Key Facts

Level:
Level 3
Subject Sector:
1.3 Health and Social Care
Credits:
60
Qualification No:
QAAQ002516
Age Range:
19+
QAA aim code:
4000837X

New suite of Access to HE Diplomas for August 2024

Our brand new suite of Access to HE Diplomas is available for delivery from 1st August 2024.

Access to HE Diploma (Health and Social Care) Overview

Changes to Access to HE confirmed by QAA: Diploma Specification and Grading Scheme

Qualification Summary

The Diploma has a strong emphasis on the skills required of the health or social care worker in the 21st century. The mandatory group ensures that learners have a good understanding of underpinning knowledge relevant to the role of the health or social care worker, including an introduction to the role of the health or social care worker and the healthcare system, care principles which underpin all activity across the sector and safeguarding which is vital in protecting children, young people and vulnerable adults. Learners can select from a range of optional units linked to health or social care skills which are also strongly based around equality and diversity and the relevant values required within the sector. They can choose to study units around ill health and the role that socio-economic status and life choices have on health; they also can choose to study a specific medical condition, dementia or the impact that the media has on perspectives around health and social care.

Learners must choose from a selection of mandatory and optional ungraded units to support underpinning skills, including a mandatory working with others unit, which is a vital skill for any health or social care worker.

Learners who have followed these routes may not have come from a health or care background, so they may need to brush up their skills in specific areas as well as learning more about subjects in which they have an interest. If the learner has gone straight into employment, they may not have studied at Level 3 and so this Access to HE Diploma will help them to build on existing skills and provide a good grounding for further academic study.


Why choose this qualification?

This Diploma has a strong emphasis on the skills required of the health or social care worker in the 21st century. The mandatory group ensures that learners have a good understanding of underpinning knowledge relevant to the role of the health or social care worker, including an introduction to the role of the health or social care worker and the healthcare system, care principles which underpin all activity across the sector and safeguarding which is vital in protecting children, young people and vulnerable adults. Learners can select from a range of optional units linked to health or social care skills which are also strongly based around equality and diversity and the relevant values required within the sector. They can choose to study units around ill health and the role that socio-economic status and life choices have on health; they also can choose to study a specific medical condition, dementia or the impact that the media has on perspectives around health and social care.

Learners must choose from a selection of mandatory and optional ungraded units to support underpinning skills, including a mandatory working with others unit, which is a vital skill for any health or social care worker.

Learners who have followed these routes may not have come from a health or care background, so they may need to brush up their skills in specific areas as well as learning more about subjects in which they have an interest. If the learner has gone straight into employment, they may not have studied at Level 3 and so this Access Diploma will help them to build on existing skills and provide a good grounding for further academic study.

Rules of Combination

Learners must complete 18 Credits must be taken from the mandatory group with a maximum of 6 credits from the Research optional group, the remaining 21 credits must be taken from the Health and Social Care optional group.


Units

Graded Research Units

Learners must complete 6 credits from this group.

Research Skills for Health or Care

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU026035
Click here to view full unit details

Research: Extended Writing Project for Health or Care

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU026037
Click here to view full unit details
Mandatory Units: Graded Academic Subject Content

Learners must complete 18 credits from this group.

Care Principles

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU025398
Click here to view full unit details

Introduction to Healthcare

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025572
Click here to view full unit details

Mental Health and Illness

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025831
Click here to view full unit details

Safeguarding Children, Young People and/or Vulnerable Adults

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025409
Click here to view full unit details

The Role of the Health or Social Care Professional

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025672
Click here to view full unit details
Optional Units: Graded Academic Subject Content

Learners must complete 21 credits from this group.

An Introduction to Health and Disease

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU018205
Click here to view full unit details

Dementia Awareness

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025825
Click here to view full unit details

Duty of Care in Care Settings

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU026109
Click here to view full unit details

Effective and Reflective Practice

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU017815
Click here to view full unit details

Equality and Diversity within Care Services

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025436
Click here to view full unit details

Government Policy in Relation to Current Health Issues

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU018799
Click here to view full unit details

Government Policy in Relation to Current Social Welfare Issues

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU018796
Click here to view full unit details

Health Psychology

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU025835
Click here to view full unit details

Health or Social Care Professions: Ethics and Values

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025438
Click here to view full unit details

Human Body Systems - Circulation and Gaseous Exchange

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU006415
Click here to view full unit details

Inclusivity and Disability

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025404
Click here to view full unit details

Life Course

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU005966
Click here to view full unit details

Management of Ill Health

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025400
Click here to view full unit details

Media Perspectives of Health and Social Care

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025681
Click here to view full unit details

Poverty and Social Exclusion

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU014245
Click here to view full unit details

Promoting Health

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU005980
Click here to view full unit details

Social Drugs and Medicines

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025833
Click here to view full unit details

Social Work Skills

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU006006
Click here to view full unit details

Social Work and Disability

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU014232
Click here to view full unit details

Sociology of Health

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU007094
Click here to view full unit details

Structure and Contexts of Health and Social Care Delivery

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025683
Click here to view full unit details

Understand Care and Support Planning

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU026107
Click here to view full unit details

Understand Care of the Elderly

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU026111
Click here to view full unit details

Understanding Social and Physical Aspects of Adult Relationships

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU006060
Click here to view full unit details
Ungraded Units

Learners must complete 15 credits from this group.

