Health and Social Care Leadership and ManagementMSc

Health & Social Care Leadership & Management Dissertation

The Dissertation is a small independent project, though in comparison to taught modules on the Course, work to be done is substantive. This will give you the opportunity to identify one researchable issue related to leadership and management in health and/or social care for in-depth study. It is designed to be taken upon completion of the taught modules as it requires you to use and apply the knowledge and skills gained from them. Hence, the Dissertation will give you an opportunity to reflect on your learning and development through this Course and critically appraise a range of issues studied in the Course modules in order to plan and undertake a substantive study of a particular leadership and management issue of researchable nature in your practice or within the health and social care sector.

Planning and setting the roadmap of the work will be done during the semester prior to starting the Dissertation. As such, you will be expected to have taken and completed SH7008 Research Methods in Health and Social Care prior to starting the Dissertation. This work will require you to use a range of theoretical and practice-based perspectives from social science disciplines, as well as theoretical and practical knowledge of both original and desktop-based research. Hence, with careful planning and guidance from the Dissertation lead and/or supervisor, you will be able to do the work either as a literature review or original research. Self-motivation, careful planning and ability to work independently will be key to your success.

The Dissertation aims to:

1. Integrate the skills and knowledge-base underpinning the core modules on the Masters programme and channel these to in-depth study of a specific leadership and management issue of concern in the field of health and /or social care.

2. Develop practical skills necessary for identifying researchable issues on leadership and management in the field of health and/or social care, and undertaking in-depth independent inquiry on them, either as desktop-based or original research.

3. Apply appropriate knowledge of related research as well as theory, policy and practice in relation to a chosen leadership and management issue.

4. Promote critical reflection on the process of developing and executing a post-graduate level dissertation.

Leading & Managing Health systems and services

This Module introduces students to systems and service leadership and management in health and social care. It will enable you to critically focus beyond organisational and professional boundaries when considering policy changes to improve health and social services within the context of constrained budgets in health and social care systems. One of the primary goals in recent changes in the health and care sectors is to improve collaboration between health and social care organisations, local governments, voluntary sector organisations, partners, and communities. These contemporary sector changes are fostering stronger collaboration among service providers into a more visible integrated care system (ICS) across the UK and beyond. Therefore, this Module focuses on developing effective health and social care interprofessional leaders and managers within the context of changing demographic profiles, financial constraints, workforce crisis and gaps in the supply of and demand for services being faced in the UK and abroad.

The Module aims to:
1. introduce the concepts and theories of systems leadership and management relevant to health and social care
2. explore the complex attributes required by systems leaders and managers in health and social care
3. critique the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in developing effective systems leadership and management in health and social services
4. develop critical knowledge of the contemporary challenges faced by systems leaders and service managers in health and social services in the UK and around the world
5. develop the complex interprofessional skills and competencies required to lead and manage transformational and sustainable health and social care systems and organisations

Research Methods for Health and Social Care

This is a core 20 credits module that will guide you through the stages involved in the development of a Research Proposal where you will identify, according to your programme of study, a public health topic or a health management and policy topic to develop your dissertation in the following semester.
It is recommended that you adopt a narrative review to answer your specific
research topic/question, however, you may choose to conduct secondary analysis of
existing data, or collection of primary data to answer your research question. If you wish to undertake primary research, you must discuss this with the
module team as soon as possible, to ensure that the necessary ethical process is
completed, and permission granted within the time-frame available.
Your research question and research proposal developed in this module will constitute
your dissertation for module SH7P42 or SH7P63. An advanced version of your Research Proposal forms the basis for your chapter 1 & 2 in the dissertation.

The module aims to:

• Equip students with an understanding of quantitative and qualitative research approaches
• Provide learning opportunities in literature searching including review and critical analysis
• Facilitate the development of a research proposal in preparation for the dissertation project
• Provide a grounding in evidence-based decision making

Strategic Planning and Change Management

This module introduces students to strategic planning and change management in the public service and to how these relate to leadership in decision making in public sector and non for profit organisations. It requires students to focus on the strategy making process in an organisation of their choice.
The module overviews the design, formulation and implementation stages of organisational strategies and assesses the role of political and administrative leaders in the process of innovation and change.
The module places great emphasis on the strategic management analysis of public organisations. Key tools will be presented and applied on a series of case studies that will inform the teaching and learning process. These include:
• SWOT and PEST analysis
• Scenario Planning
• Brainstorming
• Cost-Benefit analysis
• Stakeholders analysis

An introduction to concepts of strategy, policy, leadership, innovation and change management is followed by an analysis of contexts, core values, problem identification, options analysis, models of decision-making, and implementation. Strategies, leadership and management of change are a key focus. The evaluation of the success of strategic decisions and an appraisal of ethical issues are also considered.

