ATHE Level 3 Unit 1 Structure and Overview of the Health and Social Care Sector (K/618/4167) Assignment Example 2026

Unit Aims

This unit aims to develop an understanding of the health and social care sector, its aims and purpose and the organisations that provide health and social care along with an awareness of current issues impacting the sector in a chosen country.

Assessment Guidance

In order to achieve this unit, learners must produce work which demonstrates achievement of the learning outcomes at the standards provided by the assessment criteria.

Learning Outcomes

Indicative Content

• Understand the structure of health and social care provision in chosen country
  • Aims of health and social care e.g. promote health and wellbeing, keep people healthy, support those in need of medical or social care.
  • Organisation of sector – national/regional; state funded/private/voluntary; coordination/separation of health and social care aspects; regulation (legislation/self-regulation, heavily regulated/not closely controlled); who can provide care.
  • Size of sector in terms of finance, employment, percentage of GDP, provision compared to population.
  • Funding of health and social care – state funding, private health insurance, charity; health and social care spending – where the money goes.
• Understand health and social provision for different ages and stages of life
  • Ages/stages: infancy, early childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, middle adulthood, later adulthood
  • Services required/provided at different stages e.g. maternity, childcare, adolescence, medical care for conditions, support for people with disabilities, end of life care; services include GP, preventative health care, hospital, social care, mental health services etc.
  • Long-term care provision for individuals with long term health conditions or disabilities e.g. care in the community, institutionalised care.
  • Access to services e.g. direct, through GP or referral, through private insurance provider etc.
  • Barriers to services e.g. regional, social, economic, policy barriers; how barriers are addressed.

• Understand the different areas of specialism within health and social care Specialisms e.g. paediatrics, geriatric, maternity, mental health, social work.
  • Professions e.g. doctor, nurse, specialist, health care worker, social worker, social care worker.
  • Regulation of professions e.g. regulatory bodies, legislation, good practice.

• Understand issues in health and social care in chosen country
  • Equality and social/economic inequality and impact on healthcare; how inequalities are addressed.
  • Public health issues e.g. vaccination programmes, contraception, healthy eating promotion, preventative health campaigns.
  • Current issues in provision e.g. state of national health, population demographic, government policy/strategy, state of current provision.