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

₌₊₊₊Assessment Task

Learning outcomes covered

 (detail)

Student-facing marking guide for task

Q1:  Using specific examples from own practice to support your discussion, make a case for why care settings must achieve the best possible outcome for users off service in their care.

Note: Also consider the advantages of outcome-based care, challenges experienced in implementing it in your practice. Are there success stories or case studies to share?

Q2:  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.

 Note: Consider using CQI tools and frameworks to support your critical debate.

Q3:   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.

Note: Consider the role of critical reflection in evaluating strategies, systems, structures and policies in supporting the principles of support for working in Health and Social Care.

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1. Critically analyse the need for their care setting to achieve the best possible outcomes for the service user.

2. Critically discuss the performance of teams.

3. Critically discuss the management of continuous quality improvement.

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

In attempting this question, students should link discussions and points raised to own individual experiences working in Health and Social Care as much as is possible. Where this is not possible, then a case study should be used.

To gain a pass, students should demonstrate a basic level of understanding of Outcome-based care, advantages of it and disadvantages before linking it to Health and Social Care practice in general. Specific links to own practice is also encouraged.

To achieve a higher grade, using specific examples from own practice or relevant case studies, students should critically appraise Outcome-based care as a concept (including the drivers of it such as Government policy, legislation, regulator requirement etc and advantages and disadvantages of it) as well as how they have contributed, either as part of a small and/or a multi-disciplinary team or an organisation, to achieving Person-centred care for a service user or users of service in their care.

Up to 40 marks for question 1

To achieve a Pass, students should demonstrate a basic understanding of key team theories such as Belbin, Tuckman, Woodcock, McClelland etc and CQI tools such as PDSA before critically discussing how, as part of either a small team or wider multidisciplinary team, they have contributed to achieving team objectives set around quality enhancement for service users in their care. Also, Motivation theories should be discussed such as Maslow`s` needs theory, Vroom`s Expectancy theory etc

To achieve a higher grade, students should critically evaluate relevant team development and motivation theories such as Maslow`s` needs theory, Vroom`s Expectancy theory etc as well as CQI tools (including PDSA, Fishbone) used in identifying and managing quality delivery in Health and Social Care settings. In addition, using specific examples, students should critically discuss how team work, motivation and continuous quality enhancement initiatives are used in achieving quality benchmarks and service user satisfaction in Health and Social Care settings.

References may also be made to frameworks designed to improve quality in the NHS and/or Social Care in UK.

Up to 40 marks for question 2

Students should critically reflect upon strategies used in their practice that develop, maintain and evaluate systems and structures to promote the rights, responsibilities and diversity of service users.

This could be either for their current or past employer. For a more holistic critical reflection, models/theories of reflection such as Kolb’s, Gibbs ’etc should be used to lead the interrogation into own practice. 

To achieve a Pass, students should demonstrate a basic understanding and some evaluation of strategies, systems and structures used in Health and Social Care practices to promote the rights, responsibilities and diversity.

Links should also be made to own contribution to a Person-centred care approach that considered the rights, values, culture, preference, choice and diversity of service users. Where this is not done, then a case study was used by the student.

To gain a higher grade, students should critically discuss their individual performance in contributing to the design and implementation of service user care plans, evaluating the role they played in promoting the principle for support for working in Health and Social Care.

Links should also be made to the impact of relevant legislations, policies, outcome benchmarks and organisations that promote the voice of service users. The points mentioned here are by no means an exhaustive list and some students may demonstrate wider research outside of these.

For higher marks still, students should demonstrate originality of thought in their discussion and evaluative skill leading to either recommendations and/or a succinct conclusion.

 Up to 20 marks for question 3

Still, information (from relevant literature) should be relied on to demonstrate wider reading and independent research.

This task is graded out of a possible 100% – with a total word count of 4000 (+/-10%) - refer to word count policy in your handbook

Study Skills tips for success

Self-evaluation questions

How do I know I am ready to submit?

I have:

Self-check list to review before assignment submission

1. Have I covered the main points in all questions in sufficient depth?).

• Addressed all elements of the questions and opportunities to link my discussion to wider literature.
• Checked my work to ensure points raised are relevant to the questions asked, contexts provided and expectations set
• Structured my discussion well and ensured not to jump from one idea to another. I know this because I made good use of connectives to link ideas discussed.
• Made sure not to include too many points or arguments that are irrelevant.

1. Is my writing analytical in style and questioning in approach?

• Applied all concepts discussed to a case study and/or Health and Social Care practice, in general, and reached a well-reasoned conclusion.
• Paid specific attention to the relevant key word(s) guiding the assignment question or task.
• Ensured the requirement for the key word has been fully addressed in my assignment.
• Made sure to not just describe what I have read/done and considered the value/significance of the information I included in my discussion.

1. Have I developed and sustained a clear argument throughout my work and supported it with relevant examples?

• Checked that my supporting arguments flowed in a clear and coherent way.
• Checked to see if effective paragraphing has been used to organise my arguments and discussion in a logical sequence for my audience.
• Ensured that use of jargons is kept to a minimum and where used, I have defined or explained the meaning

1. Have I referenced all sources used, in the main body and in the reference list?

• Used Harvard referencing clearly and accurately throughout my work.
• Used my own words (in paraphrasing information) as much as possible and where text or information is (quoted) it is presented in quotation marks and clearly referenced following the Arden approach to Harvard.
• Uploaded a draft copy of my work on Turnitin to review its similarity score, and work on parts of the work showing a high similarity before submission.
• Checked to see all references used in-text have been added in my reference list.
• Arranged my reference list alphabetically and checked to see the right assignment is been submitted on iLearn
• Additional skills related comments –You should demonstrate a high level of organisation by applying a good sequence to your work.  This includes checking to ensure your coursework is presented well, using the right spacing, font type, size and cover sheet for your programme. Generally speaking a font type of Arial or Times NewRoman 11-14 is desirable with the assignment spaced 1.5 centimetre and the sides justified.
• Quick guide to Harvard referencing:  https://moodle.bl.rdi.co.uk/guides/HarvardRef/AU_Harvard_Quick_Ref_Guide.pdf