Health Studies

Course summary

The health and social care sector comprises two sub sectors; health care and social care. Health care encompasses all hospital activities, medical nursing homes and GP services, for example. The social care sector includes residential nursing care, residential nursing facilities, residential care facilities, domiciliary care and social work. Pupils are able to progress into work in the sector through degree programmes in nursing, midwifery, social work, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and pharmacy, for example. There are more than 300 distinct career paths in this sector. The sector is a major employer, employing almost four million people across the UK.