BSc (Hons) Health & Wellbeing

Health promotion is a powerful and core strategy in the prevention and promotion of key public health issues. Drawing on the disciplines of social policy, psychology, sociology, marketing and communication theory this module will enable you to examine key health promotion practices and appreciate how the theory can be applied to key public health issues as well as other health issues of interest to you and your chosen field of practice. This will include investigating policy, the importance of an appreciation of the social determinants of health and how health promotion approaches are used as part of a comprehensive health strategy. The module explores the theoretical framework, policy implications and practical application of health promotion and will offer you a foundation for practice if you are interested in working on promoting individual health and wellbeing, the health of a community or the health of populations at local and national levels.

Mental, physical and social wellbeing are virtually inseparable. Good mental health is a vital asset for individuals, families and society. It enhances healthy lifestyles, physical health and functional abilities and promotes recovery from illness. It also has important social benefits on educational attainment, economic productivity, social and family relationships, social cohesion and overall quality of life across the entire population. This module provides you with an opportunity to explore the concept of mental health and wellbeing from a range of perspectives. You will gain an understanding of holistic approaches to promoting mental health along with knowledge of mental health conditions, the factors that impact on mental health and look at mental health practice / service provision. The module also explores positive proactive steps to promote recovery and draws throughout on the lived experience, legislative drivers and research to further enhance an understanding of mental health and wellbeing. The module has been designed to allow flexibility of choice for you to focus on a specific area of interest.

Those working in the statutory, voluntary and independent sectors work within a range of inter-professional teams, organisations, networks and systems in order to support individuals and communities. This requires practitioners to be able to learn and work together in order to overcome the potential constraints arising from different professional and organisational accountabilities, cultures, values and professional codes of conduct. In addition, there is a heightened recognition now at a national policy level that not only do staff need to work together in the best interests of individuals and communities but local health and care organisations must also collaborate more effectively to make best use of public funding and accelerate the integration of services for patients. This module will introduce you to theoretical, legislative and policy underpinnings of partnership and collaborative working, consider professional roles and responsibilities and explore the key skills and knowledge required to engage and work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders across health and social care. There will be an emphasis throughout on understanding how partnership / collaborative working impacts individual service users and wider communities and responding appropriately to diversity.

Research is important for all health professionals as it enables them to investigate and understand how their practice can be improved to benefit the populations they serve. You will examine research throughout your programme of study but this module will strengthen your knowledge by providing you with an understanding of the research process and means of gathering, analysing and drawing meaningful conclusions from academic literature in a coherent manner. In this module you will examine the most common qualitative, quantitative, and desk-based research designs and methods in health so you can demonstrate an understanding of the process and the respective data collection methods. You will understand what can be achieved through the use of different methods and how they can work alongside each other as well as a step-by-step understanding of how researched is planned and carried out.

Where we live and our communities are inextricably linked with our health and life expectancies. This module explores the impact that community environments have on health and wellbeing from a multi-disciplinary perspective, investigating both the theory and the practical applications which aim to improve health and wellbeing; empower communities to realise their potential and which contribute to building healthier, resilient and sustainable communities. Community development principles which you will explore and apply to the grassroots dimension of this subject area reflect an inclusivity and diversity framework, as social justice, education, sustainability, partnership and equality are fundamental principles embedded within. The module will support you to work within community settings by looking at local policy and provision and you will be expected to discuss and reflect on your own knowledge and experience to understand and challenge current theories, polices and practice. You will gain an understanding of how community development approaches seek to challenge the power relations embedded in professional contexts and you will be expected to synthesise and evaluate research, policy and practice evidence regarding community development and health.

Climate change is becoming a major health threat of the 21st century. This module outlines the implications for health from an array of perspectives which are embedded within the concept of Environmental Management. This module will help you to develop an understanding of sustainability and the environmental impacts in relation to health. You will explore how climate change threatens human health both directly and through the reduction in biodiversity, how healthcare organisations can better deal with these issues and how we and the public can be encouraged to engage with this important agenda and move from being part of the problem to becoming part of the solution. You will be introduced to, and critically examine, the basic principles in environmental management, current global policies linked to climate change and the term sustainable development.