This module aims to introduce you to the concepts of public services strategy and change management and to develop your understanding of the role of leadership in the strategy process in the public sector context. You will also develop core skills linked to the strategy and decision-making process in the public and non-profit sectors.

The modules learning objectives are:

 to introduce the concepts of strategy and change management
 to promote awareness of current developments in strategy and policy making in the health and social care sector
 to demonstrate their importance in the local contexts that students have experience of
 to critically explore the importance of leadership in successful strategic planning and in managing change in organisations.

Understanding the Policy Process

This Module uses a range of theoretical and practice-based perspectives from social science disciplines to examine the varying contexts in which public policy is developed and implemented and those that shape health and social care policy, in particular. Hence, you will have an opportunity to learn the theories that explain the processes and challenges of both policy development and policy implementation, and apply them to real policy examples in different countries you are familiar with. The linear design of the Module learning along the policy process from agenda setting to policy evaluation will help you to develop a knowledge base on the policy process that is embedded in critical examination of real world examples at each stage. You will also be able to participate in a policy simulation of a live policy consultation which is designed to give you a deeper insight into health and social care policy-making process in the UK. The activity is a valuable tool for reflection on your own practice and for contrast with health and social care policy-making process in other countries.

The Module aims to:
• introduce students to a range of theoretical perspectives related to the policy process.
• provide a critical understanding of the policy process and of challenges confronting countries in health and social care policy development, analysis, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
• develop an awareness of the varying social, political, economic and institutional contexts that influence the development of health policies in different countries.
• foster an engagement with major contemporary issues and debates in the policy process through group participation.

Ethical Issues in Healthcare

This module provides an opportunity for in-depth inquiry at an advanced level into the ethical dimensions of contemporary healthcare and public health, and examines the application of normative ethical theories and approaches to practical dilemmas in healthcare. It explores professional and personal moral values in relation to ethical issues in healthcare and public health, and critically explores connections and contradictions between ethical theory, sector-specific professional ethics, policy and law.

The module aims to:

Develop your knowledge and understanding of the ethical dimensions of contemporary healthcare

Apply appropriate skills and knowledge when critically inquiring into contemporary ethical issues in healthcare

Test your criticality and analytic skills in relation to ethical practice in healthcare

Provide opportunities to reflect critically on negotiating personal moral values in relation to ethical issues in professional healthcare practice

Health Improvement

Health Improvement is one of the three pillars of Public Health, alongside Healthcare Public Health, and Health Protection. The module explores theory, policy and practical aspects of Health Improvement within an International, and England context. This module covers the impact of the wider determinants of health, and the psychosocial aspects of health.

This module aims to:

− Develop an advanced understanding of the foundations of Health Improvement
− Provide an understanding and analysis of the social determinants of health, health inequalities, and health across the life course
− Appraise the complex nature of behaviour and its influences, identifying how to intervene to effect change
− Give an advanced understanding and application of the principles, models, and concepts of Health Improvement
− Equip students with the knowledge and skills to assess a public health issue, design an intervention strategy to overcome this issue, including an evaluation plan to assess the implementation process and impact
− Understand the commissioning of Health Improvement services in England

Healthcare Public Health

This Module will discuss the application of public health sciences to healthcare services, planning, commissioning, and provision. Hence, you will learn some of the core skills and tasks required to produce evidence upon which to make evidence-based decisions in regards to these aforementioned areas. The approaches covered in this module, are also applicable to Health Improvement, and Health Protection, but in this module, they are covered in regards to Healthcare Public Health, grounding you in this discipline, while providing transferable skills to the other domains of Public Health. It will enable you to examine and reflect on the application of public health approach to healthcare at population level. Therefore, you will also have an opportunity to learn the skills required in local authorities to produce joint strategic needs assessments and local health needs assessments that inform decision making in healthcare service planning, design, development and delivery.

The module aims to: -

 Develop knowledge and application of a Health Needs Assessment
 Enhance evidence-base practice skills, in the area of evidence-based healthcare
 Provide a grounding in planning, development, and design of services based on health needs, prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of illness, quality, efficiency, value, variation, and equality, on a population scale
 Develop knowledge and application of service evaluation and commissioning
 Provide learning opportunities in literature searching including review and critical analysis

Interprofessional Practice

The Module introduces the student to the principles of inter-professional practice and offers the opportunity to apply these concepts to their own practice context. The Module uses blended learning in order to develop a range of skills and competencies for effective professional practice.

