Cambridge National in Health and Social Care 

Why choose Health and Social Care?

Health and social care is one of the fastest growing sectors in the UK with demand for both health and social care employees continuously rising. In 2019/20, the adult social care sector contributed approximately £41.2 billion a year to the UK economy. Social care employees, such as care assistants and social workers work with individuals to support them to be as independent as possible in their own homes, in care homes or nursing homes. Healthcare employees, such as doctors, pharmacists, nurses, midwives, healthcare assistants and physiotherapists, work with individuals to enhance their quality of life by improving their health. Approximately 3 million people are currently employed in the sector. In 2019, it was estimated that by 2035 approximately 2.17 million health and social care job vacancies will need to be filled.

What will I study and how will I be assessed? 

Career Pathway

Once you have completed the qualification, you will have developed a practical understanding of the health and social care sector. You will have built useful skills, which are not generally covered in GCSE courses, and you will have developed a good understanding of whether the health and social care sector is for you, and if so, which part of it you might want to study further. If you decide to go on to further study of health and social care, the best option for you will depend on the grades you have achieved in this and the other qualifications you have taken, and what you enjoy doing. You could progress to a Level 2 Technical Certificate or to a Level 3 programme, such as A Levels, a T Level or a BTEC National, either on its own or in combination with A levels

Study of the qualification as part of Key Stage 4 learning will help learners to make more informed choices for further learning, either generally or in this sector. The choices that learners can make post-16 will depend on their overall level of attainment and their performance in the qualification. Learners who generally achieve at Level 2 across their Key Stage 4 learning might consider progression to:

● A Levels as preparation for entry to higher education in a range of subjects

● study of a vocational qualification at Level 3, such as a BTEC National in Health and Social Care, which prepares learners to enter employment or apprenticeships, or to move on to higher education by studying a degree in the health or social care sector. Learners who generally achieve at Level 1 across their Key Stage 4 learning might consider progression to:

● study at Level 2 post-16 in a range of technical routes designed to lead to work, employment, apprenticeships or further study at Level 3. Learners who perform well in this qualification compared to their overall performance, should strongly consider this progression route as it can lead to employment in the health and social care sector

● study at Level 2 post-16 in a range of technical routes designed to lead to work, progression to employment via apprenticeships or further study at Level 3.