Key Facts

Level:
Level 3
Subject Sector:
1.2 Nursing and Subjects and Vocations Allied to Medicine
Credits:
60
Qualification No:
QAAQ002593
Age Range:
19+
QAA aim code:
40008587

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 (Nursing) 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 nurse in the 21st century.

The mandatory group ensures that learners have a good understanding of underpinning knowledge relevant to the role of the nurse, including basic anatomy and physiology, care principles and an introduction to the healthcare system. Learners can select from a range of optional units strongly based around equality and diversity in the relevant values required within the nursing sector. They can choose to study units around ill health and the role that socio-economic status and life choices have on health. A mandatory unit on care principles shows the importance placed on the subject within the nursing role.

Learners must choose from a selection of mandatory and optional ungraded units to support underpinning skills, including a communication unit, linked to speaking and listening which is a vital skill for any nurse.


Why choose this qualification?

The Diploma has a strong emphasis on the skills required of the nurse in the 21st century.

The mandatory group ensures that learners have a good understanding of underpinning knowledge relevant to the role of the nurse, including basic anatomy and physiology, care principles and an introduction to the healthcare system. Learners can select from a range of optional units strongly based around equality and diversity in the relevant values required within the nursing sector. They can choose to study units around ill health and the role that socio-economic status and life choices have on health. A mandatory unit on care principles shows the importance placed on the subject within the nursing role.

Learners must choose from a selection of mandatory and optional ungraded units to support underpinning skills, including a communication unit, linked to speaking and listening which is a vital skill for any nurse.

Rules of Combination

Learners must complete 45 credits in total from the Graded Units - 21 credits from the Mandatory Graded group, a maximum of 6 credits must be taken from the Graded Research group, and 18 credits from the Optional Graded unit 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 21 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

Human Anatomy and Physiology

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU006413
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

Professional Interpersonal Skills

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025402
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Safeguarding Children, Young People and/or Vulnerable Adults

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025409
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Optional Units: Graded Academic Subject Content

Learners must complete 18 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

Cells and Tissues

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025366
Click here to view full unit details

Circulation, Immunity and Homeostasis

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU006178
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

Ethnic Diversity and Health

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU014008
Click here to view full unit details

Female Genital Mutilation Awareness

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025411
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

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

Management of Ill Health

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025400
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

Physics: Medical Applications for Radiography

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU026260
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Poverty and Social Exclusion

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU014245
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Promoting Health

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU005980
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Social Drugs and Medicines

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025833
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

The Role of the Health or Social Care Professional

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU014022
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Ungraded Units

Learners must also complete 9 credits from the mandatory ungraded group and 6 credits from the Optional Ungraded Units.

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

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

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.

Communication - Speaking and Listening

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

Optimising Examination Performance

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025280
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.
Learners who have followed these routes may not have come from a care background, so they may need to refresh/develop 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.


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. speaking and listening skills which are highly relevant to the role of the nursing which is a patient facing role within the National Health Service.


Delivery methods

• Face to face
• Blended learning
• Work placements would also be beneficial.
Written questions and answer, reports, exam, SWOT analysis, projects, worksheets, case studies, annotated diagram, presentation, poster, self-reflection.It is recommended that units which have a significant sized report or essay are delivered later in the course to allow learners to develop their academic writing skills.
The Home Office provides a useful online resource which is free of charge to support delivery of Female Genital Mutilation Awareness unit. This can be found at: https://www.fgmelearning.co.uk/


Progression routes

• BSc (Hons) Nursing
• BSc Hons Nursing (Mental Health)
• BSc Hons Nursing (Child)
• Degree Apprenticeships in Nursing
• BSc (Hons) Health Studies


Progression & entry requirements

Learners will probably require a pass in a science alongside maths and English at GCSE level to progress onto a degree course.

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