Module Aims

• To provide an opportunity for students of health & social care, public health & associated disciplines to explore key theory, policy and practice elements of inter-professional practice from a user centred perspective.

• To enable students to experience in a highly interactive way, inter-professional practice and organisational management in order to inform present and future practice.

• To develop students’ capability to reflect upon their own experiences of inter-professional practice and explore both factors that influence this, including resource constraints and the ethical bases across the different professional groups and to see how common values may underpin effective practice.

• To locate the changing nature of organisations and evaluate the implications for effective inter-professional working within a theoretical framework.

Leading Self, Teams & Workforce

The Module follows a linear path to develop micro and macro level leadership and management skills required within and across today’s health and social care organisations; focusing on personal, team and workforce leadership. This is based on the understanding that to lead teams and organisations effectively, leaders should be able to lead and manage themselves first, successfully. Thus, the Module will be delivered in clusters that examine these three levels of leadership, giving you the opportunity to apply your reflection of own self-leadership styles to discussions on teams, organisational and workforce leadership challenges faced in today’s health and social care organisations. The strength of the module is in developing teamwork and collaboration skills and competencies that are required for interprofessional learning and practice in today’s health and social care sectors.
Furthermore, the Module will address leadership and management issues in the context of values-based organisations whether in the public, voluntary, or community sectors or social enterprises. Hence, you will be introduced to leadership and management theories and relevant workforce policy frameworks in order to facilitate critical reflection on aspects of your leadership and management role. In addition, you will be able to explore key practice areas, drawing from relevant three-level leadership theories and reflecting on their relevance to your own experience and practice. Particular attention will be paid to habits and traits of successful self-leadership, group leadership theories, change management leadership theory, communication, motivation and negotiation skills. You will also be required to review your developmental role as a leader and manager capable of working with and within teams, networks, and inter-professional groups within and across organisations.

The Module aims to:
1. Introduce and explore the relevance and application of current self and teams leadership and management theories and concepts within and across health and social care organisations, and in relation to your own work experience and roles.
2. Enable you to develop step-by-step from within and apply an analytical and reflective approach to your personal, team and organisational leadership and management skills and styles, within the context of equality, diversity and inclusivity.
3. Develop an awareness of how wider organisational and sector workforce constraints can affect self and teams leadership and management decision making and organisational performance.
4. Explore a range of strategies and approaches to improve performance across diverse organisational contexts, taking service sustainability into account.

Managing Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace

You will be introduced to theories, concepts and models of workplace health in order to facilitate their professional knowledge of developing provision in the social professions arena. Contemporary approaches explore the link between health and wellbeing policy and the outcomes of organisational delivery. Workplace health and wellbeing is considered as a balance between personal, professional and organisational perspectives.

You will explore how such a balance can be achieved in organisational settings and considers the impact of a shortfall in health and wellbeing provision on the workplace. The Module includes dedicated time for observations of workplace initiatives to support health and wellbeing which contribute to the final component of assessment: the Health & Wellbeing portfolio.

The aim of this Module is as follows:

• to develop a knowledge of organisational approaches to health and wellbeing and the promotion of health and well-being in the workplace;
•to develop an awareness of early intervention processes for those who develop a health condition in the workplace; and
•consideration of the socio-economic factors which contribute to employment (and unemployment), in order to develop proactive approaches of inclusion, selection and recruitment in the workplace.

Perspectives in Contemporary Global Health

This Module critically studies the interconnectedness of key challenges of human development and human health, and health and social care across nations within global contexts. You will have an opportunity to build up a knowledge base on human global health that starts with looking at the key global concepts of human development, to global measurements of health and then to the key global factors that affect human health, and health and social care, and cause health inequalities and inequities across the nations. You will then be able to study some of the global milestone improvements in global health, including health systems performance, healthcare quality and safety, and control and eradication of some of the key causes of global mortality and morbidity. The Module will also give you an opportunity to critically study global health policy and key global health actors, and the complexities of global health interventions to improve human health across the nations.

Therefore, the Module aims are to:
• introduce and build a critical knowledge base of global health concepts, theories and measurements that can be used and applied when analysing global health problems around the world.
• critique the key global factors that affect human health, health and social care, mortality and morbidity, global health inequalities and inequities.
• evaluate the contribution of global health milestone improvements and contemporary health systems performance on human health around the world.
• assess the influence of global health actors, global health policy and the complexities of global health interventions on global human health.
• analyse past and contemporary global health case-studies and draw implications from them for future research, policy and practice in global health.
• develop and enhance graduate attributes of global citizenship that enable you to apply global health knowledge to local health problems (‘think globally for local actions’).