This advanced diploma is meticulously designed for senior healthcare and social care practitioners who are responsible for leading complex care delivery, managing multidisciplinary teams, and driving strategic service improvement across diverse health and social care environments. The programme develops sophisticated clinical reasoning capabilities and executive-level decision-making skills required to assess, plan, and evaluate holistic care interventions for individuals with multiple and complex needs. Candidates will master advanced person-centred approaches, ethical leadership frameworks, and contemporary safeguarding governance whilst promoting dignity, autonomy, and positive outcomes for service users. Emphasis is placed on developing authoritative professional practice capable of influencing organisational policy and championing innovation within regulated care settings.
The curriculum delivers substantial intellectual depth through comprehensive exploration of advanced health and social care themes, requiring candidates to demonstrate strategic competence in managing complex casework, leading quality assurance initiatives, and implementing evidence-based practice across service provision. Participants will engage with sophisticated challenges including the evaluation of integrated care systems, leadership of interprofessional collaboration, and management of critical incidents within residential, community, and acute environments. This qualification consolidates theoretical principles with executive-level practical application, validating an individual’s capacity to lead service transformation, mentor emerging practitioners, and maintain regulatory compliance whilst responding proactively to evolving sector demands and demographic pressures.
ProQual Level 5 Diploma in Advanced Healthcare and Social Care Support Skills further serves as a distinguished credential for professionals pursuing chartered memberships with professional bodies or seeking specialist certifications in advanced clinical practice, adult safeguarding, or strategic care leadership. It provides a robust academic platform for candidates aiming to attain advanced diplomas in healthcare management, social work leadership, or integrated care commissioning. This diploma enhances career progression by formally validating strategic competence in senior care leadership, preparing learners for executive appointments such as registered care manager, clinical service lead, head of adult services, or social care consultant. Ultimately, this qualification empowers practitioners to deliver transformative, person-centred care whilst advancing their professional standing within the global health and social care sector.
Program Highlights
To successfully complete the ProQual Level 5 Diploma, candidates must accumulate credits from the following units:
Mandatory Units (22 credits)
- Facilitate change in health and social care or children and young peoples’ settings
- Develop and evaluate operational plans for own area of responsibility
- Lead the management of transitions
- Understand professional management and leadership in health and social care or children and young peoples’ settings
Optional Units (minimum 15 credits)
- Manage physical resources
- Work in partnership in health and social care
- Promote professional development
- Recruitment and selection within health and social care or children and young peoples’ settings
- Understand how to manage a team
- Manage induction processes for health and social care or children and young peoples’ settings
- Manage finance in health and social care or children and young peoples’ settings
- The structure, organisation and function of the human body
- Communication skills for health and social care management
- Empowering users of health and social care services
- Equality and diversity in health and social care
- Evaluate and develop own contribution to the service
- Facilitate learning in groups
- Health and safety in the health and social care workplace
- Health and social care in context
- Influences on health and social care organisations
- Prepare clients through advice and guidance for the implementation of a course of action
- Provide support for other practitioners
- Reflective Practice
- Understand partnership working
- Understanding professional supervision practice
- Undertake research for the service and its clients
- Use person-centred practices to deliver personalisation in health and social care
- Personal and professional development in health and social care
- Communicating in health and social care organisations
- Physiological Principles for health and social care
- The sociological context of health and social care
- Use and develop systems that promote communication
- Champion equality, diversity and inclusion
- Lead and manage infection prevention and control within the work setting
- Develop health and safety and risk management policies, procedures and practices in health and social care
- Manage quality in health and social care or children and young peoples settings
- Undertake a research project within services for health and social care or children and young people
- Conduct and support others in the assessment of individuals health and well-being
- Promote effective nutrition and fluid balance
- Understand the principles and application of physiological measurements
- Understand the principles, theories and concepts related to leading and developing a work team in a healthcare environment
- Develop professional supervision practice in health and social care settings
- Understand child and young persons development
- Lifespan developments and healthcare needs
- The principles and philosophy of healthcare
- Appraise Staff Performance
- Assess the individual in a health and social care setting
- Principles of health and social care practice
- Share knowledge and good practice
- Understanding Dementia Care
- Understanding specific needs in health and social care
- Understanding Deaf culture
- Support individuals with sensory loss with communication
- Support individuals with multiple conditions and/or disabilities
- Promote good practice in the support of individuals with autistic spectrum conditions
- Promote access to healthcare for individuals with learning disability
- Safeguarding and protection of vulnerable adults
- Safeguarding and protection of children and young people
Entry Requirements
The entry requirements for this executive-level qualification ensure learners possess the strategic experience, clinical reasoning, and professional authority required to lead complex care services and influence policy at a senior level.
