National Health and Social Care Essay

The aim of this unit is to act as a focal point for all other units in the programme and embed the vocational nature of the qualification. In addition to the requirement for work experience and the opportunity to relate theory to practice, the unit will enable you to bring together your learning from other units. You will initially explore factors that affect learning, then plan and monitor your own personal and professional development and reflect on it. You will also gain key understanding of the health and social care sectors, including aspects of service delivery, and the fundamentals of research methodology. This unit explores the different ways in which learning can take place and how learning from individual experience can be used to enhance the quality of knowledge, skills and practice. You will initially explore your own knowledge, skills, practice, values and beliefs in relation to working in health and social care. You will then draw up a personal plan for self-development over the duration of the programme. The unit also  introduces you to health and social care service provision. A minimum of 100 hours work experience is required for successful completion of this unit. P1 Explain key influences on the personal learning processes of individuals Task 1 At the beginning of this unit you need to think about what the key influences on learning are. There are various theories of learning, which you need to explain eg Honey and Mumford, Kolb. Write a short explanation of 2 theories about how we learn (not more than 300 words) Task 2: Consider the wide range of influences that may affect an individuals learning. Write an explanation of how the following different influences can affect the ability to learn successfully : – previous learning and experiences – specific learning needs – formal versus informal learning – learning style – time – learning environment – access to resources – attitude and self discipline – aspirations and motivation – priorities in life – health – responsibilities – relationships – others as appropriate (space for study, funding for study) M1 Assess the impact of key influences on the personal learning processes on own learning Task 3: Sketch a timeline to help you collect your thoughts about the factors that have influenced your learning from childhood, school, work and other life experiences. Place significant events and experiences such as starting school, moving house etc on the top of the line. Write the effects on the bottom of the line. Use the timeline to write a personal statement/ analysis of how your own learning has been influenced by the factors listed in task 2 D1 Evaluate how personal learning and development may benefit others Task 4: Carry out some research on PPD and its benefits in health and social acre. Use your placement for information by talking to staff about their learning experiences and career backgrounds. How have these helped them in their work. Consider how your learning has helped others so far. P2 Assess own knowledge, skills, practice, values, beliefs and career aspirations at start of the programme Task 5: This task looks at your own knowledge, skills, practice, values, beliefs and career aspirations at the beginning of the course – consider your strengths and areas for development. The report could help you develop a suitable action plan for pass 3. Skills for learning: These fall into 2 types – study skills and research skills. In the 2 boxes below describe what skills you think you already have in this area. Study skills: Describe what skills you have in the 3 areas of – Literacy – Numeracy – Information and Communication technology Research Skills: Describe what skills you have in the following areas: – Observation – Questioning – Use of the internet – Using feedback – Reflection Support for learning: Describe what kinds of support for learning you could get if you needed it. Eg from tutors, peers, supervisors, mentors, meetings, increased self-awareness, how and where to access information and support on knowledge and best practice Learning opportunities: Describe a variety of opportunities you think you will have to learn during this course eg: Formal learning Informal learning Knowledge gained from classroom activities, placement experiences, independent studies, life experience, employment and voluntary activities. UNIT 6: Personal and Professional Development in Health and Social Care Assignment 2: Be able to plan for and monitor own professional development This assignment will be aimed at the following grading criteria for this unit: P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 M1 M2 M3 D1 D2 Grading criteria will be indicated for specific tasks. Students are reminded of the importance of the correct use of grammar and punctuation. Delivery date: __________________ Assignment due in: __________________ P3 Produce an action plan for self-development and achievement of own goals Task 1: Write an action plan which needs to contain at least 10 short term (up to 6 months) and at least 5 long-term goals (minimum of 18 months). Your action plan must be specific, measureable, actionable, relevant and timely. You will monitor throughout the course for your own self-development and achievement of your goals. You need to include: current knowledge and skills, practice, values, beliefs, career aspirations; self-awareness. Knowledge: review, plan and monitor eg relevant formal and informal learning to date, current contemporary issues, understanding of theories, principles and concepts, understanding of potential careers; gained from a variety of learning opportunities Skills: Communicating: language – verbal, non-verbal; Working with others: eg service users, professionals, peers; Technical: eg IT, use of equipment, creative/craft skills; Research: eg primary, secondary, data handling; Personal eg organisation skills, personal presentation Practice: review, plan and monitor, eg respect for the value base of care, professional interactions with others, co-operative working with others, team work, influence of personal values and beliefs, awareness