| Unit name | Economics & Policy of Health & Care: the UK in a global setting |
|---|---|
| Unit code | BRMSM0048 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2C (weeks 13 - 18) |
| Unit director | Dr. Owen-Smith |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
Concepts in the Economics & Policy of Health & Care |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Bristol Medical School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Health Sciences |
This unit will apply health economic and policy analytic thinking in the context of the UK and, comparatively, other high-income settings. As with its ‘sister’ unit which focuses on the global health challenges, this unit will develop thinking through a number of case studies focusing on two broad areas: (i) health and care system design; and (ii) key complex health and care challenges. The course will typically cover case studies that encompass areas such as infectious disease (Covid, Antimicrobial Resistance, particularly in relation to individual choices and behaviour), access to medicines (NICE and other organisational contexts), universal health and care coverage (particularly focusing on disability and long-term care), life-course issues (particularly ageing, chronic disease and end of life), the impacts of climate change on health (social determinants of health, inequality and air quality/ low carbon emissions), and mental health and wellbeing (human resources, suicide prevention and discrimination). Each case study will draw on the relevant theoretical and empirical research evidence, enabling students to critically evaluate and apply economic and policy thinking at the forefront of research and practice to the UK context. Policy developments and events will be discussed and appraised in light of theoretical and conceptual thinking within the discipline, as well as both qualitative and quantitative evidence. This unit will extend the core concepts introduced in the unit ‘Concepts in the Economics & Policy of Health & Care’, with the introduction of more advanced health economics and policy analysis concepts relating to the topics studied such as: externalities and pollution; time preference; inequalities in health, care and wellbeing; system objectives (within health and care, and the broader policy context); service integration; workforce incentive mechanisms; intersectoral costs and benefits; iatrogenesis and medicalisation; and the flow of decision-making about resource use in practice. Core and advanced concepts will be explored in the context of the case studies. Detailed understanding of the UK health and care settings will be developed, alongside an understanding of how they compare to other international (primarily high income) settings, and how economic and policy around health and care in this setting has implications at a global level.
By the end of this unit, students should be able to:
Teaching will comprise a three-day face-to-face teaching block (18 hours), 7 hours of tutorial time (weekly across TB2A) and 25 hours of online material (mainly asynchronous) which will be linked to specific tutorials. The face-to-face teaching block will take place early in TB2A, and is likely to comprise a block of time from Wednesday to Friday.
Self-study of 150 hours is expected.
There will be ongoing formative assessment throughout the three-day face-to-face teaching blocks through methods such as quizzes, group exercises and discussion, with both tutor and peer feedback (ILOs 1-3). More substantial formative assessments will be particularly linked to tutorials and will involve activities such as presentation of content and group work, to evaluate understanding of complex health and care system design and key global health challenges in the UK context (ILO 1) and in comparison to other high income settings (ILO 2) as well as exercises and activities around generating understanding and insight (ILO 3) and written formative assessment around writing in the ‘plain English’ style that will be used for the summative assessment (ILO 1,4).
There will be a single summative assignment with marks weighted for specific elements. The summative assessment will ask students to:
The requested article will ask students to focus on one of the complex challenges introduced during the Unit, and to communicate theoretical approaches, relevant developments, critique approaches and key evidence to a lay audience (ILOs 1,4)
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. BRMSM0048).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