- Work Experience: A minimum of two to three years of senior supervisory or management experience in healthcare or social care is required. Suitable roles include Registered Care Manager, Clinical Lead, Deputy Manager, Service Manager, Nursing Home Manager, Adult Safeguarding Lead, or Senior Social Worker.
- Age Requirement: Learners must be at least 19 years of age.
- Educational Background: Learners should ideally hold a relevant Level 4 qualification in health and social care, such as the Level 4 Diploma in Adult Care, Level 4 Certificate in Health and Social Care Leadership, or Level 4 Diploma in Health and Social Care Management. Foundation degrees in nursing, social work, or allied health, and international equivalents are also accepted. Applicants with Level 3 qualifications and significant senior experience may be considered. GCSE English and mathematics at grade C/4 or above are highly beneficial.
- Language Proficiency: Learners must possess strong written and spoken English, equivalent to GCSE grade C/4, Level 2 functional skills, or IELTS 6.0.
Learning Outcomes
Facilitate change in health and social care or children and young people’s settings
- Understand the principles of change management in health and social care or children and young people’s settings
- Be able to facilitate a shared understanding of the need for change in health and social care or children and young people’s settings
- Be able to develop an approved change management plan in health and social care or children and young people’s settings
- Be able to gain support for a proposed change in health and social care or children and young people’s settings
- Be able to implement approved change management plans in health and social care or children and young people’s settings
- Be able to evaluate the change management process in health and social care or children and young people’s settings
Develop and evaluate operational plans for own area of responsibility
- Be able to align objectives of own area of responsibility with those of own organisation.
- Be able to implement operational plans in own area of responsibility.
- Be able to monitor and evaluate operational plans in own area of responsibility.
Lead the management of transitions
- Understand the impact of change and transitions on the wellbeing of individuals
- Be able to lead and manage provision that supports workers to manage transitions and significant life events
Understand professional management and leadership in health and social care or children and young people’s settings
- Understand theories of management and leadership and their application to health and social care or children and young people settings.
- Understand the relationship between professional management and leadership.
- Understand the skills of professional management and leadership in health and social care or children and young people’s settings.
- Understand the impact of policy drivers on professional management and leadership in health and social care or children and young people’s services.
Manage physical resources
- Understand the importance of sustainability when using physical resources.
- Be able to identify resource requirements for own area of responsibility.
- Be able to obtain required resources for own area of responsibility.
- Be able to monitor and review the quality and usage of resources in own area of responsibility.
