Health and Social Care Sector: Analyzing the Impact of Covid-19

This report examines the impact of Covid-19 on the health and social care industry, focusing on its broader context and specific environment. It reviews the nature of the health and social care sector, particularly in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, and explores career pathways within this sector. The report also analyzes the structure, culture, and function of an organization, using NHS England as a case study, evaluating organizational culture through Hofstede's theory. Additionally, it examines the relationship between the organization and its stakeholders, considering the effects of Covid-19 on healthcare workers and their families. The analysis includes both positive and negative impacts of the pandemic, such as increased health awareness versus increased anxiety and work pressure, ultimately providing a comprehensive overview of the challenges and changes within the health and social care sector due to Covid-19.

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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
TASK ..............................................................................................................................................3
LO1- Review the nature of the Health and Social Care sector or industry in its wider context
and specific environment............................................................................................................3
LO2-Demonstrate the prospects of entering into a chosen sector or industry as a career
pathway.......................................................................................................................................4
LO3- Examine the structure, culture and function of an organisation........................................6
LO4-Examine the relationship between the organisation and its stakeholders...........................8
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................9
REFERNCES:................................................................................................................................10
Books and Journals:..................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
The report aims to present the impact of Covid-19 in health and social care industry. This
industry is highly known for providing assistance to general public by curing diseases and save
life of their patients. Whereas, social work sector known for providing support to people
whenever in need. Therefore, this report will present the history of Covid-19 in order to make
career orientation in the field of support service pathway (Gatti, Ulrich, and Seele, 2019) .
Also, there will be evaluation of different theories of organisational culture and relationship of
stakeholders in context of NHS England.
MAIN BODY
TASK
LO1- Review the nature of the Health and Social Care sector or industry in its wider context and
specific environment
Covid-19: It is a viral and contacted diseases which was developed through corona virus SARS-
cOv-2. The virus is causing contaminate diseases by getting in contact with the effected person.
The virus gets spread by taking multiple syndromes which affects human lungs and cause
problem in breathing and high fever. In gets spread from person to person by elaborating the
virus.
Covid-19 was first seen in December 2019 which was first developed in Wuhan, China. The
diseases mainly affect aged people who cross the age of 60+ and new born children. But now,
the virus has spread more strongly and the world has affected through second wave of Covid-19.
Therefore, the main symptoms seen in most of people are high fever, cough, breathing issues,
lungs failure and many other which are not so common. Covid-19 has threatened the whole
world and people are leading to death or goes in serious hospitalisation. The world run out of
any medicine or vaccine which could prevent from the first wave and the only solution was lock
down in which people are not allowed to move outside their home. The scenario of many
counties and people has changed in terms of maintaining living, standard, roam around care free
and also being more health conscious. In addition to this, there are a lot of impact exaggerate due
to this out breaking disease on health and social care industry.
The health sector mainly works to provide utmost health facilities and treatment for
patients wellbeing. There are a lot of health care sectors who provide services n to cure patients

and make them relief from health condition. Due to Covid-19, this sector had to face many ups
and downs due to the reason of insufficient hospital beds, ventilators, oxygen cylinder and
vaccines to save a person's life. Shortage of proper amenities in almost every hospital in UK lead
to death which is a negative impact on this sector. The number of death and affected cases were
313,798 till august. The mortality rate was also gets increases and the sector facing huge chaos
and politics within internal operations of hospitals. The negative impact of Covid-19 does
include death cases, professional disputes, high work pressure, ineffective routines, chaos in
hospital premises Doctors were providing 24/7 services without any break this has led to death of
many health professionals and some institution run out of health professionals (Müller, and
Seufert, 2018). Covid-19 has impacted on every individual’s heart and mind, people, are facing
anxiety, depression, panic attacks and other issues due to which the death and hospitalisation
cases gone more upwards. Hospitals had not proper resources to and technology to sure patients
well. There are some of positive impact of Covid-19 which has analysed by experts and
professionals. As before the outbreak of coronavirus, people were affected through cardiac
arrests, hearth attacks and other infected diseases. But due to the fear of Covid-19, people start
focusing on their health and start taking good diet which results in relief from cardiac arrests and
other heart related problems. Also, people were get so busy with their life that they could not
make them for family and give rise of misunderstanding and create mental pressure. Now it has
come to an end, as pandemic results in unity and togetherness of family, friends which relives
mental disorders by engage in communication and reaching for each other’s problems to make
them feel happy. Along with this, people get aware about what is good and bad for tier health
and start involving in food which provide high immunity. This has also resolved issues of diet,
food poising and kidney related problems.
LO2-Demonstrate the prospects of entering into a chosen sector or industry as a career pathway
Different career pathways in health and social care industry:
Health and social care industry is a broader context which include many career opportunities and
social services for the wellbeing of society in which they are living. Working is health sector is
liking giving your best efforts and controlling self-emotions in the field of therapist. So that,
there are many pathways which are discussed below:

Therapeutic Services Pathways: these professional and individuals are known for providing
guidance and therapy for patients in order to solve their diseases concerns. This career elaborates
a detailed study of person health status to provide accurate guidance for prevention and cure.
Diagnostic Services Pathway: the diagnostic specialist analyses the initial stage of person
health status and on the basis of that, they provide recommendation for doctor’s prescription.
They work on patient health for a point of time. Mainly these specialist provide a picture and
sense of their diseases by giving ex-rays, tests reports and many more (Han, and Ellis, 2019).
Support Services Pathway: these individuals provide support to health experts in order to
provide health treatments in a better way, they take care of necessary equipments, patients
condition and other essential items which are required during operations or surgery.
Health Informatics Pathway: these individuals are known for recoding each and every
documentation of patient report related to medical issues, fee structure, past and present
improvements and every detail of patient.
Impact of Covid-19 for career prospects in health and social care:
Covid-19 has leave behind a threatening mark for individuals to take decision in building career
into health industry. As working with health and social care is become riskier for everyone due
to rising threat of coronavirus. Whether a career seeking individual looks for the opportunity in
the field of Diagnostic or therapeutic, every individual somehow put on work with the patient
suffered from Covid-19 which is quite riskier for their own health and not everyone has expertise
knowledge about taking precautions while treating Covid patients.
How Covid-19 impacted on healthcare workers and their families:
Covid-19 impacted on health care workers and their families in a worst way. When everyone
making time for their families by sitting in home safely, whereas, these social care workers daily
fought for treating patients and gives their whole day in hospitals. Their families get worried in
their crucial time. Some of workers have lose their family members due to highly contaminate by
being around Covid patients which they have suffered their own loss. Therefore, they were gone
through a hard time by not providing support and check on their health wellbeing. So that,
Covid-19 created a negative impact on health workers. They get a lot of pressure from patients
due to which, they were not allowed to go home which has impacted on their own health as well.

LO3- Examine the structure, culture and function of an organisation
Organisational culture: an organisation work under its culture which defines their beliefs, value
and standards. Organisational culture formulates a coordinated and equality behaviour in order to
maintain welfare of employees and work with utmost unity into changing business environment.
Culture require policies and standards that organisation promote while carry out any business
practice. It defines how communication will flow, what standards employees must maintain and
a proper code of conduct which makes the organisation different from others. NHS follow a
crucial organisational culture in health care sector through which describes duties and
responsibility in for every individuals as per institute policies.
Hofstede theory of organisational culture:
According to this theory, an organisation works under the role of five factor which makes
indifferent roles of employees, values and their behaviour.
Masculinity vs. Femininity: an organisation treats every employee with equality whether it is
women or men. All have rights to adhere the policies in which they work and follow all the
cultures norms equally. Organisation provide works to women as per their suitability to maintain
their comforts whereas, male employees are assigned many responsibilities. NHS is strongly
believe in treating a culture of both masculinity and femininity in order to work diversified and
provide facilities to women workers for coming n day shift (Fathoni, 2018). Therefore, the
institution follows their decision making criteria by encouraging both men and women.
Individualism: under this component, organisation believes in togetherness and power of unity
which could be energisers by building team. Some companies emphasize on individual
performance which they lack with team coordination. NHS promote individuals to take
participate in group ism which will achieve their targets of treating patients get achieved and
every person gets equal treatments and cure by collaborative efforts,

Uncertainty Avoidance Index: This type of organisation culture provides a great understanding
of in employees to handle uncertainties and consequences. Organisation prepare them to be calm
and conformable in both good and worst situations by analysing any risks. NHS is profound with
this culture, as treating patients is a big risk which professional undertake with their life. So tat,
NHS is positively maintaining employees understanding to handle emotions and emergencies.
Organisational structure:
An organisation structure is a collaboration of set rules, responsibilities, principles and
workflows. This structure defines polices and set targets for employees with regulate proper
division of work, authority and responsibility, whom to take commands and approach are all set
under organisational structure (Ali, Uppal, and Gulliver, 2018). It gives appropriate direction
of working that stimulates effective working. These rules are described under different
organisation structure which are discussed below:
Hierarchical structure: It defines how the command will regulate in organisation. Mainly
organisation working on huge level require this type of structure where top authorities takes
decision and deliver guidance to supervisors. NHS follow this structure into the departments of
therapeutic, neurologist and under professional departments where decisions has to be taken
through professionals.
Benefits:
 It regulates clear and accurate flow of working in a better and systematic way.
 Emphasize on individual performance and provide employee motivation.
Functional: This structure of organisation also follows set authorities and position from top to
lower level. But here, each employee is set targets according to their skills and capabilities which
create an independent working into all departments. NHS employees feels confident and focus
on their job role effectively.
Benefits:
 It eliminates disputes and promote flexibility.
 NHS could treat patients with more effective working to maintain resources and decision
making.
Horizontal: It defines a flat structure of organisation in which employees are entitled to make
participate in decision making and formulate departments. Communication are not restricted to
top authorities and employees get freedom to manage all the levels of \working. NHS does not

