Qualification Structure

The OTHM Level 5 Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care Management is an Ofqual-regulated qualification on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF). The qualification consists of 12 mandatory units, carrying 240 credits, with a Total Qualification Time (TQT) of 2,400 hours and recommended Guided Learning Hours (GLH) of a minimum of 1,200 hours.

Assessment for the OTHM Level 5 Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care Management is assignment-based. Learners are required to demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and application of health and social care management principles through structured written assignments. Assessment is designed to evaluate learners’ ability to apply theoretical knowledge to relevant professional and organisational contexts.

To achieve the qualification, learners must successfully complete all 12 mandatory units.

Core Study Units

Unit 1. Promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Health and Social Care

Learning outcomes:

• Understand equality, diversity, inclusion and human rights within health and social care workplaces.
• Understand how systems can be developed to promote equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Develop the ability to promote equality, diversity and inclusion in practice.
• Understand how to manage risk while balancing individual rights and duty of care.

Unit 2. Professional Development and Academic Writing Skills

Learning outcomes:

• Understand the principles of professional development.
• Develop appropriate goals and targets for personal professional development.
• Develop a professional development plan.
• Use reflective-practice models to evaluate personal development.
• Develop academic writing and research skills relevant to professional development.

Unit 3. Communication in the Caring Professions

Learning outcomes:

• Understand different communication requirements within the workplace.
• Develop the ability to use communication systems and practices effectively.
• Use communication systems to facilitate partnership working.
• Understand the legal and ethical considerations involved in sharing and processing information.

Unit 4. Principles of Health and Safety for Health Professions

Learning outcomes:

• Understand the current legislative framework for health and safety.
• Understand the importance of compliance with health and safety requirements.
• Understand risk-assessment processes in health and social care.
• Develop the ability to review health and safety practices, policies and procedures.

Unit 5. Assessment Processes in Health and Social Care Settings

Learning outcomes:

• Understand approaches used in the assessment process for care provision.
• Develop the ability to lead assessments for care provision.
• Understand how to manage the outcomes of care assessments.
• Develop the ability to advise others about the role of assessment.

Unit 6. Resource Management in Health and Social Care

Learning outcomes:

• Understand the purpose and objectives of human resource management.
• Understand key aspects of managing people in the workplace.
• Understand regulation and inspection within health and social care services.
• Understand the management of financial resources.

Unit 7. Working in Partnership in Health and Social Care

earning outcomes:

• Understand the features of effective partnership working.
• Understand how to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Understand how partnership working can be evaluated and improved.
• Understand how collaboration can support organisational innovation and growth.

Unit 8. Managing the Safeguarding and Protection of Vulnerable Individuals

Learning outcomes:

• Understand the legal and regulatory framework supporting safeguarding and protection.
• Understand how services can safeguard and protect vulnerable individuals.
• Understand the importance of partnership working in safeguarding.
• Understand how safeguarding procedures and practices can be reviewed and improved.

Unit 9. Health Education and Promoting Wellbeing

Learning outcomes:

• Understand approaches to health education.
• Understand models of behaviour change.
• Develop the ability to plan, implement and evaluate a health education campaign.

Unit 10. Team Management in Health and Social Care

Learning outcomes:

• Understand the characteristics of effective teamwork.
• Develop the ability to manage and develop team performance.
• Understand how individual, team and organisational objectives can be aligned.
• Develop the ability to manage team performance effectively.
• Understand recruitment and selection processes within health and social care.

Unit 11. Professional Supervision Practice in Health and Social Care

Learning outcomes:

• Understand professional supervision within health and social care settings.
• Understand how to establish an effective professional supervision framework.
• Develop the ability to provide professional supervision.
• Develop reflective practice in relation to professional supervision.

Unit 12. Research Methods in Health and Social Care

Learning outcomes:

• Understand approaches to research in health and social care.
• Develop the ability to plan a health or social care research project.
• Develop the ability to conduct a research project.
• Develop the ability to analyse findings and make evidence-informed recommendations.

Who Is This Qualification For?

The OTHM Level 5 Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care Management is designed for individuals who want to develop advanced management knowledge and progress within health and social care services. It is particularly suitable for:

• Health and social care professionals seeking progression into management or supervisory roles.
• Care managers, team leaders and supervisors who want to strengthen their leadership and service-management capabilities.
• Aspiring health and social care managers seeking a recognised UK qualification to support career progression.
• Senior care workers and support professionals preparing to take on greater responsibility for teams, service users and care provision.
• Professionals involved in safeguarding, care planning, wellbeing, partnership working or service improvement.
• Learners planning further academic progression towards higher-level study in health and social care, management or related disciplines, subject to the receiving institution's requirements.

The qualification is especially valuable for learners seeking to combine health and social care expertise with practical management, leadership, safeguarding, resource management, supervision and service-improvement skills relevant to contemporary care environments.

Career Opportunities

The OTHM Level 5 Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care Management prepares learners for management and supervisory roles across a wide range of health and social care settings. The qualification develops practical expertise in care management, safeguarding, team leadership, communication, partnership working, resource management, professional supervision, health promotion, and service improvement. It enables learners to support safe, person-centred care, manage teams effectively, contribute to organisational decision-making, and improve the quality of health and social care services. The qualification is relevant to care homes, residential services, community care, supported living, healthcare organisations, social care providers, charitable organisations, and other health and social care environments.

Future Progression

The OTHM Level 5 Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care Management supports career progression into management, supervisory and coordination roles across the health and social care sector. It is relevant to care homes, residential services, community care, supported living, healthcare providers, charities and other organisations delivering care and support services.

Academically, learners may progress to relevant higher-level qualifications, including Level 6 or Level 7 study and degree-level programmes, subject to the entry requirements of the receiving institution. The qualification also supports continuous professional development (CPD) and lifelong learning in health and social care management.

Professionally, the diploma can support progression into roles such as Health and Social Care Manager, Care Manager, Care Team Leader, Social Care Supervisor, Safeguarding Coordinator, Health and Social Care Coordinator, Care Quality Coordinator and Support Services Manager. The knowledge and skills developed in leadership, safeguarding, professional supervision, partnership working, resource management, health promotion and service improvement can help learners contribute effectively to safe, person-centred and high-quality care services.