of need to develop personal value base to support and promote good practice, awareness of the impact of legislation, codes of practice and policies on own practice, responsibilities and limitations Values and beliefs: eg personal values and beliefs, value base of care Career aspirations: career options, preferred choice P4 Produce evidence of own progress against action plan over the duration of the programme Task 2: These goals, in pass 3, need to be monitored at throughout the course – this will usually be after work experience and will involve you describing the progress you have made so far in achieving these short and long-term goals. When you make a change to the plan, enter the date on which you made the change. Write a statement summarising the challenges and circumstances that have affected your progress against your personal goals. Include reasons for any changes you have made to the goals. M2 Assess how the action plan has helped support own development over the duration of the programme Task 3: At the end of the course you need to write an explanation of how your action plan has helped support you personal and professional development over the 2 years of the course. D2 Evaluate own development over the duration of the programme Task 4: Write an evaluation of your own development over the duration of the course. UNIT 6: Personal and Professional Development in Health and Social Care Assignment 3: be able to reflect on own development over time This assignment will be aimed at the following grading criteria for this unit: P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 M1 M2 M3 D1 D2 Grading criteria will be indicated for specific tasks. Students are reminded of the importance of the correct use of grammar and punctuation. Delivery date: __________________ Assignment due in: __________________ P5 Reflect on own personal and professional development Task 1: On work experience you will keep a professional practice portfolio of your development, which will form part of your personal and professional development portfolio. The Professional development portfolio will contain: professional practice log book, structured appropriately for assessment of unit and nature of evidence, indexed, authenticated records to demonstrate personal progression in developing own knowledge, skills, practice and career aspirations over time, variety of contexts for learning and development Task 2: using relevant evidence from the list below write an account of your personal and professional development. Relevant evidence: formal, eg assessment, observations, witness testimony from direct observation, placement reports, feedback from tutors and supervisors, tutorial/career records, certificates, personal statements, application forms or CVs; informal eg diary, peer reviews, reflective accounts, records of events, Support for development: from tutors, peers, supervisors, mentors; meetings; increased self-awareness; how and where to access information and support on knowledge and best practice Reflect on own development: linking theory to practice; linking practice to theory; achievement of personal goals in terms of knowledge, skills, practice, values, beliefs, and career aspirations; influence of personal values and beliefs; impact of others on evoking development of self M3 Use three examples to examine links between theory and practice Task 3:you need to write about three examples from your work experience that explain how what you have practiced in the workplace is influenced/linked to a theory. The theory could be from psychology eg Bowlby’s theory of  attachment and the importance of settling-in policies in nurseries or from other units studied UNIT 6: Personal and Professional Development in Health and Social Care Assignment 4: know service provision in the health and social care sectors This assignment will be aimed at the following grading criteria for this unit: P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 M1 M2 M3 D1 D2 Grading criteria will be indicated for specific tasks. Students are reminded of the importance of the correct use of grammar and punctuation. Delivery date: __________________ Assignment due in: __________________ P6 Describe one local health or social care service provider identifying its place in national provision Task 1: Write a description of one of your placements and identify how it fits in with national provision. You could use a diagram or chart to show this. You will need to describe the following: Type of provision (what service does it provide, what are its aims and objectives) Who funds it Who can go there (access the service) Any barriers there are to accessing the service The organisation’s Policies and Procedures How the service fit in with national provision Task 2: write an introduction to a plamflett for the above named placement on Provision of services within the UK: national framework relevant to home country; primary, secondary, tertiary; regulators Local health or social care service provider: eg type of provision, funding, access, potential barriers to access, organisational policies and procedures; how the service fits within national framework P7 Describe the role, responsibilities and career pathways of three health or social care workers Task 1: Write a brief description of the following roles, responsibilities and career pathways. Health and social care workers: health and social care professions, eg nursing staff, social workers, professions allied to medicine; technical support professionals, eg medical and non-medical laboratory staff; other support professionals, eg managers, administrators; role of professional bodies; career pathways, training and qualifications, workforce development; codes of conduct, roles and responsibilities; multi-disciplinary teams Task 2: You then need to find out about the roles, responsibilities and career pathways of three people who work there. You may like to interview them about their jobs, responsibilities and careers. To do this you will need to prepare a questionnaire beforehand. The questionnaire/notes taken must be submitted as evidence for this task.