Health and Social Care Short Course

Level 3 Health + Social Care Diploma Course Content

This health and social care course covers accepted and recognised structures and content which are empathetic to current practice within the field.

Unit 1: Growth and Development

The first module is based around the physical and psychological processes of growth and development in humans from birth to old age so that a process of healthy maturation can be understood. Although there is no ‘norm,’ statistical indices help formulate a scale of averages on which health and well-being is measured against, these have changed dramatically in the last decade and we now have e.g. super obese children who are bigger than an obese child. A warning is that experience and discretion is needed, so a baby born of smaller built parents might appear underweight. It will also explore the role of genetic inheritance in human development, together with contributing social, environmental and lifestyle factors. The concepts of health promotion, allowing users more control, and wellbeing in relationship to development will also be explored.

Unit 2: Care and Communication: Part 1

Effective delivery of care is dependent upon excellent communication skills which promote the exchange of information and a positive experience for colleagues, service users and others. The types of communication that are relevant and important within different care settings are studied, these include verbal and non-verbal, barriers, written reports, confidentiality, listening skills and empathetic approaches. How to build positive relationships through management and understanding of the needs of others is considered. This module will also look at personal values and beliefs of carers and how these may influence behaviour, attitude and approach towards service users.

Unit 3: Care and Communication: Part 2

Who needs care, who delivers the care and does it differ at different stages of life is discussed in depth. The quality of care depends on how, to whom and when it is delivered, so timely care during illness of a child might be more pertinent, but everyone deserves a basic standard of care when they are ill. Throughout the learning, it is expected that difficult questions, barriers and issues are explored such as, ‘Is this level of care equal for an immigrant, the disabled, the mentally unwell, and those who cannot express their need. This module examines the provision of care and the concept of service users within the UK. The issues of rights, legalities, actual laws and responsibilities, together with the routes to obtaining appropriate care and how carers can ensure a positive experience for all service users will be studied.

Unit 4: Focus on Social Issues

The best approach and care facility to give a person is a holist one. In order to do this the variety of available services, their roles and responsibilities of the care practitioner will be explored. Knowledge and understanding of the factors that influence the experience of the social and health service is discussed. Relationships, lifestyle, social class and gender issues are dealt with, and a look at how demographics influences care needs and structured provision will also be covered. The concept and implications of an ageing society, mental health and disability will be explored, and also discrimination relevant to health and social care issues. A discussion of whether the legislative and compliance structures put into place have been effective, and if care provisions are appropriate and easily accessible is discussed.

Unit 5: Focus on Wellbeing

Wellbeing is defined as a dynamic state covering the physical and psychological status of a person. Ways to measure and assess wellbeing is discussed in terms of e.g. how the body is functioning, emotional state, age, nutrition and intelligence. Physical, psychological, social and emotional aspects of wellbeing, interactions with others e.g. in asking for support is explored, and what sort of activities within various care settings contribute to awareness and positive recovery and rehabilitation will be looked at. Basic physiology and anatomy relevant to care practitioners is covered so that correct decisions can be made appropriate to the person needing support.

Unit 6: Public Health and the UK Care System

A summary of the history and reform of the care and public health system in the UK is examined to understand how they have emerged in relation to each other today. How the frameworks and the variety of service provisions currently in use meet the needs of a large and diverse population, how they are planned and implemented is investigated. It will introduce the concepts of data interpretation, nutritional standards, identifying trends and recommendations that help plan what is needed in public health. The legalities surrounding infectious disease and interventions are covered to demonstrate how public health can be managed during a crisis, e.g. during an epi- or pandemic. How individual needs are planned for and met by a holistic and integrated support structure is explored.

Unit 7: Health Promotion

Each government manifesto focuses on education and health strategies as they are two key rights. Health is not just about preventing illness, disease and outbreaks, but also about the promotion of social, physiology and psychology of wellbeing and looking after the unwell. This module examines in detail the concepts of health promotion and wellbeing, and how implementation of strategies, frameworks and recommendations are carried out via various agencies and approaches. It also looks at the dissemination of health promotion information throughout care settings and the influence it has on wellbeing. Examples of different health promotion activities, past theories of health promotion and how to plan, execute, monitor and evaluate these for effectiveness[what worked, needs development and changing] is explored.

Unit 8: Health and Disease

A key component of health promotion and social care is the prevention of ill health and the care of people who are unwell, but the way people define health can vary. The basic concepts of ill-health, understanding the complex array of disease, symptoms, classification, common diagnostic tests and why diseases occur. It also describes the diagnosis and treatment of specific conditions in relation to care settings and responsibilities. Prevention strategies, especially of notifiable diseases, and rationale will be examined.

Unit 9: Research in Health and Social Care

In order to establish policies and strategies based on predictions and trends in health and social care, the methods and techniques of research has to be learned. The importance of different types of research within scientific and practice based elements of the field is explored, and describes how this type of research is carried out, methods of data collection and the interpretation of this data which may be used to influence public policy and care provisions in the future. In order to move and raise standards in best and quality care, and ensure that the decisions are based on ethical and well-constructed research, based on evidence, how to interpret and carry out best practise is discussed.

Unit 10: The Psychology of Health and Social Care

Psychology is about how people think, behave and feel. It is important to understand and appreciate how behavioural change can be used to influence social care and situations regarding health care and provision. The final module examines the different types of behaviour that may be encountered within care settings and how psychological approaches appropriate to various behaviours may contribute to positive experience and outcomes for service users. Various psychological theories are discussed, in the context of communication, problem-solving and ways to reframe and find the most suitable approach to the needs of users, and ensure its success.