Mental Health & Social Care (Level 3) Diploma Course

Course Structure

The OLQA Level 3 Diploma in Mental Health & Social Care course is divided into 10 comprehensive modules:

Unit 1: History of Mental Health & Social Care

This unit explores the history of mental health and social care. The unit will include:

• Defining social care
• The aging society
• Social class
• Advent of the NHS and what this meant in terms of care and service provision
• Health promotion and expectations of service users.

Unit 2: Research and statistics Mental health and social care incorporates evidence based practice policy related to statistical data and predictions. Therefore this unit provides students with a basic overview of research design and statistical analysis which will help develop understanding of how data are used in shaping policy and service provision. In this unit we explore the following:

• Types of research methods and methodology
• Data analysis
• How statistics are used
• The relevance of statistics to mental health and social care

Unit 3: Diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions This unit looks at how the classification systems were developed (DSM-IV and ICD) and how they are used to classify mental health disorders. The unit also discusses the assessment of mental health conditions in a range of contexts including primary and secondary care. This unit will also explore the diagnosing and assessing from a number of perspectives within these settings including health care professionals and mental health workers.

Unit 4: Mental health conditions This unit focuses on a number of key examples of mental health conditions and will present the underpinning anatomy and physiology, physical and psychological therapies and alternative therapies. Example conditions:

• Schizophrenia
• Depression
• Personality disorders
• Disabilities (learning, skills etc.)
• Minor mental health disorders

Unit 5: Social inclusion One of the major predisposing to mental illness is social exclusion. In this unit we explore the barriers to social inclusion at a community and society level. The unit also examines stigma and marginal groups in society and how these factors relate to social inclusion. The unit includes discussion related to key research and person or user centred approaches to promote knowledge and awareness related to social inclusion In addition the unit explores:

• Volunteer programmes
• Partnership programmes
• Training programmes and work placements
• National service frameworks
• Skills and service development for inclusion

Unit 6: Our ageing society In this unit we discuss the physiology of ageing and examine some statistical evidence for increased life expectancy and what this means for society as a whole. The unit will include discussion about service provision for the older persona with mental health problems and this incorporates legislation and policy to prevent discrimination and promote parity relating to access to services. Key conditions will be explored and those include:

• Dementia
• Depression in the elderly person
• Bereavement, loss and loneliness

Included in the unit will be some discussion about residential care, capacity and consent and coverage of the NSF standards for mental health care in older adults

Unit 7: Care services and support

This unit examines current legislation in the UK related to service provision and care support for those with mental health care problems. This includes:

• Legislation and policy
• Eligibility criteria
• Meeting mental health care needs
• NSF standards
• Service user involvement
• Care choices

Unit 8: The community mental health care team (CMHT) In this unit examinees the structure and aims of the CMHT and also outlines the roles and responsibilities of key members this includes:

• Community Mental Health Care Teams (CMHT)
• Outreach teams
• Crisis resolution teams
• Early intervention team
• In patient care

Unit 9: Assessment of risk

This unit defines and discusses risk related to mental health conditions. This includes:

• What is risk and how can it be assessed?
• Risk and aggression within acute in patient wards
• Managing risk in secondary and primary care
• Community services and models
• Monitoring risk in community settings
• Voluntary admission and sectioning under the Mental Health Act

Unit 10: The future of mental health and social care Mental health and social care provision and needs change quickly and therefore this is a dynamic state. In order to continue to provide effective and appropriate care the systems, agencies and society as a whole need to change at a commensurate rate. In this unit we explore current issues in mental health and social care including policy, funding, service provision and service user access. The unit concludes by discussing future care needs and how these will be accommodated politically, socially and economically. In addition we will discuss the role of society in mental health and social care provision and look at this from the perspective of an individual, family, community and nation.

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