Department of Social & Policy Sciences, Unit Catalogue 2007/08 |
SP30011 Health policies & politics |
| Credits: 6 |
| Level: Honours |
| Semester: 1 |
| Assessment: EX100 |
| Requisites: |
| Before taking this unit you must take SP10002 and take SP10001 |
|
Aims:
The aims of the unit are to:
i. Develop an understanding of how health policy integrates with wider social policy issues, as well as a detailed understanding of the content and dynamism of health policy processes.
Learning Outcomes: By the end of the unit the students should be able to: * Understand the impact of different welfare models on health care systems in Europe and America; * Understand the political forces behind health care reform in the British NHS; * Understand the pressures exerted on health care systems and the range of responses that have arisen; * Compare and contrast the strengths of the different approaches and their uses in different settings. Skills: Intellectual Skills - Transferable/Key Skills - to develop: * To think creatively and analytically; * To communicate an argument; * To evaluate others' arguments and research; * To learn independently and be able to assess own learning needs (i.e. identify strengths and improve weaknesses in methods of learning and studying); * To critically evaluate and assess research and evidence as well as a variety of other information; * To gather information, data, research and literature from a number of different sources (i.e. library, web-based, archives etc.); * To select appropriate and relevant information from a wide source and large body of knowledge; * To synthesise information from a number of sources in order to gain a coherent understanding; * Study & Learning skills (note taking, avoiding plagiarism, using the library, gathering and using information, constructing a bibliography, referencing); * Basic Information and Computing Technology skills (word processing, email, using the web to search for information); * Inter-personal and communication skills; * Essay research, preparation and writing skills; * To construct a bibliography of varying complexity; * Revision and Examination skills; * Time-management and administrative skills; * Presentation skills and verbal communication (i.e. oral presentations, seminar and tutorial contributions); * To reflect upon his/her own academic and professional performance and take responsibility for personal and professional learning and development; * To manage time effectively and respond to changing demands; * To prioritise workloads, and utilise long- and short-term planning skills; * To understand career opportunities and challenges ahead and begin to plan a career path. Content: Health, health care and health policy; health and health care before the NHS; The creation of the NHS; NHS Policies 1948-1979, NHS Policies 1979-1998; The NHS as a health care system; Other health care systems; The future of health care - rationing; The future of health care - control; The future of health care - the new public health. |