Work in partnership in health and social care or children and young people’s settings
- Understand partnership working
- Be able to establish and maintain working relationships with colleagues
- Be able to establish and maintain working relationships with other professionals
- Be able to work in partnership with others
Promote professional development
- Understand principles of professional development
- Be able to prioritise goals and targets for own professional development
- Be able to prepare a professional development plan
- Be able to improve performance through reflective practice
Recruitment and selection within health and social care or children and young people’s settings
- Understand the recruitment and selection processes in health and social care or children and young people’s settings
- Be able to contribute to the recruitment process in health and social care or children’s and young people’s settings
- Be able to participate in the selection process in health and social care or children’s and young people’s settings
- Be able to evaluate the recruitment and selection processes in health and social care or children’s and young people’s settings
Understand how to manage a team
- Understand the attributes of effective team performance
- Know how to support team Development
- Know how to promote shared purpose within a team
- Know how to promote a ‘noblame culture’ within a team
Manage induction in health and social care or children and young people’s settings
- Understand the purpose of induction for health and social care or children and young people’s settings
- Be able to manage the induction process in health, social care and children and young people’s work settings
- Be able to support the implementation of induction processes in health, social care and children and young people’s work settings
- Be able to evaluate the induction process in health and social care or children and young people’s settings
- Be able to implement improvements to the induction process in health and social care or children and young people’s settings
Manage finance within own area of responsibility in health and social care or children and young people’s setting
- Understand financial management in own work setting
- Be able to plan budget requirement for own area of responsibility
- Be able to manage a budget
- Be able to evaluate financial expenditure within own area of responsibility
The structure, organisation and function of the human body
- Understand the organisation of the human living cell, from its simplest level to the most complex level found in the human body
- Understand the principles of the human body systems
Communication Skills for Health and Social Care Management
- Understand how internal communication takes place within health and social care organisations
- Understand the factors that impact on the effectiveness of communications
- Understand features of communications between health and social care professionals and service users
- Be able to present oral information effectively in a health and social care context
- Be able to communicate formally in writing in a health and social care context
Empowering Users of Health and Social Care Services
- Understand how the design and review of services promotes and maximises the rights of users of health and social care services
- Understand how to promote the participation and independence of users of health and social care services
- Understand the responsibility of managing and monitoring risks in health and social care settings
- Understand how good practice in the administration of medication is essential for users of health and social care services
Equality and Diversity in Health and Social Care
- Understand the key legislative frameworks for equality and diversity in Health and Social Care
- Understand equality and diversity legislation in relation to Health and Social Care
- Understand how equality and diversity is promoted and managed in Health and Social Care
- Be able to identify and challenge discriminatory behaviour and/or practices
Evaluate and develop own contribution to the service
- Understand the process of evaluating practice
- Be able to carry out evaluation of practice
- Be able to identify development objectives
Facilitate learning in groups
- Be able to manage group dynamics
- Be able to establish and maintain effective communication with group members
- Be able to facilitate collaborative learning
- Be able to enable individuals to reflect on the way in which they have been learning and participating in the group
Health and Safety in the Health and Social Care Workplace
- Understand how health and safety legislation is implemented in the health and social care workplace
- Understand the ways in which health and safety requirements impact on customers and the work of practitioners in the health and social care workplace
- Understand the monitoring and review of health and safety in the health and social care workplace
Health and Social Care in Context
- Understand the structural organisation of a chosen health and/or social care area
- Understand the implications of legislative frameworks in the chosen health and social care area
- Understand external influences on a chosen health and/or social care area
- Understand the individual rights underpinning delivery of health and social care to service users
Influences on Health and Social Care Organisations
- Understand the relationship between the external environment and health and social care organisations
- Understand the impact of organisational structure and culture on health and social care service delivery
- Understand the role of leadership in health and social care organisations
Prepare clients through advice and guidance for the implementation of a course of action
- Be able to assist clients to prepare an action plan
- Be able to assist clients to develop the action plan
- Be able to assist clients to identify how the plan might be implemented
Provide support for other practitioners
- Be able to agree the support required by other practitioners
- Be able to promote the effective practice of others
- Be able to deliver support sessions to practitioners
Reflective Practice
- Be able to review own performance and exchange good practice
- Be able evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of own practice
- Be able to evaluate the relevance of the wider social, economic and environmental context to working with vulnerable young people
Understand partnership working
- Understand partnership working
Understanding professional supervision practice
- Understand the purpose of supervision
- Understand how the principles of supervision can be used to inform performance management
- Understand how to support individuals through professional supervision
- Understand how professional supervision supports performance
Undertake research for the service and its clients
- Be able to identify sources and availability of information
- Be able to collect data to meet research objectives
- Be able to analyse and report on the data collected
Use person-centred practices to deliver personalisation in health and social care
- Be able to put person-centred values into practice
- Be able to implement personcentred thinking to deliver personalised services
- Be able to use person-centred thinking tools for on-going implementation of support plans
- Be able to provide practical assistance with updating and reviewing Support Plans
- Be able to take a person-centred approach to risk
- Be able to promote well-being and community membership
Personal and Professional Development in Health and Social Care
- Understand how personal values and principles influence individual contributions to work in health and social care settings
- Be able to produce, monitor, revise and evaluate plans for personal progress in developing the skills and abilities required of a health and social care practitioner
- Understand the application of principles of professional engagement with users of health and social care services
- Be able to demonstrate development of own skills and understanding in relation to working with others in health and social care practice.
