K101 - Level 1 (SCQF Level 7), 60 points, February, October start

An introduction to health and social care (K101) is the perfect place for anyone working in care, or with an interest in care, to start their health and social care studies.

It is inevitable that at some point in our lives we are all going to depend on care services of some description, be it in a GP surgery, hospital, residential home or community setting. K101 examines the contemporary healthcare sector and the diverse and complex challenges it faces in meeting the needs of our ever-changing society. Through real life case studies you will be taken deep inside the lives of those giving and receiving care and will examine the different approaches to care, what makes care effective and what happens when the system breaks down. K101 provides an up-to-date and authoritative overview of the health and social care sector and allows you to build on your own experience and understanding to improve your knowledge, confidence and skills.

If you work in care (either paid or unpaid), use care services, or merely have an interest in how effective care is delivered, K101 is the perfect course for you to gain a thorough understanding of the sector and it will prepare a firm foundation for your further study. Fifty-one thousand students studied K101’s predecessor course, Understanding health and social care (K100), during its 10-year lifespan. As a result they are making an active contribution to improving the delivery of healthcare services by putting their new found skills and confidence directly into practice in their workplaces.

K101 is perfect for all frontline care workers, in particular healthcare assistants who are looking to build on their experience to take their careers to the next level.

Successful completion of this course will give you 60 points at Higher Education Level 1 (SCQF Level 7) and a Certificate in Health and Social Care.

K101 is also the mandatory first course in the OU’s professional programmes for nursing and social work and so could be the springboard into a whole new career.

Click the film clip below to hear Healthcare Support Worker Claire's experience of further study and the impact it has made on her life.

The Integrated Vocational Route (IVR)

If you already work in care you can now opt to register for a Level 3 S/NVQ Health and Social Care Award alongside your academic studies. This is known as the Integrated Vocational Route (IVR). It successfully brings together the OU’s proven methods of developing knowledge and understanding with a rigorous process for assessing work-based competence and practice, which secures a qualification widely recognised as the ‘gold standard’ for carer competence in adult care practice. For more information about this route, visit the NVQ section of the OU’s main website.

The link below is to a pdf copy of the booklet VQ Assessment Centre: The Integrated Vocational Route in Health and Social Care – An Overview. It provides a useful summary about what is involved in the IVR, help and advice as to whether it is right for you and some examples of why it would benefit your employer to sponsor you.

The Integrated Vocational Route booklet