Edexcel Level 3 BTEC Nationals in Health and Social Care

UNIT 18: WORKING IN THE HEALTH SECTORAssessmentThe assessment of this unit requires learners to draw upon work experienceplacements as far as possible. There are links with Unit 6: Personal and ProfessionalDevelopment in Health and Social Care, but evidence for this unit should extend andcomplement that submitted for Unit 6. It could, however, be submitted as part of theoverall portfolio for Unit 6, thus supporting the requirement to demonstrate linksbetween different units in the programme.Evidence should largely be in the form of pieces of writing, though somediagrammatical representation may also be used, such as for the overall provision ofhealth services.The unit could be assessed by means of two assignments, a short initial one coveringP1, M1 and D1, and a longer final assignment to cover P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, M2, M3, M4and D2.For the first assignment learners need to research two careers in the health sector,through a variety of means, including discussions at work experience placements,discussions with careers advisors and the use of connexions. The evidence presentedshould not duplicate that presented for the P7 criterion of Unit 6: Personal andProfessional Development in Health and Social Care, but extend and supplement it.The requirements need to be examined in more detail, especially for M1 whenreasons need to be given for the requirements, and D1, when the requirementsshould be evaluated in terms of providing a competent workforce. Considerationshould also be given here to continuing professional development.Initially, for P2 of the second assignment, learners need to provide evidence thatdemonstrates research into, and understanding of, the overall structure of healthservices provision. This should be based on the learner’s home country. Thistherefore extends the evidence needed for Unit 6: Personal and ProfessionalDevelopment in Health and Social Care, for which learners were required to describeone local health or social care service provider and identify its place in nationalprovision. More detail of the national provision is required, with the focus being onthe overall provision as opposed to one service provider. It does, however,complement the evidence required for Unit 6, and the two pieces of evidence couldbe combined into a single piece of work, providing sufficient detail is included tofulfil the requirements of both units.Evidence for P3 and M2 could be gained through the use of guest speakers, internetresearch, or possibly the use of relevant leaflets obtained from the organisations.Centres should ensure that all evidence presented is the learners’ own work,especially if the internet has been used for research, in this case, into the threeoverarching organisations in the health sector.For P4 and M3, in terms of the legislation, policies, standards or codes of practicethat influence health services provision, again internet research could be a usefulsource of evidence, though learners should also be encouraged to use their workexperience placements as a resource. Legislation is included in several units in theprogramme, and learners will therefore need guidance to ensure they only deal withaspects of relevance to the assessment criteria in each case.BN018467 – Specification – Edexcel Level 3 BTEC Nationals in Health and Social Care– Issue 1 – February 2007 © Edexcel Limited 2007251