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Subjects & Qualifications

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Health Sector Intermediate 1

Contact the Qualifications Manager for this subject
Margot McKerrell GRAPHIC: e-mail icon.


Structure of the Course

This Course is at Intermediate 1 level and consists of 3 x 40 hour and 2 x 20 hour Mandatory Units.

Mandatory Units

Health Sector: An Introduction

1 Unit credit

Health Sector: Roles and Responsibilities

1 Unit credit

Health Sector: Health Awareness

1 Unit credit

Health Sector: Working Safely

 ½ Unit credit

Health Sector: Working Life Sciences Industry

 ½ Unit credit

Summary of Course content

The Course introduces candidates to the health sector. It includes investigating the different types of provision, the range of services provided and the roles and responsibilities of those working in a type of provision. Candidates will also investigate the career opportunities in the health sector.

Care values are important when working in the health sector. Therefore, candidates will explore care values and participate in practical activities that allow candidates to demonstrate care values, including the importance of maintaining confidentiality and an awareness of equality and diversity.

Candidates will also assess risks in relation to infection and participate in practical activities to demonstrate infection control measures.

Candidates will be given the opportunity to work as a member of a team to produce health promotion advice, encouraging co-operative working. They will learn about the main body systems as underpinning knowledge to inform the health promotion advice. Candidates will participate in a practical activity to take a physiological measurement.

Effective team working is an essential element of working in the health sector. Candidates will investigate a multidisciplinary team and explore the benefits of a multidisciplinary approach to users of the health sector.

The Course introduces candidates to the range of product types made by the Life Sciences Industry. Candidates will participate in a practical activity to demonstrate the use of a biomedical device.

Central to the Course is developing the employability skills valued by employers in general and necessary for effective work in the health sector. These skills are embedded in the different Units providing candidates with the opportunity to practice and develop these skills throughout the Course. Candidates will have the opportunity to develop their employability skills through practical activities in real or simulated work environments, investigations and team working activities. Candidates will also be involved in self-evaluation of these skills, seeking feedback from others, identifying areas of improvement, taking account of the feedback received and reviewing their progress throughout the Course.

Summary of content of each Unit

Assessment approaches

The assessment of this Course is structured as follows:

Health Sector: An Introduction

This Unit will be assessed through an investigation, performance evidence of participation in practical activities and candidate reviews of their employability skills.

Health Sector: Roles and Responsibilities

This Unit will be assessed through investigations, an open book assessment and performance evidence generated during a practical activity.

Health Sector: Health Awareness

This Unit will be assessed through an open book assessment, performance evidence generated during a practical activity, performance evidence generated by working as a member of a team and a candidate review of their contribution.

Health Sector: Working Safely

This Unit will be assessed by performance evidence generated by carrying out a risk assessment and by means of an open book assessment and a practical activity.

Health Sector: Life Sciences Industry

This Unit will be assessed through an investigation and performance evidence generated during a practical activity.

Each Unit will be supported by a National Assessment Bank (NAB) item, which will provide an assessment package and will exemplify the national standard.

Experience of the workplace

In this Course it is important candidates have access to real or simulated health sector environments and visiting speakers. It is anticipated that the Course will rely upon and build on partnerships between schools, further education colleges, higher education institutions, employers and other training organisations. These partnerships will enable the Course to be delivered in a variety of appropriate learning environments with access to relevant teaching expertise. Partnerships with employers give added value to the Course and benefit candidates by enabling them to make more informed career choices.

Resource requirements

Since practical and experiential learning is central to this Course, it is important that candidates have access to a variety of learning environments.  This could include access to health sector facilities through visits, simulated workplace settings or visiting speakers from the health sector.  The use of audiovisual resources may also be required.

Progression

This Course may provide candidates with opportunities to progress to:

Launch event

SQA hosted an information event to support implementation of this Skills for Work Course on 3 December 2008.

Publication of NABs

NABs will be published on the secure area of SQA’s website by August 2009.

Publication of Learning and Teaching Support Packs

Learning and teaching support packs are being produced by the Scottish Further Education Unit to support this Course. These are planned for publication on the SFEU website (www.sfeu.ac.uk) by August 2009. 

Arrangements documents

Subject:

Health Sector Intermediate 1
Level: Intermediate 1
Code: C261 10
Edition: First edition, February 2009
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