OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3 Extended Certificate in Health and Social Care
Why is the study of Health and Social Care important?
Health and Social Care promotes the understanding of many important issues faced within today’s health and social care systems. It is an academic subject that equips students with the knowledge and skills necessary for further study and work in the health, social care and early years sectors. Health and Social Care at Sirius Academy West covers key areas such as legislation, care values, effective communication, barriers that people in society may face, major life changes and their effects on people’s self-esteem.
About 3 million people work in health and social care in the UK. Health care roles include doctors, pharmacists, nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants, while social care roles include care assistants, occupational therapists, counsellors and administrators. Together, they account for nearly one in ten of all paid jobs available in the UK. Demand for both health and social care is likely to rise as people live longer lives. Therefore, Health and Social Care will continue to play a key role in UK society and the demand for people to carry out these vital roles will increase.
Health and Social Care students at Sirius Academy West benefit from a wide variety of opportunities in Health and Social Care in Hull. Hull University offer courses in nursing, social work and most care related degrees. There are two main hospitals in Hull, Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital and many providers of health services and social care services. Students are able to benefit from examples of outstanding care in their community. Labour market information shows health and social care as a growth sector in Hull.
Health and Social Care involves learning key skills that will help with everyday life and caring for others. The key skills in Health and Social Care are; effective communication, first aid, health and wellbeing, understanding legislation. Health and social care is an academic subject with a strong practical element.
Everyone should know basic first aid and be able to perform basic life saving techniques. This an important theme of Health and Social Care and is taught to every person taking this course. The skills of effective communication are also studied in great depth and students learn techniques to help them become more effective listeners and communicators. This is a skill that is vital in all parts of everyday life and will support students in other subjects.
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Course Content and Assessment
Course Content:
The course is made up of 4 compulsory units and 2 optional units of study. Each unit has a weighting based on the number of Guided Learning Hours for the unit. The units we study at Sirius College are;
- Unit 1 – Building positive relationships in Health and Social Care (compulsory). This is a coursework unit equating to 17% of the final mark.
- Unit 2 – Equality, Diversity and Rights in Health and Social Care (Compulsory). This is an examined unit equating to 17% of the final mark.
- Unit 3 – Health, Safety and Security in Health and Social Care (Compulsory). This is an examined unit equating to 17% of the final mark.
- Unit 4 – Anatomy and Physiology (compulsory). This is an examined unit equating to 25% of the final mark
- Unit 9 – Supporting people with learning disabilities (optional). This is a coursework unit equating to 17% of the final mark
- Unit 24 – Public Health (Optional). This is a coursework unit equating to 8% of the final mark.
The qualification is equivalent to 1 A-Level
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Entry Criteria
5 GCSE at 4 or above, Including English and Maths (you do not need to have studied Health and Social Care at level 2 to follow this course)
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How can Health and Social Care support your future?
Career Opportunities:
Students who have studied Health and Social Care at Sirius College have progressed onto various universities, following courses in Nursing, Midwifery, Physiotherapy, Teaching and Early Years degrees.
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How does the study of Health and Social Care support your study of other subjects?
Health and social care covers Anatomy and Physiology and therefore will support the study of A- Level Biology. There are strong links with Sport courses which also study anatomy and physiology. Health and social care will require students to write essays and to research as part of their coursework. This will link with the skills used in Criminology, History, English Literature and English Language.