Risk assessment and decision making is at the heart of professional practice in health and social care.

The need to balance risk, choice and rights with protection and autonomy and the need, not just to minimise danger but to maximise wellbeing, requires a high level of professionalism and an ability to think critically and analytically. This unit focuses on risk and decision making in practice and is designed to support you in developing your skills in this area.

You will be provided with the opportunity to gain a critical understanding of a range of relevant theories of risk assessment and decision making. The teaching and reflective activities will encourage you to make links between underpinning theory and practice experience. The sessions will provide an opportunity to share ideas and experiences and will support the development of appropriate skills within a structured learning environment.

This course requires 100% attendance.

Learning outcomes

Having completed this unit the student is expected to: 

1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of concepts of risk, risk assessment and risk management in the context of professional practice in health and social care

2. Demonstrate the ability to think critically about the role of theories of decision making in developing professional judgments in contemporary health and social care practice.

3. Demonstrate an ability to evaluate the theoretical frameworks, research, policy, legal and ethical contexts, and how they contribute to their own risk and decision making practice in complex situations.

Assessment

All learning outcomes will be assessed by an assignment equivalent to 3000 words.