Healthcare Practice

Why study this course?
Are you passionate about caring for others, seeking career progression or looking for a practical and accessible way to enter or grow within the health care sector? By studying an HNC in Healthcare Practice, you gain foundational knowledge and real-world skills, paving the way for a fulfilling and impactful career in areas like adult care, midwifery, mental health or community health. Healthcare roles are highly secure and well-regarded in society.

The course builds critical skills such as communication, empathy, teamwork, and problem-solving. These skills aren't just useful for healthcare - they enhance your personal development and confidence too. It can be a stepping stone to further studies, such as a degree in Nursing, Midwifery or Allied Health Professionals.

About the course
This course is ideal for those who want to progress to study and work in the healthcare industry.

This course will focus on helping you to develop the knowledge, skills and values necessary for continuing education, employment and professional development within the health and social care sector. You will be encouraged to develop and reflect on your learning within a continuous learning environment.

How will it make me more employable?
This programme will provide you with the skills to enable you to meet the demands of a challenging Health and Social Care sector including care workers, or can lead to progression to nursing or allied courses. The course will help learners develop a wide range of skills including, but not limited to:

Employability Skills
• Critical Thinking
• Emotional Intelligence
• Entrepreneurship
• Leadership
• Reflective Practice
• Decision Making
• Team Working

Where will it take me?
Related Degree Programmes- Progression routes include further study or employment in the relevant field. This qualification will give you a minimum of 120 credits which you can use to apply to related Degree programmes. Previous SERC Graduates have successfully applied to Degrees in Nursing, Midwifery, Social Work, Occupational Therapy, Psychology, Youth work and Speech & Language Therapy.

In 2023/24, over 85% of HNC students received their 1st choice University offer with the majority progressing to Queen's and Ulster University to study Nursing and Social Work.

Employment- The course can lead directly into a career in Health and Social Care, for example previous students have sought employment as auxiliary nurses, community care assistants, and residential support workers.

Level 4 Modules:
Unit 1: Law, Policy and Ethical Practice in Health and Social Care- Students will acquire a good working knowledge of the way that legislation supports the development of policy and underpins ethical practice in health and care settings.
Unit 2: Demonstrating Professional Principles and Values in Health and Social Care Practice- Students will gain the necessary knowledge and skills to complete a professional development portfolio that records evidence of a continuous cycle of reflection and improvement of knowledge and skills and be able to plan for their future career pathway.
Unit 3: Supporting the Individual Journey through Integrated Health and Social Care- Students will expand their knowledge and understanding of multidisciplinary working within health, care and support services and develop their transferable communication skills to improve care and better outcomes for individuals within their chosen role.
Unit 4: Fundamentals of Evidence-Based Practice- Students will develop the knowledge and pre-requisite skills needed for conducting quality personal research that leads to evidence-based practice, while promoting integrated approaches to care and quality improvement in wider health, care or support service practice.
Unit 5: Health Education in Action- Students will develop the knowledge, understanding and skills regarding providing and supporting the provision of health education to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals accessing healthcare services.
Unit 7: Effective Health Care Practice Using Maths- Students will learn to apply mathematical principles and appreciate the scientific rationale for the information they are collecting, the methods they are using and be able to understand the significance and scientific basis of the results they obtain.
Unit 8: Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology for Health and Ill-Health- Students will develop knowledge and understanding of how the healthy human body works and physical and mental changes that take place during ill-health, gaining the skills required to contribute to improved care and better outcomes for individuals with complex conditions, in their roles as healthcare workers.

Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.