Open College Network West Midlands Access to Higher Education Diploma (Health Professionals)

The Access to HE Diploma (Health Professionals) is one of our most popular courses. This is because the health care sector offers a diverse range of challenging and exciting career paths for students to choose from. This qualification’s universal content allows students the flexibility to decide which speciality they want to pursue after they finish the diploma.

This Access to HE Diploma has been created as an alternative to more traditional qualifications. In the UK, many universities are happy to accept applications from students who hold, or are studying towards, this kind of qualification. Most health related degree programmes will also require a minimum of grade C in GCSE English and maths.

As this is a distance learning course, it is perfect for learners who have been out of education for an extended period and have other time constraints. What’s more is that our students can begin working on their course from the moment of enrolment; whether that is in September or at any other point during the year. 

How does my Access to HE Diploma work?

As soon as you enrol with Stonebridge, you will be given online access to our interactive, easy to understand course materials. We will also supply you with a broad range of information which should answer any questions you may have about the process. If you are still unsure about anything there is no need to worry, because every student at Stonebridge has access to our tutors. You can contact a tutor via phone, email or by using our online platform, PEARL.

How long it takes you to complete your course really depends upon how much time you are able to dedicate to your studies. The programmes are designed to give you the flexibility to study at times that are suitable for you, and to fit your studies around your other commitments. The maximum time you have to complete your Diploma is outlined in your Individual Learning Plan (ILP). The minimum time you can complete your course is 6 months, on average learners complete their course within 8 to 9 months.

How will my Access to HE Diploma be assessed?

The Access to HE Diploma is a nationally recognised Level 3 qualification, which is regulated by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). In order to pass the qualification, all of the attached assignments should be completed and returned to one of our tutors. Once a tutor has given you a grade and supplied you with useful feedback, you are free to move on to your next piece of work and so on. Once you have all of your marks, Stonebridge will have all the evidence needed to award you with qualification credits. In order to achieve the Access to HE Diploma you must achieve 60 credits in total. Of these credits, 45 are taken from graded units which focus on academic subject content. The other 15 credits are drawn from a number of ungraded units which are included to help you to improve your academic study skills.

What happens after my Access to HE Diploma?

After successfully completing this Access to Higher Education Diploma, you’ll have a good understanding of the healthcare sector and therefore be eligible to apply to a number of health related undergraduate courses. Once you have chosen and completed your degree programme, you will be ready to begin your chosen career. Many health graduates go on to work in the NHS or even private practice. Careers open to health graduates include:

• Speech and language therapist
• Local government
• Care worker
• Teacher
• Social worker

Unit 1: Preparing To Study

On completion of this unit you will:

• Understand how study is organised and planned
• Understand how to apply theories of learning in relation to personal approaches to learning
• Understand a range of constraints upon study
• Understand the importance of assessment feedback.

Unit 2: Academic Writing Skills 

On completion of this unit you will:

• Be able to write with relevance in responding to an academic task.
• Know how to interpret and discuss concepts and debates in responding to a set, academic writing task.
• Be able to summarise for academic purposes, selecting key points, information or central ideas.
• Understand the role of reference, allusion and paraphrase to avoid plagiarism.

Unit 3: Preparing a Written Assignment   

On completion of this unit you will:

• Understand how to use key information sources.
• Understand why sources are acknowledged and referenced.
• Understand a range of reading strategies.
• Understand note-making methods.
• Understand how to plan draft and produce a written assignment.

Unit 4: Cell Biology  

On completion of this unit you will:

• Understand the cell.
• Understand cellular metabolism.
• Understand how cells grow and divide.

Unit 5:  The History of the National Health Service

On completion of this unit you will:

• Understand the reasons for the rise in public provision of health care between the mid19th century and 1948.
• Understand the background to and the founding principles of the National Health Service as part of the introduction of the Welfare State.
• Understand the political trends which have shaped the National Health Service since 1948.
• Understand the ethos of the contemporary National Health Service.

Unit 6: Human Nutrition & The Digestive System  

On completion of this unit you will:

• Understand the structure and functions of the organs of the digestive system.
• Understand nutrients and their sources.
• Understand how diet may influence health.

Unit 7:  Social Factors in Health Care

On completion of this unit you will:

• Understand sociological factors influencing the relationships between patients and health professionals.
• Understand the role of social motivational factors in health and ill health.
• Understand the significance of social support networks in health care and maintenance.

Unit 8: Introduction to Psychology   

On completion of this unit you will:

• Understand the importance of research in psychology
• Understand the main approaches in psychology.
• Understand ethical issues in psychological research.

Unit 9: The Roles and Responsibilities of Health Care Professionals  

On completion of this unit you will:

• Understand the changes to the roles and responsibilities of health care professionals.
• Understand the role of professional bodies for health care professionals.
• Understand the current multidisciplinary approach to health care.
• Understand the influence of health care professionals on health care policy.

Unit 10: The Human Endocrine & Nervous System 

On completion of this unit you will:

• Understand the anatomy and organisation of the nervous system and how it co- ordinates the body.
• Understand the structure and function of nerve cells and other cells in the nervous system.
• Understand how the endocrine system co-ordinates body functions.
• Understand homeostasis.

Unit 11: Inequalities in Health & Illness

On completion of this unit you will:

• Understand the importance of social, economic and environmental changes on the nature of morbidity and mortality in the UK.
• Understand inequalities in health and illness.

Unit 12: The Human Musculo-skeletal System

On completion of this unit you will:

• Understand anatomical terminology.
• Understand the skeletal system and locomotion.
• Understand the muscular system.

Unit 13: Approaches to Health   

On completion of this unit you will:

• Understand how definitions of health and ill health are socially constructed.
• Understand different explanatory models of health and ill health.
• Understand the different ways in which people respond to illness.
• Understand contrasting sociological perspectives on health.

Unit 14: The Brain & Nervous System   

On completion of this unit you will:

• Understand the major sub divisions of the nervous system.
• Understand the structure and function of glial cells and neurons.

Unit 15: Human Disease & Prevention   

On completion of this unit you will:

• Understand the categories and causes of disease
• Understand the epidemiology of commonly occurring diseases/conditions.
• Understand preventative measures for a chosen disease or condition.

Unit 16: Poverty & Health

On completion of this unit you will:

• Understand definitions of and explanations for poverty and health.
• Understand approaches to poverty and health.
• Understand the approaches to the social distribution of health chances.

Unit 17: Human Immunity

On completion of this unit you will:

• Understand non-specific defences against disease.
• Understand specific immunity and the immune response.
• Understand the biology of vaccination.
• Understand how immune sensitivity may cause ill-health.
• Understand the formation of covalent bonds.

Unit 18: Human Reproduction, Growth & Development 

On completion of this unit you will:

• Understand the structure and function of the human reproductive system
• Understand how hormones regulate the reproductive tract throughout life
• Understand the sequence of events from conception to puberty

Unit 19: Equality and Diversity within Health Care   

On completion of this unit you will:

• Understand equality and diversity within health care.
• Understand the rights of the individual in a health care setting.
• Understand the impact of equality and diversity legislation for health care.

• All study materials
• Study Guide
• Full Tutor and Admin support
• The course fee includes the awarding body registration and certification fee (valued at up to £96.00).