Achieving Continuous Quality Improvement in Health and Social Care

Assignment Brief

Total Word Count: 4000 (+/- 10%)
Grading Weight: 100%

Learning Outcomes Covered

1. Critically analyse the need for care settings to achieve the best possible outcomes for service users.

2. Critically discuss the performance of teams in health and social care.

3. Critically discuss the management of continuous quality improvement (CQI).

4. Reflect upon strategies that develop, maintain, and evaluate systems and structures to promote the rights, responsibilities, and diversity of service users in care settings.

Student-Facing Marking Guide

Question 1 (Up to 40 Marks)

Task:

Using specific examples from your own practice to support your discussion, make a case for why care settings must achieve the best possible outcome for service users in their care.

Guidance:

• Consider the advantages of outcome-based care and the challenges of implementing it in practice.

• Include success stories or case studies, if available.

Requirements for a Pass:

• Demonstrate a basic understanding of outcome-based care.

• Discuss both the advantages and disadvantages.

• Link to health and social care practice in general.

• Where possible, provide specific links to your own practice.

Requirements for Higher Grades:

• Critically appraise outcome-based care as a concept.

• Discuss drivers such as government policy, legislation, and regulator requirements.

• Provide examples from your own practice or case studies.

• Evaluate how you have contributed (individually, as part of a team, or within an organisation) to achieving person-centred care.

Question 2 (Up to 40 Marks)

Task:

With reference to a relevant team development and motivation theory, critically discuss the performance of teams in managing Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) in care settings.

Guidance:

• Use CQI tools and frameworks to support your critical debate.

• Consider team theories such as Belbin, Tuckman, Woodcock, and McClelland.

• Discuss motivation theories such as Maslow’s Needs Theory and Vroom’s Expectancy Theory.

Requirements for a Pass:

• Demonstrate a basic understanding of key team theories.

• Demonstrate familiarity with CQI tools such as PDSA.

• Critically discuss how, as part of a small or multi-disciplinary team, you contributed to achieving quality objectives.

Requirements for Higher Grades:

• Critically evaluate relevant team development and motivation theories.

• Discuss the use of CQI tools (e.g., PDSA, Fishbone) in health and social care settings.

• Provide examples of how teamwork, motivation, and quality initiatives enhance service user satisfaction.

• Make reference to frameworks designed to improve quality in the NHS and/or Social Care in the UK.

Question 3 (Up to 20 Marks)

Task:

Using a recognised reflective model or tool, evaluate strategies, systems, and structures used in health and social care practices to promote the rights, responsibilities, and diversity of service users.

Guidance:

• Consider the role of critical reflection in evaluating strategies, systems, structures, and policies.

• Apply models such as Kolb’s Learning Cycle or Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle.

Requirements for a Pass:

• Demonstrate a basic understanding of strategies, systems, and structures promoting rights, responsibilities, and diversity.

• Link discussion to your own contribution to person-centred care, considering rights, values, culture, preference, choice, and diversity.

• Where not possible, use a case study.

Requirements for Higher Grades:

• Critically discuss your performance in contributing to the design and implementation of service user care plans.

• Evaluate your role in promoting principles of support in health and social care.

• Make links to legislation, policies, outcome benchmarks, and organisations that promote the voice of service users.

• Show originality of thought and evaluative skills, leading to clear recommendations and/or conclusions.

Self-Evaluation Checklist

Before Submission, Ask Yourself:

1. Content and Depth

   • Have I covered all main points in sufficient depth?

   • Did I address all elements of each question?

   • Have I linked my discussion to wider literature and/or case studies?

   • Is my work analytical, rather than descriptive?

2. Application and Examples

   • Have I applied theories and concepts to my own practice (or case study if practice examples are unavailable)?

   • Have I used relevant examples to support arguments?

3. Structure and Coherence

   • Is my discussion well-structured and logically sequenced?

   • Did I use effective paragraphing and clear connectives?

   • Have I avoided irrelevant arguments or unnecessary repetition?

4. Critical Thinking

   • Did I consider the significance of the information included?

   • Have I questioned assumptions and analysed implications?

5. Referencing and Academic Integrity

   • Have I referenced all sources in-text and in the reference list?

   • Is my referencing style consistent with Harvard guidelines?

   • Have I paraphrased in my own words where possible, and used quotation marks where necessary?

   • Did I upload a draft to Turnitin to check similarity?

Presentation Guidelines

• Use Arial or Times New Roman (font size 11–14).

• Line spacing: 1.5.

• Text should be justified.

• Include a cover sheet with programme details.

• Maintain a clear, professional layout with headings and subheadings.

Quick Guide to Harvard Referencing

https://moodle.bl.rdi.co.uk/guides/HarvardRef/AU_Harvard_Quick_Ref_Guide.pdf