Case Study - HND Health and Social Care Management

Social Policy in Health and Social Care - Case Study

Scenario 1:

A national care magazine is running a competition for an article on the significant historical and contemporary landmarks in social policy, and the effects of changing ideology. The prize is in the form of a grant to conduct research into an aspect of health or social care policy in a European country such as the United Kingdom.

Using the Scenario complete the following Assessment Criteria to
Pass, gain Merit or Distinction in the Assignment.

To gain a pass grade the following criteria as shown below need to be completed

Task 1.1 Outline significant historical and contemporary Landmarks in social policy

Answer should have: Social policy: definition of; distinguishing social policy from organisational policy

World War II and its effects on provision and attitudes to welfare: Beveridge and Bevan and the inception of the welfare state; the range of social policy eg income maintenance, employment and benefits, health, housing, social services, education

Task 1.2 Explain how the changes in ideological approach since 1945 have impacted on contemporary social policies in the UK.

Answer should have: Post-war: ‘consensus' and differences eg the influence of Butler, Gaitskell; ending of consensus; The New Right and Thatcherism; ‘New Labour' and social inclusion; devolution; personalised services

To gain a merit grade the following criteria as shown below must be met

M1: Evaluate sufficiency and deficiency in provisions according to welfare policy.

To gain a distinction grade the following criteria as shown below must be met

D1: Describe the distinguishing features of social policy from organisational policy.

Scenario 2:

The editor of a broadsheet newspaper has read your article and is impressed by your style and understanding of the issues involved.

The editor has now contacted you and asked you to produce a report on the links between legislation and social policies. Your report will be published in the politics section of the Sunday edition.

To gain a pass grade the following criteria as shown below need to be completed

Task 2.1 Analyse the processes involved in the development of a key Act of Parliament.

Answer should have: Ideology: universalism; individual liberty/laissez-faire; ideological issues, eg poverty, eligibility, means testing and targeting, family and community values

The roles of institutions: Parliament; the European Union; local government; devolved government; government agencies; other relevant roles eg political parties, committees, enquiries

Task 2.2 With reference to Scenario 2, evaluate different influences on the development of social policy, including ideologies.

1. Answer should have: Influences on policy: movements and pressure groups; campaigns; the media; users of services; administrators

To gain a merit grade the following criteria as shown below must be met

M2: Evaluate the roles of different institutions such as Parliament; the European Union and Local Governments etc.

To gain a distinction grade the following criteria as shown below must be met

D2: Analyse various influences on social policy e.g. movements and pressure groups; campaigns; the media; users of services; administrators etc.

Scenario 3:

Your manager is impressed with your writing prowess and has asked you to produce a booklet, to be included in the annual report for the trustees for your setting.

Your booklet must include all of the following:

a) An analysis of the ways in which social policy is implemented by the organisation and also the setting.

Answer should have: How impact can be measured: methods eg service user feedback, research, statistics, organisational policy responses, practice experience; difficulties in measuring impact

b) An explanation of how the setting measures the effects of social policy on users of the service answer should have: Broader strategies: behind individual and organisational roles; how policy is implemented; how and why ‘problems' are defined in certain ways

c) An evaluation of the impact of one policy on the users of the service provided by your setting.

Answer should have: The impact of policy on specific groups: positive and negative impacts on eg older people, children, people with disabilities, youth offenders; successful policy implementation (barriers to, characteristics of)

To gain a merit grade and a distinction grade, the following criteria as shown below must be met:

M3: Compare and contrast different polices on the users of the service provided by your setting

D3: By contextualising your response to a Care Home facility, critically analyse a different social policy to that in the above questions.

Scenario 4:

You are employed by a national care organisation and have been contacted by a member of the trustees. The organisation is concerned that implementation of health and social care policy is being managed differently, in different institutions, within the United Kingdom.

Your organisation would like information on this, to measure its performance against national standards.

To gain a pass grade the following criteria as shown below need to be completed

Task 4.1 Discuss the implementation of health and social care policy in different institutions in the United Kingdom. Answer should have: National models and ‘the living laboratory': England; Northern Ireland; Scotland; Wales

Task 4.2 Analyse the differences in formation and adaption of social policy initiatives from other national perspectives.

Answer should have: Current initiatives: as relevant to learner and home country eg gender, ethnic issues, poverty and social security, health and health services, community care, disability, crime and criminal justice

To gain a merit grade the following criteria as shown below must be met

M4: Provide references from a variety of sources

To gain a distinction grade the following criteria as shown below must be met

D4: Demonstrate lateral and creative thinking.