1. Health & Social Care AS & A2

2. What kind of student is this course suitable for?
You will enjoy this course if you would like to develop: - a broad understanding of the sector - skills as well as technical knowledge - an awareness of particular groups and their needs by focussing on Health, Early Years (Care and Education), Care of Older People, or Individuals with Specific Needs

3. Qualifications... You can study for:
A Single Award AS GCE (3units): Units 1, 2, 3
A Double Award AS GCE (6 units): Units 1 – 6
A Single Award Advanced GCE (6 units): Units 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9
A Double Award Advanced GCE (12 units): all units

4. Unit 1 - Human Growth and Development
You will learn...
Aspects of human growth and development throughout the different life stages
Factors that can influence human growth, development and health experience, including those that are inherited and those that are acquired during our lifespan
What it means to be healthy and how health and well-being can be promoted.

5. Unit 2- Communication and Values
You will learn...
About different types of communication
The care value base
The transmission of values through communication.

6. Unit 3- Positive Care Environments
You will
Understand that organisations and society have a responsibility to protect and safeguard the rights of those who are vulnerable, and that the only effective way to do this is through formal policy and legislation.

7. Unit 4- Social Aspects and Lifestyle Choices
You will learn...
The different lifestyle choices people make, and the life course events they experience, that affect their health and well-being
The different social factors which can affect health and well-being
How effective care practice is achieved through high-quality care professional and service user relationships

8. Unit 5- Activities for Health and Well
You will learn...
About the types and benefits of activities for service users
Skills and understanding in the planning of activities
How to implement and evaluate activities

9. Unit 6- Public Health You will...
Become aware of the impact that social and economic factors and lifestyle choices have on the health status of populations and communities in the UK. You will also understand how public health problems arise and should know about the methods used to monitor, prevent and combat major public health issues.

10. Unit 7- Meeting Individual Needs
The unit will...
Allow you to demonstrate your understanding of how services are used fro every individual need, and how care is personalised to ensure it meets the needs of each client.
This is the synoptic unit for GCE Health and Social Care. It draws on prior learning from Unit 1: Human Growth and Development, Unit 2: Communication and Values and Unit 3: Positive Care Environments.

11. Unit 8- Promoting Health and Wellbeing
You will...
Carry out your own small-scale health promotion and will learn about the different approaches to health education, and how they are put into practice. You will also develop skills in planning, carrying out, and evaluating an activity to promote health and well-being.

12. Unit 9- Investigating Disease
You will learn...
About the disease process, and will carry out an individual investigation into various aspects of two specific diseases. This will include the biological basis of diseases, the ways in which a diagnosis may be created, the availability of treatment, the factors that may influence the outcome of the treatments, the strategies for preventing the spread or occurrence of the disease, and epidemiological methods for tracking disease.

13. Unit 10- Using and Understanding Research
Research now plays a key part in developing and improving health and social care policies, service provision and care interventions. You will carrying out a small research project to demonstrate your research skills.

14. Unit 11- Social Issues and Welfare Needs
You will be ...
Able to identify and investigate those social issues which have existed for many years, and those issues that are more contemporary in nature. You will explore how social issues and welfare needs impact on service users in different health and social care settings.

15. Unit 12- Understanding Human Behaviour
The unit will help you understand influences on behaviour and the effects that can result, and how theories of behaviour can be used in health and social care practice to make sense of the way that people behave, think and feel

16. How will I be assessed?
You will have a written examination in the form of a question and answer booklet in Units 1,4,7,12. Each examination will last one and a half hours.
For all other units you will be assessed by coursework.

17. What could I go on to do at the end of my course?
The GCE in Health and Social Care qualifies for UCAS points so if you complete it successfully you could move on to study for a degree or BTEC Higher National Diploma in related subjects. You could also go on to relevant employment within health and social care services.