Communicating in Health and Social Care Organisations
- Be able to explore how communication skills are used in health and social care
- Understand how various factors influence the communication process in health and social care
- Be able to explore the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in health and social care
Physiological Principles for Health and Social Care
- Know the structure and functioning of the human body
- Understand the relationship between body functioning and relevant detailed anatomy and physiology
- Understand how routine data collected in health and social care informs the planning of care for individuals
- Be able to relate routine variations in body structure and functioning to care received by individuals
The Sociological Context of Health and Social Care
- Understand the contemporary nature of society
- Understand how social inequalities influence the life chances and health status of individuals
- Understand sociological concepts and theory in relation to contemporary social and health issues
Use and develop systems that promote communication
- Be able to address the range of communication requirements in own role
- Be able to improve communication systems and practices that support positive outcomes for individuals
- Be able to improve communication systems to support partnership working
- Be able to use systems for effective information management
Champion equality, diversity and inclusion
- Understand diversity, equality and inclusion in own area of responsibility
- Be able to champion diversity, equality and inclusion
- Understand how to develop systems and processes that promote diversity, equality and inclusion
- Be able to manage the risks presented when balancing individual rights and professional duty of care
Lead and manage infection prevention and control within the work setting
- Understand current infection prevention and control policies, procedures and practices.
- Be able to lead the implementation of policies and procedures for infection prevention and control.
- Be able to manage the exchange of information about infections.
- Be able to lead the practice of infection prevention and control.
- Be able to manage risk management in infection prevention and control.
- Be able to review the effectiveness of policies, procedures and practices for infection prevention and control.
Develop health and safety and risk management policies, procedures and practices in health and social care or children and young people’s settings
- Understand the current legislative framework and organisational health, safety and risk management policies, procedures and practices that are relevant to health, and social care or children and young people’s settings
- Be able to implement and monitor compliance with health, safety and risk management requirements in health and social care or children and young people’s settings
- Be able to lead the implementation of policies, procedures and practices to manage risk to individuals and others in health and social care or children and young people’s settings
- Be able to promote a culture where needs and risks are balanced with health and safety practice in health and social care or children and young people’s settings
- Be able to improve health, safety and risk management policies, procedures and practices in health and social care or children and young people’s settings
Manage quality in health and social care or children and young people’s setting
- Understand the context of quality assurance in a health and social care or children and young people’s setting
- Be able to implement quality standards in a health and social care or children and young people’s setting
- Be able to lead the evaluation of quality processes in a health and social care or children and young people’s setting
Undertake a research project within services for health and social care or children and young people
- Be able to justify a topic for research within services for health and social care or children and young people
- Understand how the components of research are used
- Be able to conduct a research project within services for health and social care or children and young people
- Be able to analyse research findings
Conduct and support others in the assessment of individual’s health and wellbeing
- Understand the process for carrying out assessments of individual’s health and wellbeing
- Be able to demonstrate a person centered approach to assessment
- Be able to manage the assessment process
- Be able to respond to the outcomes of the assessment
- Be able to support and demonstrate to others how to undertake assessments within own scope of practice
Promote effective nutrition and fluid balance
- Be able to evaluate the social impact on nutrition in an individual’s own locality in comparison to national statistics
- Understand current legislation, local policy and guidelines around nutrition, supplements and assistive nutrition
- Understand clinical conditions and their nutritional needs
- Understand the relationship between nutrition and clinical conditions within the renal and digestive systems
- Be able to identify when, and how, to adapt food and fluid preparations to meet individual needs
- Understand how to recognise extended methods for individual’s specific nutritional needs
