Module: HSC5001-20 Financial Management in Health and Social Care

Level: 5

Credit Value: 20

Module Tutor: Stefan Alexa

Module Tutor Contact Details: s.alexa@bathspa.ac.uk

1. Brief description and aims of module:

The aim of this module is to enable you to appreciate the diversity of factors, within financial management, that influence the success of health and social care provision. You will have the opportunity to develop individual, organisational and external perspectives and increase your knowledge of local and national policy, and how these can impact on health and social care.

This module addresses key aspects of financial management and its relevance to health and social care and examines responsibilities of managers and leaders in ensuring financial viability and sustainability whilst meeting stakeholder needs. Ranging from budgeting to financial regulation you will start to build an understanding of the skills and attributes needed within financial management; its systems, processes and structures. You will have the opportunity to learn about changes in health and social care funding, developing the ability to make links between people as ‘purchasers’ of their services and opportunities for service improvement.

An essential component of financial management is accountability, transparency and responsibility. During this module you will consider your own relationship with finance to increase your self-awareness, develop greater clarity, learn to mitigate risk and improve your decision making skills. This module builds on the level 4 module, ‘critical thinking and reflective practice’, whilst complementing ‘Organisational Management in Health and Social Care: Influences, Quality and Change’. Perspectives in leadership and contemporary debate in this module support progression towards level 6 modules.

2. Outline syllabus

During this module you will have the opportunity to learn about the changing landscape of health and social care funding with a brief overview of the last 10 years. Teaching includes an understanding of budget planning for financial viability, sustainability and growth to help you recognise the differences and the factors that contribute. For example you will look at central and local government and third sector annual budgets and expenditure and where this money comes from and where it is spent.

You will have the opportunity to learn about the different finance roles in health and social care, from commissioning to community project management and the skills that are needed within these roles. Changes to health and social care funding require new and emerging skills and approaches and teaching will cover changes to financial regulation, policy and processes that increase knowledge and appreciation of accountability and responsibility e.g. Skills for Care, Health and Social Care Act 2008, Care Quality Commission and the standards that apply to regulation for safety and quality.

The module will discuss different types of income available in health and social care and the systems and structures for accessing these at different times and in varying situations and services, e.g. local authority tenders, procurement, grants, sponsorship, donations. You will review the service user as ‘purchaser’ of their own services and learn about direct payments, people as ‘direct employer’ and the role of local authorities and organisations to change the way that services are contracted, marketed and agreed to meet ‘purchaser’ requirements and interests. Sessions will include a review of the changes to monitoring and reporting of financial transactions within this.

As part of this module you will have the opportunity to identify how changes in financial contracting in health and social care offers opportunities for co-production and improvements in service design and delivery for people who use services and the wider stakeholders.

Leadership perspectives in change and innovation will be reviewed in this module to develop thinking about managing resources in economic downturn, assess risk and to learn about contingency planning.

Additionally, you will be asked to critique your own relationship with money and how you manage and think about finances in your life to developing greater self-awareness and clarity.

3. Teaching and learning activities

You will take part in both lectures and seminars during this module to build your knowledge and understanding of the current health and social care funding landscape and discuss contemporary issues that are relevant to the changes taking place in current provision, locally, regionally and nationally. The module will cover current government plans, initiatives and guidance papers to generate discussions about predictions of future care. From this you will gain insight into the challenges and opportunities that are presented in your future role for delivering services that meet need and demand.

You will be expected to research information online about the current health and social care financial climate and examine some of the changing structures, systems and service design taking place. This work will increase your opportunities to participate in class debate and so work towards both your presentation and practical project for assessment.

You will work with a peer class partner during independent study and class time. Based on a chosen scenario that will be provided, together, you will create a budget forecast for expenditure of a new service design to meet the needs of a particular service user group. Using the knowledge from class lectures and your research you will include the types of income for financial viability and sustainability of your service and present your new service as part of your assessment for this module. Equal contribution to writing and presenting is required.

The purpose of the practical project for assessment in this module is to support you to develop your leadership and innovation towards meeting the demands and challenges of financing future health and social care provision. The teaching and learning activities include seminars that place new service design in the context of current and future health and social care funding. Within this context you will identify a service user group and design your own fundraising campaign based on area of need. You will meet with your tutor for feedback and discussion to progress your project.

It is expected that you will use your reflective journal throughout this module and teaching will include introducing behavioural thinking about your own relationship with money to develop your ability to evaluate the decisions you make and their bases. You will explore how a greater understanding of your own ‘money story’ can bring greater clarity in making decisions and reflect on the strengths and areas of development of your current style of financial management that lead towards accountable and responsible practice in your future career.

Assessment Item 1:

• Assessment Type: Coursework

• Description: Presentation with Peer Partner. (1500 words each)

• % Weighting: 35%

Assessment Item 2:

• Assessment Type: Coursework

• Description: Practical Project - Fundraising campaign pack

• % Weighting: 65%