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Access to Higher Education Diploma (Health and Social Care)
Health and social care workers work in our communities supporting individuals who are at risk, recovering from illness or have specific requirements due to a disability, age or poor mental health. They support families, young people, older people and others in several ways including maintaining good physical and mental health, and independent living.
An Access to Higher Education Diploma (Health & Social Care) provides an alternate route to university. Where you can study a range of related degree subjects that allow you to help others, professionally, in a fulfilling and rewarding career.
Access to Higher Education Diplomas are widely accepted alternatives to A Levels allowing you to progress to degree-level study if you don’t have relevant qualifications.
This Access to HE Diploma (Health and Social Care) is available to study online which means you can enrol and start your studies the same day. You’ll be provided with all the course materials via our online portal. You will also get an Individual Learning Plan that will give you submission deadlines and to help keep you on track throughout your studies.
An Access to Higher Education Diploma can usually be completed within two years, however, most students complete their course within 12 months.
Enrol today for
just £9.99
100% online learning and assessment
Self-paced study
Study around other commitments
24/7 access to online learning
100% online learning and assessment
Self-paced study
Enrol today for
just £9.99
Study around other commitments
24/7 access to online learning
With the knowledge you gain through this course, you could pursue many important roles that relate to Health and Social Care. Support Work, Community Development, Health Promotion and Nursing are just a few of the options that would be available to you.
Through your studies you will prepare yourself for a career in the social care sector, supporting at risk individuals whether that’s as a social worker or healthcare professional.
This becomes possible by learning about human health in topics that explore Cell Biology, Nutrition and Illness. How human health can be adversely affected by Poverty, Drugs, Mental Health Disorders and other issues. Plus, the importance of the National Health Service and Social Work.
Access to HE Diplomas are developed by subject matter experts to provide you with the essential knowledge needed to start your university degree as strongly as possible.
Unit 1: Preparing to Study
On completion of this unit you will:
• Understand how study is organised and planned
• Understand how to apply theories of learning in relation to personal approaches to learning
• Understand a range of constraints upon study
• Understand the importance of assessment feedback
Unit 2: Academic Writing Skills
On completion of this unit you will:
• Be able to write with relevance in responding to an academic task
• Know how to interpret and discuss ideas and issues in responding to a set, academic writing task
• Be able to summarise for academic purposes, selecting key points, information or central ideas
Unit 3: Preparing a Written Assignment
On completion of this unit you will:
• Understand how to use key information sources
• Understand why sources are acknowledged and referenced
• Understand a range of reading strategies
• Understand note-making methods
• Understand how to plan, draft and produce a written assignment
Unit 4: Cell biology
On completion of this unit you will:
• Understand the structure and organisation of cells, including stem cells
• Understand cellular metabolism
• Understand how cells grow and divide
Unit 5: The History of the National Health Service
On completion of this unit you will:
• Understand the background to and the founding principles of the National Health Service
• Understand how political reforms have shaped the National Health Service
Unit 6: Introduction to Social Work
On completion of this unit you will:
• Understand the historical development of social work
• Understand the role of the social worker
• Understand how social work services are organised in the statutory, voluntary and independent sector
• Understand the main purposes and values of social work
Unit 7: The roles and responsibilities of healthcare professionals
On completion of this unit you will:
• Understand the changes to the roles and responsibilities of a healthcare professional
• Understand the role of professional/regulatory bodies for a healthcare professional, for example, HCPC and the Nursing and Midwifery Council
• Understand the current multidisciplinary approach to healthcare
Unit 8: Social Work Methods
On completion of this unit you will:
• Understand the concept of planned intervention
• Understand the purpose and principles of social work assessments
• Understand the range of methods used in social work assessments
• Understand social work intervention methods
Unit 9: Human Rights, the Individual & the Law
On completion of this unit you will:
• Understand the general scope and application of the European Convention on Human Rights
• Understand the impact and interrelationship of specific Convention Rights
• Understand the status and effect of the Human Rights Act 1998
Unit 10: Introduction to Social Work
On completion of this unit you will:
• Understand the historical development of social work
• Understand the role of the social worker
• Understand how social work services are organised in the statutory, voluntary and independent sector
• Understand the main purposes and values of social work
Unit 11: Human Nutrition & the Digestive System
On completion of this unit you will:
• Understand the structure and functions of the organs of the digestive system
• Understand nutrients and their sources
• Understand the components of a healthy diet and the consequences of an unhealthy diet
Unit 12: Understanding Dementia
On completion of this unit you will:
• Understand dementia
• Understand types of dementia
• Understand the medical and social models of dementia
• Understand an individual’s experience of dementia
Unit 13: Poverty & health
On completion of this unit you will:
• Understand approaches to poverty and health
• Understand approaches to the social distribution of health choices
Unit 14: Contemporary Issues in Social Policy
On completion of this unit you will:
• Understand current issues in social policy
• Understand current legislation in relation to current issues in social policy
• Understand the economic context of a contemporary issue
Unit 15: Classification and Use of Social Drugs and Medicines
On completion of this unit you will:
• Understand why different types of social drugs are used
• Understand the classification of medicines and controlled drugs
• Understand the impact of the use of social drugs and medicines on the individual and society
Unit 16: Personal Social Services
On completion of this unit you will:
• Understand the varying nature of social work provision for children and adults
• Understand the roles of the voluntary and private sector in the provision of welfare
• Understand the welfare needs of various groups
Unit 17: Mental Health and Illness
On completion of this unit you will:
• Understand the difficulties in defining normality and abnormality
• Understand a psychological disorder
• Understand treatments used to treat people with psychological disorders
Unit 18: Morals and Ethics in Social Work
On completion of this unit you will:
• Understand ethics and ethical issues in social work practice
• Understand moral dilemmas and social work practice
Unit 19: Equality and diversity within healthcare
On completion of this unit you will:
• Understand equality and diversity within healthcare
• Understand the rights of the individual in a healthcare setting
• Understand the impact of equality and diversity legislation for healthcare
Anyone wishing to continue their education with an Access to Higher Education Diploma, it is necessary they have a GCSE Grade A-C in maths and English (or Functional Skills Level 2 or new GCSE Grade 4-9) with a desire to continue a related degree at university. If you do not hold these qualifications then you must be working towards them whilst completing your Access to HE Diploma.