Mandatory Units: Ungraded

Learners must complete 9 credits from this group.

Academic Writing Skills

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025276
Click here to view full unit details

Application of Number - Interpreting and Presenting Information

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU007486
Click here to view full unit details

Preparation for Higher Education

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025532
Click here to view full unit details
Optional Units: Ungraded

Learners must complete 6 credits from this group.

Academic Reading Skills

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU018346
Click here to view full unit details

Communication - Speaking and Listening

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU007560
Click here to view full unit details

Developing Professional Attributes

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025278
Click here to view full unit details

Drug Calculations and Health Related Charts

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025837
Click here to view full unit details

Presenting Information Using ICT

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU027084
Click here to view full unit details

Presenting Information Using ICT

Level:
Level 2
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025450
Click here to view full unit details

Promoting Wellbeing and Building Resilience

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU028487
Click here to view full unit details

Study Skills

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU018318
Click here to view full unit details

Sustainability Project

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU033854
Click here to view full unit details

The Fundamentals of Environmental Sustainability

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU033880
Click here to view full unit details

Work Placement

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025609
Click here to view full unit details

Intended learner groups

a) Adults who, because of social, educational or individual circumstances may have achieved few, if any, prior qualifications and wish to progress to HE
b) Adults who have gone straight into industry (perhaps following apprenticeship routes) who wish to progress to HE.


How this diploma meets learners' needs

The Diploma will provide them with underpinning skills to support academic study and provide a level 3 qualification linked to their proposed HE study. A broad range of skills related to care will be acquired, whilst the underpinning skills within the ungraded units will ensure that the learner is fully prepared for progression onto relevant degrees.


What this diploma covers

The units will allow the learners to keep their options open until they have fully decided on their preferred route at degree level. The ungraded units have been chosen to support both progression into higher education and also to allow the learners to develop skills relevant to the subject area e.g. skills in working together which are highly relevant to the role of the health or social worker which is a patient facing role within the National Health Service.


Delivery methods

• Face to face
• Blended learning
• Work placements would also be beneficial.


Progression routes

Progression routes are into a range of nursing or health related degrees including:
• BSc (Hons) Nursing
• BSc Hons Nursing (Mental Health)
• BSc Hons Nursing (Child)
• BSc (Hons) Health Studies
• Midwifery - BSc (Hons)
• BA (Hons) Health and Social Care
• BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care
• FdA Health and Social Care
• BA (Hons) Social Work
• BSc (Hons) Social Work
Progression could also be onto a higher apprenticeship in Care such as the Lead Practitioner in Adult Care or the degree apprenticeship in Nursing.


Funding information

There are now two main sources for funding information, a straightforward ESFA Qualification Search and the more detailed Find a Learning Aim website.

The new Find a learning aim (FALA) service provides a search tool that you can use to check the funding status of any qualification, framework, unit, standard or T Level:

View this qualification on the ESFA’s Find a learning aim website

The Education and Skills Funding Agency search provides funding information on qualifications. It does not provide funding information for units, non-regulated activity and work placements, for this information please use Find a learning aim (FALA).

View this qualification on the ESFA Qualification Funding Search

How to find a learning aim

If you’re not sure how to use the new find a learning aim website, we’ve created a handy walkthrough to help you:

How to Use: Find a learning Aim


Additional funding information for Access to HE

  • Access to HE is eligible for funding as part of the legal entitlement offer.
  • Access to HE is eligible for funding via Advanced Learner Loans and appears on the Advanced Learner Loans catalogues published by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).
  • Access to HE Diplomas are designed for adult learners aged 19+ and the ESFA only funds young people on these programmes by exception, as stated in paragraph 149, page 39 of the Funding guidance for young people 2020 to 2021.

We have done our best to collate and summarise the key information, and wherever possible we alert our providers to changes in funding policy.

This funding information is provided in good faith and it is always advisable to check directly with the funding agencies before committing to delivery.

The following support materials will help you deliver this qualification.

Access to HE Quick Guides

Information for Access Centres

Access to HE Administration

Assignment briefs

Centres approved to deliver our Access to HE Diplomas can download assignment briefs for a selection of units in this Diploma. Assignment briefs can be downloaded by logging to Prism and locating the relevant unit. More assignment briefs are being added not all units currently have assignment briefs available.

The assignment briefs can be easily adapted to suit your needs. We recommend checking the rules of combination for the Diploma and adapting the brief accordingly.

To provide a flavour of what’s available, you can download the below samples for free:

Log in to Prism to download more assignment briefs