Edexcel Level 3 BTEC Nationals in Health and Social Care

UNIT 45: COMPETENCE-BASED VOCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL CAREEssential guidance for tutorsDeliveryThis unit may not be combined in a programme with Unit 44: Vocational Experiencefor Health and Social Care.This unit includes the assessment of practical skills in the workplace. A minimum of200 hours of work experience is therefore required for its successful completion. It isrecommended that these be divided between at least three different placements.This time is additional to the work experience required for Unit 6: Personal andProfessional Development in Health and Social Care. However, the total number ofdifferent placements required for both units together remains at a minimum ofthree. Learners are advised, however, to consider a broader range of experiences, ifavailable. This will enhance the evidence they are able to present towards thoseassessment criteria across the programme that require learners to draw upon workexperience placements.There are strong links with Unit 6: Personal and Professional Development in Healthand Social Care, and also the optional Unit 17: Working in the Social Care Sector,Unit 18: Working in the Health Sector, Unit 46: Independent Learning in Health andSocial Care and Unit 47: Academic Literacy in the Health and Social Care Sectors.Centres are encouraged to consider the delivery and assessment of these unitsholistically, using the personal and professional development portfolio required forUnit 6: Personal and Professional Development in Health and Social Care as the focusof assessment. Further guidance is provided in the tutor support materials for thisprogramme.Learners require supported time to plan, review and evaluate their work experienceplacements, and should be encouraged to be reflective throughout the wholeprocess. They need encouragement to collect a variety of evidence as they progressthrough their work experience. This could include, for example, observationsrelevant to the role of supportive relationships with patients/service users, asrequired for Unit 11: Supporting and Protecting Adults. These observations, alongwith other evidence/findings, could be filed within learners’ personal andprofessional development portfolio.Delivery of this unit will involve workplace assessor(s) and expert witnesses allocatedto learners to observe competent practice. Learners will require clear guidance onassembling and tracking the evidence required in order that they are able todemonstrate competence against occupational expectations. Time with assessors willbe required to plan and monitor progress of the assessment of practical skills.Learners should be encouraged to achieve other supporting qualifications atappropriate levels, for example first aid, food hygiene, and manual handling.BN018467 – Specification – Edexcel Level 3 BTEC Nationals in Health and Social Care– Issue 1 – February 2007 © Edexcel Limited 2007553