Our Access to Higher Education Diplomas fulfil entry criteria for a broad range of university degrees and can be used in conjunction with the standard UCAS application process. In short, Access to HE Diplomas have a track record of helping learners get to the university and degree of their choice. Learners must bear in mind each university has its own set of admission criteria and places are subject to demand. Varying admission criteria can include but are not limited to the following:
1. Number of credits to be attained at merit or distinction level.
2. Successfully passing a face-to-face interview at the University.
3. Passing a University’s proprietary literacy and numeracy assessments.
4. Completion of specified work placements or work experience.
5. GCSE Grade A-C (new system 4-9) in maths and English (or equivalent Level 2 such as Functional Skills).
Learners must undertake their own research to ensure their Diploma gives them the best possible chance of gaining entry to their university of choice. It is not possible for learndirect to accept any liability if any Access to Higher Education Diploma student fails to secure an offer from a higher education institution.
A range of units makes up this qualification, with an assignment at the end of each. You will submit your work to your tutor for marking and tailored feedback. You must acquire 60 credits in total in order to achieve the Access to HE Diploma (Health and Social Care). Of these credits, 45 will be taken from graded units which focus on the academic subject areas included in the course. The remaining 15 come from ungraded units included helping you to improve your academic writing and study skills.
As part of your programme, you will also receive help as well as guidance on your university application and the research you need to do to get the most out of your diploma.
On successful completion of the Open College Network West Midlands Access to Higher Education Diploma (Health and Social Care) you will receive a QAA recognised Access to HE Diploma at level 3 (QAA ref: 40012384).
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There is a huge range of benefits to studying via distance education:
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We believe distance education is all about convenience and flexibility. You can plan your study around your work or lifestyle commitments, so you’re only studying at times convenient for you.
Plus, you can improve your education without having to attend classes at a physical location. What’s more, with learndirect, you can study when and where you like without the stress of deadlines or time limits and complete your course at your own pace.
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We offer over 650 home study courses for you to choose from, with an unrivalled selection of quality distance education courses accredited by some of the most respected awarding bodies in the UK.
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You have access to a dedicated tutor who is an experienced professional in their field of study. Your tutor is totally committed to helping you succeed and is on hand to answer any questions you may have, no matter how big or small.
All of our qualifications have different awarding bodies, and depending on the subject, they will meet different criteria depending on the level of the qualification and its content.
We typically use the OFQUAL register to help us benchmark our courses and ensure the education you receive is up to the relevant industry standards. If you would like to check a specific qualification, please contact one of our helpful advisers by calling 01202 006 464.Many of our courses include one or more of the following hands on aspects to enhance the online learning you will receive.
Many of our RQF courses include a placement, these placements are fantastic opportunities for you to secure a work experience placement in a relevant industry and get real on the job experience while you learn. For example many of our Teaching Assistant courses give you an opportunity to approach and work within a local school.
Time in our state of the art academy's for certain subjects, for example our Foot Health Practitioner courses run multiple hands on class based options in our bespoke learning environments.
Further to this some of our courses include practical kits for you to use while you study and even keep after the course! For example many of our Nail Technician courses include an extensive kit included with the course at no additional charge.
We encourage and welcome international students to join our learning community.
All of our courses are specifically designed to be delivered via distance education and home study, so you can complete your course from anywhere in the world. Some courses relate specifically to UK practice and legislation and in these cases all work must be presented accordingly. There will be no need for you to attend any physical location like a test centre or campus, unless your course has a 'practical' element to it.