emotional, and social development for each of the life stages of an individual.
• Identify key changes from birth to old age affecting health and wellbeing.
• Explain developmental norms and milestones.
• Identify life factors and events which affect growth and development.
• Explain potential effects of life factors and events on the growth and development of individuals.

Extension activities:
To gain a merit grade you must also:
• Analyse how each development area has an impact on the other.

To gain a distinction grade you must also:
• Evaluate how nature and nurture affects individual’s physical, intellectual, emotional and social development.

Assessment Problem 2
People worldwide are living longer. Living longer gives us opportunities to pursue new activities, for example further education, a new career or pursuing a new sport or hobby. Older people also contribute in many ways to their families and communities. But ageing is of course accompanied by changes, both physical and psychological.

You have been employed to work with a team of Health Care Managers. The Managers need to know how the service they provide meets the needs of the local community. You are required to prepare a training resource for practitioners.

In the resource, you should:
• Explain physical and psychological changes linked to ageing.
• Explain lifestyle choices associated with ageing.

Extension activities:
To gain a merit grade you must also:
• Discuss the effect that physical changes associated with ageing have on selfesteem and self-confidence.

To gain a distinction grade you must also:
• Evaluate the influence lifestyle choices have on ageing.

Assessment Problem 3
Moving between different stages of life, such as school, college and work, is especially hard if a person finds change difficult to cope with. To make transitions easier, it is important to put plans in place and have the appropriate support mechanisms available.
You are required to identify a person, this could be from your own experience, or from the media, television or film, experiencing transition and change. Using this person as a case study, prepare a report in which you:
• Identify transitions and significant life events across the life stages.
• Describe the impact that transitions and significant life events may have on this individual.
• Explain the role of the health and social care practitioner in supporting the individual during transition and significant life events.

Extension activities:
To gain a distinction grade you must also:
• Analyse the impact of person-centred approaches on the support provided by practitioners to the individual experiencing transition and significant life events.

Unit 4 – Working in Health and Social Care

Learning outcome 1: Understand person centred working.
Learning outcome 2: Understand the use of effective communication in health and social care provision.
Learning outcome 3: Know how to reduce the spread of infection.
Learning outcome 4: Understand working relationships in health and social care.
Learning outcome 5: Understand the principles of care planning.
Learning outcome 6: Understand the safe administration of medication.

Assignment
There are fundamental, essential principles that underpin the work of all health and social care practitioners and it is vital that workers understand and know how to apply these aspects which are key to service provision. For example, person centred practice, effective communication and safeguarding and protection.

The Study Skills used, developed and assessed through this assignment are as follows:

• Critical thinking
• Planning, organising and time management
• Research
• Gathering information, note taking and summarising
• Analysis
• Written skills
• Academic skills, including referencing
• Application of IT skills
• Reflection

Assessment Problem 1

For this task, you are applying for a role within a local health and social care organisation. You are required to prepare a training resource for the interview which includes the following:
• A definition of person centred practice.
• An analysis of how person centred ways of working contribute to continuity of care.
• A description of the role of safeguarding and protection in person centred practice.
• An explanation of the benefits of positive risk taking for individuals accessing services.
To gain a merit grade you must also:
• Analyse how the 6 Cs of care underpin person centred practice.

To gain a distinction grade you must also:
• Analyse why it is important for health and social care workers to demonstrate person-centred values throughout their working practice.
Assessment Problem 2
Communication is a process to make contact with others to understand their needs and requirements. Communication involves sending and receiving messages in a continuous cycle which is repeated and becomes an important part of all relationships.

Using a health and social care setting you are either familiar with, or have seen in the media, assess the methods of communication used by people accessing the service and people working there.

Prepare a report, in which you:
• Describe the role of communication in health and social care.
• Explain methods of communication used in health and social care.
• Identify barriers to communication in health and social care.
• Describe information handling and recording procedures.
• Explain the principles and practices relating to confidentiality in health and social care.

Extension activities:
To gain a merit grade you must also:
• Evaluate factors that can influence the maintenance of confidentiality in health and social care.

To gain a distinction grade you must also:
• Evaluate strategies used in health and social care settings to overcome barriers to communication.

Assessment Problem 3

For people accessing health and social care services infections can be serious, and in some cases, life-threatening. Regular contact with staff, others using the service, family, and friends all mean infection can easily be passed around, so it is vital to ensure everything is done to help prevent infection occurring.

You have been tasked with preparing a training guide for staff new to the health and social care sector. In the guide you are asked to:
• Explain the cause and spread of infection.
• Explain the importance of preventing and controlling the spread of infection.
• Explain how to reduce the spread of infection

Extension activities:
To gain a merit grade you must also:
• Analyse how an outbreak of infection would be managed in a health and social care setting

To gain a distinction grade you must also:
• Assess how risk assessment can contribute to reducing the spread of infection in a health and social care setting

Assessment Problem 4
Using a health and social care organisation of your choice, for example a care home or healthcare setting, carry out an analysis and review of their approaches to partnership working. In your review you should:
• Describe different working relationships in health and social care settings
Explain the role of an advocate in supporting individuals accessing services.
• Explain why it is important to work in partnership with others.
• Evaluate the role of teams in providing a co-ordinated approach to service delivery.