- Be able to provide support for individuals to eat and drink
- Be able to support others to monitor nutrition and fluid balance
- Understand the availability and use of nutritional supplements
- Be able to measure Body Mass Index (BMI)
- Understand how to recognise nutritional complications
Understand how to recognise nutritional complications
- Understand relevant legislation, policy and best practice for undertaking physiological measurements
- Understand the anatomy and physiology associated with physiological measurements
- Be able to assess the impact of lifestyle, culture and family background on individual’s physiological measurements
- Understand the physiological state associated with blood pressure
- Understand the physiological state associated with a pulse
- Understand the physiological state associated with temperature
- Understand the physiological state associated with respiration
- Understand the physiological state associated with oxygen saturation levels
- Be able to recognise the deteriorating patient
- Be able to support others to undertake physiological measurements
Understand the principles, theories and concepts related to leading and developing a work team in a healthcare environment
- Understand how leadership and management impact on effective team performance
- Understand the processes for team formation and development
- Understand the impact of leadership styles on team performance
- Understand the principles of monitoring and reviewing individual and team performance
Develop professional supervision practice in health and social care or children and young people’s work settings
- Understand the purpose of professional supervision in health and social care or children and young people’s work settings
- Understand how the principles of professional supervision can be used to inform performance management in health and social care or children and young people’s work settings
- Be able to undertake the preparation for professional supervision with supervisees in health and social care or children and young people’s work settings
- Be able to provide professional supervision in health and social care or children and young people’s work settings
- Be able to manage conflict situations during professional supervision in health and social care or children and young people’s work settings
- Be able to evaluate own practice when conducting professional supervision in health and social care or children and young people’s work settings
Understand children and young person’s development
- Understand the pattern of development that would normally be expected for children and young people from birth-19 years
- Understand the factors that impact on children and young people’s development
- Understand the benefits of early intervention to support the development of children and young people
- Understand the potential effects of transitions on children and young people’s development.
- Understand how assessing, monitoring and recording the development of children and young people informs the use of interventions
Lifespan development and healthcare needs
- Understand individual’s health and wellbeing through lifespan
- Understand the stages and processes of human development
- Understand principles of care provision for individuals at different stages throughout lifespan
The principles and philosophy of healthcare
- Understand the relationship between health and wellbeing
- Understand the principles of the biomedical model
- Understand the principles of the sociological model
- Understand the principles of the psychological model
- Understand the holistic approach and impact of the biopsychosocial model
Appraise staff performance
- Understand policies, theories and models which underpin appraisal of performance.
- Be able to support others to understand the purpose of appraisal.
- Be able to facilitate preparation for appraisals.
- Be able to support appraise to participate in appraisal meetings.
- Be able to evaluate own practice during the appraisal process.
Assess the individual in a health and social care setting
- Understand assessment processes
- Be able to lead and contribute to assessments
- Be able to manage the outcomes of assessments
- Be able to promote others’ understanding of the role of assessment
- Review and evaluate the effectiveness of assessment
Principles of Health and Social Care Practice
- Understand how principles of support are implemented in health and social care practice
- Understand the impact of policy, legislation, regulation, codes of practice and standards on organisation policy and practice
- Understand the theories that underpin health and social care practice
- Be able to contribute to the development and implementation of health and social care organisational policy.
Share knowledge and good practice
- Plan to share knowledge and good practice
- Be able to share knowledge and good practice
- Be able to incorporate new knowledge into own practice
- Be able to evaluate the sharing of knowledge and good practice
Understanding Dementia Care
- Understand the common forms of dementia
- Understand the impact of dementia on the individual and their family
- Understand the support needs of the individual with dementia.
