Health Services Organisation and Evaluation

Module overview

This module introduces the public health importance of understanding health systems and health services, including their evaluation and quality improvement. It is therefore key to anyone interested in healthcare public health. This module has global applications and is relevant for students from both developed and developing countries.

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

The challenges facing health services in low, middle and high income countries
Need, demand and supply of health care
The equity of health care (including user need, inverse care law, accessibility)
The concept of need for health care, unmet need and health care needs assessment
Sources of data on the performance of health care services
Different methods of organising and funding health care
Inputs/structures, process and outcomes and how to assess the effectiveness/ quality of services
Acceptability and satisfaction with services
The structure of health services in terms of primary, secondary and tertiary care, and lay and formal health care

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Communicate epidemiological concepts, data and information

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Design an evaluation of health care service delivery
Interpret data about the performance of health services.
Critique health care evaluations

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

A variety of methods will be used including lectures, active participatory methods, e-learning, practical exercises, guided reading, group study and individual study.

Study time
Type	Hours
Teaching	20
Independent Study	80
Total study time	100

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

Jessop M, Gulliford M (2020). Healthcare public health: improving health services through population science. Open University Press.

Gurol-Urganci I, Campbell F, Black N (2017). Understanding Health Services. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Black N, Gruen R (2005). Understanding health services. Open University Press.

Smith S, Sinclair D, Raine R, Reeves B (2005). Health care evaluation. Open University Press.

Tsang C, Cromwell D (2017). Health Care Evaluation. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Assessment

Assessment strategy

The assessment comprises an individual written assignment related to health care evaluation. A formative presentation will be included during the module The pass mark for the written assignment and module is 50%. If you fail the module, you will have the opportunity to submit work at the next referral (re-sit) opportunity. On passing your referral, your final module mark will be capped at 50%.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Individual written report	100%

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Individual written report	100%

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External