A Level Health & Social Care/Schemes of work/Version 1.0 Unit Title HSC10: Diagnosis, Treatment and Preventative Strategies (Optional) This unit aims to introduce a variety of diagnostic techniques and the principles and key points of practice of a of common medical treatments. This unit also looks into ways in which common diseases and disorders can be prevented. Method of assessment – written examination Topic Learning objectives / understanding Key terms / definitions Suggested activities Resources 3.10.1 Diagnosing disease Understand that diagnosis is the identification by a health care professional of a disease process that is causing a person’s ill health or other complaint, and that this is essential in order to begin appropriate treatment. This will include identifying both the disease process and the agent responsible. There are several steps to the process and these may include: Taking the medical history which includes a patient’s own account of the illness and asking questions to clarify the situation and make a provisional diagnosis. Conducting a physical examination to determine symptoms and reduce the list of possible diseases and move towards a definite diagnosis. Know the scientific principles and basic method of common Medical history Diagnosis Role play a GP taking a medical history (could link to effective communication from HSC01) YouTube clips on use of a stethoscope, percussion etc. Use pressure monitor to demonstrate taking a blood pressure reading “AQA A2 Health and Social Care” by Richard Smithson YouTube Blood pressure monitor
Electrocardiography, including attachment of electrodes to the chest, wrists and ankles to display the electrical activity of the heart as a trace on a moving graph or screen; Body sampling to include the removal of blood samples. MRI scan Ultrasound Tissue biopsy ECG Body fluid sampling 3.10.3 Diagnostic techniques to include screening tests Screening tests Understand that early detection of a disease or disorder, often in presymptomatic stages, will allow treatment to be more effective. Screening tests may be suitable for the whole population or for specific groups of people at special risk, e.g. people over a certain age, people with a family history of a particular disorder or people employed in hazardous occupations. Know that there are different screening tests for different client groups and their importance and success rates in the UK. Know that following some screening, further may be needed to make a diagnosis. Know who the client group is, how each test is performed, what is being looked for and how Screening Presymptomatic Antenatal Genetic Down’s syndrome Spina bifida Sickle cell anaemia CVS Cystic fibrosis YouTube clip of amniocentesis, CVS etc. being performed Macmillan cancer information – how to perform a personal check on breasts / testicles “AQA A2 Health and Social Care” by Richard Smithson www.patient.co.uk
positive or negative results are recognised. The tests to be covered are: Antenatal screening Amniocentesis for genetic disorder Down’s syndrome, spina bifida and sickle cell anaemia Chorionic villus sampling for genetic disorder cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy and sickle cell anaemia Blood tests for anaemia and blood groupings to include the rhesus factor. Infant and child screening tests: Blood test for phenylketonuria (PKU) Dental examination for caries Eye for visual defects using a Snellen chart and behavioural response test for colour blindness Hearing tests for deafness using audiograms and behavioural response tests Physical examination for hip dislocation screening tests: pressure for hypertension Eye for glaucoma using tonometry and other visual defects include and long-sightedness Smear test for cervical cancer Mammography for breast cancer Muscular dystrophy Sickle cell anaemia Anaemia Rhesus factor PKU Caries Snellen chart Behavioural response test Audiogram Hip dislocation Blood pressure Hypertension Glaucoma Short-sighted Long-sighted Smear test