- Understand how to provide a person-centred approach to care planning for an individual with dementia
- Understand the challenges of supporting an individual with dementia
Understanding Specific Needs in Health and Social Care
- Understand perceptions of health, disability, illness and behaviour
- Understand how health and social care services and systems support individuals with specific needs
- Understand approaches and intervention strategies that support individuals with specific needs
- Understand strategies for coping with challenging behaviours associated with specific needs.
Understanding Deaf Culture
- Understand Deaf culture
- Understand the cultural context of d/Deafness
- Support individuals with sensory loss with communication
- Understand language development
- Understand factors that affect the language and communication of an individual with sensory loss
- Understand the complexities of specialist communication systems
- Be able to support the individual with communication
- Be able to support others to make use of specialist communication
- Review communication work
Support individuals with multiple conditions and/or disabilities
- Understand the implications of multiple conditions and/or disabilities for the individual
- Be able to support an individual with multiple conditions and/or disabilities
- Be able to develop others to support the individual with multiple conditions and/or disabilities
- Be able to review service provision in respect of individuals with multiple conditions and/or disabilities
Promote good practice in the support of individuals with autistic spectrum conditions
- Understand how the different and evolving theories about autism reflect the complexity of autistic spectrum conditions
- Understand the implications of the legal and policy framework underpinning the support of individuals with autistic spectrum conditions
- Be able to promote good practice in the support of individuals with an autistic spectrum condition
- Be able to promote to others positive communication strategies for individuals with an autistic spectrum condition
- Be able to implement strategies to support individuals with an autistic spectrum condition to manage their sensory world
Promote access to healthcare for individuals with learning disabilities
- Understand issues related to access to healthcare services for individuals with learning disabilities
- Understand the healthcare needs that may affect individuals with learning disabilities
- Understand good practice in supporting people with a learning disability to access healthcare services
- Understand how to support others to develop, implement, monitor and review plans for healthcare
- Be able to develop processes to support others to meet the healthcare needs of individuals with a learning disability
- Be able to promote good practice to others in their support of individuals with learning disabilities accessing healthcare
Safeguarding and protection of vulnerable adults
- Understand the legislation, regulations and policies that underpin the protection of vulnerable adults
- Be able to lead service provision that protects vulnerable adults
- Be able to manage inter-agency, joint or integrated working in order to protect vulnerable adults
- Be able to monitor and evaluate the systems, processes and practice that safeguards vulnerable adults
Safeguarding and protection of children and young people
- Be able to monitor and evaluate the systems, processes and practice that safeguards children and young people
- Understand the legislation, regulations and policies that underpin the protection of children and young people
- Be able to lead service provision that protects children and young people
- Be able to manage inter-agency, joint or integrated working in order to protect children and young people
Target Audiences
This qualification is designed for senior healthcare and social care practitioners who are ready to progress from operational management into executive leadership and strategic service development roles. It is ideal for professionals seeking to formalise their advanced expertise in complex case management, safeguarding governance, and integrated care commissioning across residential, community, and acute environments. The programme supports those who wish to develop strategic capability in clinical leadership, quality assurance, and organisational transformation whilst remaining within health and social care practice.
- Registered Care Managers
- Clinical Leads
- Deputy Managers
- Service Managers
- Nursing Home Managers
- Adult Safeguarding Leads
- Senior Social Workers
- Community Services Coordinators
- Mental Health Service Managers
- Learning Disability Service Leaders
- End of Life Care Coordinators
- Palliative Care Managers
- Dementia Care Service Managers
- Reablement Service Managers
- Children and Young People’s Service Managers
- Third Sector Care Directors
- Care Quality Commission Nominees
- Healthcare Consultants
- Clinical Governance Leads
- Integrated Care System Coordinators
ProQual Level 5 Diploma in Advanced Healthcare and Social Care Support Skills is the definitive choice for dedicated care leaders who are ready to lead with executive authority, deliver transformative person-centred services, and achieve formal recognition as advanced practitioners within the global health and social care sector.