Extension activities:
To gain a merit grade you must also:
Analyse how team leadership can address challenges faced by teams in health and social care.

Assessment Problem 5
There are many different kinds of care plans used in health and social care, but they all have the same purpose, which is to ensure that the person gets the same care at all times, to ensure that the care given is recorded and to support the person to identify, manage and, hopefully, meet their needs, wishes and preferences.

You are supporting a person new to the service you work at, and you are involved in preparing their care plan. The person is very anxious, and not at all sure of what is involved in the care planning process. Prepare for them a short information leaflet, in which you:

• Explain the purpose of care planning.
• Outline roles and responsibilities involved in the care planning process.
• Describe how to ensure the individual is involved in all stages of care planning and review.

Assessment Problem 6
Supporting the safe and correct administration of medication is a key function of the roles of many carers working in the health and social care sector. Reflect on an occasion when you or someone you know were prescribed medication. Carry out research to enable you to complete an account relating to this person’s medication, and more broadly to the administration of medication. In your account, you must:
• Describe common types of medication and their effects, and potential side effects
• Explain the different routes of medicine administration.
• Describe how to administer medication safely and in line with current legislation and guidelines.
• Explain the records to be completed for the storage, administration, and disposal of medication.

Unit 5 – Research in Health and Social Care

Learning outcome 1: Understand the role of research and different approaches in health and social care practice
Learning outcome 2: Know how to identify and justify a topic for research within services for health and social care
Learning outcome 3: Be able to complete a research project in health and social care.

Assignment

You must propose and carry out a short research project related to health and social care and explain how research informs practice. You may choose an opportunity or a problem at a health and social care setting you know, or a current issue in health or social care.
Consult with your tutor/supervisor to determine a suitable area of research.

The Study Skills used, developed and assessed through this assignment are as follows:

• Critical thinking
• Planning, organising and time management
• Research
• Gathering information, note taking and summarising
• Analysis
• Oral and written skills
• Academic skills, including referencing
• Application of IT skills
• Reflection

Assessment Problem 1

Identify and agree a topic for research and produce a research project proposal. Your proposal should:

• Show that you have agreed the research topic with your tutor
• Explain the importance of the aims and objectives of the research.
• Explain ethical considerations that apply to the area of the research project.
• Explain the links between the research and evidence-based practice.
• Analyse the contribution of research and evidence-based practice on decisionmaking.
• Explain the contribution of research to health and social care provision.

Assessment Problem 2
Carry out a literature review related to your chosen area of research and produce a report summarizing and commenting on the literature reviewed and drawing out main themes and issues identified.

Extension activities:
To gain a distinction grade you must also:
• 3D1 Examine the value of the literature review process in influencing positive change in health and social care practice

Assessment Problem 3
Carry out research for your chosen area, collecting suitable data and recording your findings:
• Create a sample of data from the findings.
• Apply suitable data analysis methods for the data collected.

Extension activities:
To gain a merit grade you must also:
• 3M1 Analyse the importance of validity and reliability of data used within research

Assessment Problem 4
Produce a set of slides and notes for a presentation on the findings of your literature review and research that:
• Presents the data and information from findings to produce results.
• Draws conclusions and recommendations from research findings.

Unit 6 – Personal and Professional Development in the Health and Social Care Sector

Learning outcome 1: Understand career and progression opportunities in the health and social care sector
Learning outcome 2: Understand professional development in health and social care
Learning outcome 3: Understand how reflective practice supports personal and professional development
Learning outcome 4: Understand how to plan own personal and professional development in health and social care

Assignment
You are to consider your own potential career in health and social care in your chosen country. You will need to look at career opportunities and professional development and prepare your own personal development plan for a chosen career role.

The Study Skills used, developed and assessed through this assignment are as follows:

• Critical thinking
• Planning, organising and time management
• Research
• Gathering information, note taking and summarising
• Analysis
• Written skills
• Academic skills, including referencing
• Application of IT skills
• Reflection

Assessment Problem 1
Further to research on careers and job roles in the health and social care sector within your chosen country. You should:
• Write an outline of a range of careers and job roles in health and social care
• Explain progression within a chosen health and social care career area.
• Identify the standards relating to professional development for a range of health and social care roles.

Assessment Problem 2
Consider the requirements of continuing professional development and how you can assess and plan your own development. You should:
• Assess the need for continuing professional development in health and social care.
• Explain what is meant by reflective practice
• Explain theoretical models of reflective practice
• Outline the stages in planning own personal and professional development
• Explain how to identify development needs
• Explain how to write SMART targets for own personal development

Extension activities:
To gain a merit grade, you should also:
• Assess how reflective practice supports professional development

To gain a distinction grade, you should also:
• Analyse the benefits of reflective practice

Assessment Problem 3
For a specific job role/ career pathway in health and social care that you are interested in, you should:
• Analyse skills and knowledge required for a specific role in health and social care
• Analyse impact of own attitudes, values and beliefs on provision and practice of care
• Reflect on own learning
• Create own personal development plan for a chosen career role

Extension activities:
To gain a merit grade, you should also:
• Assess the continuing professional development requirements for a chosen health and social care role
• Carry out a skills audit to identify development needs