This module explores health and wellbeing issues in a contemporary global context. The module will equip you with a critical understanding and working knowledge to analyse the impact of globalisation on health, using in-country and between country comparisons. You will be introduced to the process of globalisation with its spatial, political, economic, cultural and cognitive dimensions and the subsequent influence of these on the determinants of health, inequalities and health perceptions in different populations. The module examines the theoretical pathways to explain such inequalities and considers how researchers are attempting to identify the influence of people’s individual characteristics (composition) or the place where someone lives (context) when analysing the reasons for globally patterned health inequalities. This includes specific issues such as urbanisation, ageing, migration, multi-cultures, conflict, and the changing patterns of global health. You will have an opportunity to study global health actors (such as the World Health Organization), to look at wider agencies involved and to evaluate the effectiveness of the actions being taken to improve health globally. Throughout there is an emphasis on developing you to work in an increasingly connected world with diverse communities.

In the continually changing health and social care environment it is imperative that all staff are able to adapt and review how they understand and undertake leadership and management within their roles. Leadership in the health and care sectors is considered to be ‘shared’ and ‘distributed’, requiring the efforts of staff at all levels to maintain high quality care and to deliver change and improvement. However, leadership is challenging. It requires a complex set of skills - from motivating and engaging others and working collaboratively to dealing with uncertainty and supporting colleagues. This module will support you to develop an in-depth understanding of leadership and management in contemporary health and social care contexts, whilst considering your own role and future development. You will explore both the theoretical background to leadership and management and the practical skills which required to be an effective leader. You will leave with greater insight into your own leadership style and your impact on others, how to engage others to bring about change and improvement and a deeper understanding of how all those involved in delivering care/services can take on leadership roles.

This module provides you with the opportunity to develop theoretical and practical knowledge of a range of research methods of relevance to your degree discipline. This knowledge will then be drawn on in order to compile a research proposal (incorporating an appropriate data collection instrument) for a ‘real world’ project.

Gender refers to the characteristics of women, men, girls and boys that are socially constructed. This includes norms, behaviours and roles associated with being a woman, man, girl or boy, as well as relationships with each other. As a social construct, gender varies from society to society and can change over time. Beyond biological and physiological differences, gender roles, norms and behaviour have an influence on how women, men, girls and boys access health services and how health systems respond to their different needs. The different and often unequal abilities of women, men, girls and boys to protect and promote their health require recognition so appropriate health interventions can be planned. Gender is an important determinant of health in two dimensions: 1) gender inequality leads to health risks for women and girls globally; and 2) addressing gender norms and roles leads to a better understanding of how the social construction of identity and unbalanced power relations affect the risks, health-seeking behaviour and health outcomes of men and women in different age and social groups. This module explores concepts of gender, masculinity and femininity applied to health issues, considers the usefulness and relevance of binary categories such as male/female within contemporary societies and looks at the implications for those providing care and support.

Law and ethics in health is a fascinating area to study, dealing with some of the most contested and controversial issues of our time. In a changing moral climate, debates about abortion, about stem cell research, about withholding treatment or about assisted dying are very much alive and attract considerable political, media and public interest. There are also challenging ethical and legal questions about psychiatry, about capacity issues in relation to treatment decisions, about the allocation of scarce medical resources, about autonomy and public health, and many other issues. This module will provide you with an understanding of how law and ethics apply when working in health and care settings. It will give you an appreciation of relevant legal and ethical issues, terminology, sources of law and the ways in which law and ethics work in practice.. You will explore the philosophy and principles of ethics and look at the legal requirements of safe practice, using case studies to help you apply this knowledge. You will have the opportunity to deliver a coherent and reasoned solution to resolve a specific dilemma in a healthcare setting in the summative assessment.