Business Analysis and Planning
Portfolio of Tasks
Learning Outcomes:
1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of effective techniques of information preparation and presentation within a specific context.
2. Identify and implement a data collection strategy using a range of primary and secondary sources.
3. Apply a complex range of techniques to analyse data.
4. Utilise software as an aid to decision-making and control.
Graduate Attribute (GA
Possess a range of skills to operate within this sector, have a keen awareness of current developments in working practice being well positioned to respond to change
Maximum word count: 4000 words in total.
The word count excludes numerical data in tables, figures, diagrams, footnotes, reference list and appendices. ALL other printed words ARE included in the word count.
Task: Report
This assignment has two parts – see task below for the context provided (LO 1 – 4 & GA) 100% of total marks for the module
Background:
The healthcare sector is facing an increasing challenge with funding for health and social care in England. The NHS five year forward view (2015) highlights the relevance of ‘integrated working’. In the last 20 years, the sector has seen a shift in the priorities and approaches for financing healthcare. As a research student, you are expected to have learnt and gained valuable knowledge and experience around ‘doing healthcare research’. This means you should understand the role of data, its formats and methods of analysis to make decisions, forecast and present analytical facts and statistics.
Task
You are asked to write a report with the caption ‘the trend in the social care housing sector in England’. The report should particularly focus on the Government’s thinking about ‘saving costs and improving efficiency’. The report is to be presented to a cross party committee of MPs on a fact-finding mission from key stakeholders like yourself
Notes
1. Consider critically discussing the legislative history and context in which ‘value for money’ matters.
2. What are the types of information, data or statistics you can identify from research. Students are advised to look at information/data covering the last 10 – 15 years.
3. It may be useful to visit a Local Authority of your choice and investigate the range and types of data available concerning how ‘health and social care services are costed and delivered’. For example, what is a weekly cost of a specified service user group and what are the Government requirements. Consider ‘direct payments’ and ‘funding registered care homes
4. Again, it is important that students focus on the use of literature and published financial information already available in the public domain. A comparison of the ‘trends’ over a period of time will help develop a ‘projection’ of activities which could be based on ‘assumptions’
5. Within the discourse, you must demonstrate understanding of how specific software tools aid in decision making. Examples of such tools include data analysis tools like ‘MS Excel’
• Your report must have a formal structure.