follow this organisational structure as health and care structure require effective supervision and
control over patient’s heath care in which giving freedom to employees would get harm to NHS
reputation as well as patient safety.
LO4-Examine the relationship between the organisation and its stakeholders
Stakeholders: These are those persons who contribute in organisation working. Their presence
make organisation successful into the market. A company could not take growth anonymously as
it requires various functions to be covered within the era of organisation environment. Therefore,
man stakeholders of NHS are scattered at wider level and the institution work for asocial and
health care service which require many contributors and public party support. The internal
people includes doctors, experts, supporters, nurses, receptionist whereas, outside parties are
counted under stakeholders of company which are AHCS- Academy for healthcare science,
NSHCS, Academic health science experts (Double, Birney, and Walker, 2018). These
stakeholders provide different kind of support to NHS such as training and education to medical
science professionals, engage in research and development, provide support in terms of funding
and resources. Government agencies are also a major part of NHS as it contributes in funds and
financial decisions. These stakeholders are interrelated with the functions if NHS. The
institution regulates all necessary functioning to provide effective and quality service in health
care departments and achieve targets in a proper way. This interrelation is discussed below:
Planning and directors: it is the foremost and crucial function of every organisation
whether working in any industry. Planning involve how to regulate product and service which
will provide benefits and value to their customers. Planning contains broad area in which many
ideas and rejections take place to come out with creative and effective procedure for organisation
favour. In context of NHS planning process regulated by the directors and broad of managers
who does contains involvement of other collaborative institutions in order to manage and run a
well manner structure and service for the people of England.
Organising day to day operations and clinical department experts: organising daily
work is the main criteria of organisation which involve provide each employees a set tasked,
conduct meetings, implement planning and arranging resources are all done by senior managers.
Without organising, the company would lack with fulfilment of quality product and service as
only planning in not sufficient for undertaking growth. In NHS, this function performed under
each department such as clinical department will ensure their resource requirements and prepare

meetings about new technology and technologies. Therefore, this maintain proper functioning
which does not conduct any confusion as every departments managers and experts takes their
decisions in their own way. AHSC, NSHCS also provide support to experts by giving guidance
over providing training and education to develop more effective practices and skills among team.
Budgeting and government agencies: this function Is necessary for every public private
or social companies. Maintaining budgets keeps the company updated about their estimated and
actual expenses occurred during the course of period (Akbarov, Gönen, and Aydogan , 2018).
Therefore, preparing budgets require financial knowledge which will cover the cost. In context
of NHS, the company works for social service and not aims for profit maximisation, so that, the
budgets are prepared to invest and implement the funding into right place that achieve their
targets of treating patients. These budgetary decision and contribution are taken through
government agencies to provide exact funding for running day to day operations.
CONCLUSION
The report has concluded major aspects on health and social care sector. These health services
are highly impacted through Covid-19 which has major amplification for public and well as
healthcare workers. Te reports presented history of Covid-19 and its impact on workers families
and personal life. Therefore, In order to build a career in this sector, there are various career
pathways In which support service is most required career nowadays by understanding the
scarcity of social workers to promote good health of country and its people.

REFERNCES:
Books and Journals:
Gatti, L., Ulrich, M. and Seele, P., 2019. Education for sustainable development through
business simulation games: An exploratory study of sustainability gamification and its
effects on students' learning outcomes. Journal of cleaner production, 207, pp.667-678.
Müller, N.M. and Seufert, T., 2018. Effects of self-regulation prompts in hypermedia learning on
learning performance and self-efficacy. Learning and Instruction, 58, pp.1-11.
Han, F. and Ellis, R.A., 2019. Identifying consistent patterns of quality learning discussions in
blended learning. The Internet and Higher Education, 40, pp.12-19.
Fathoni, A.F., 2018. The Role of Blended Learning on Cognitive Step in Education of Sport
Teaching by Adjusting the Learning Style of the Students.
Ali, S., Uppal, M.A. and Gulliver, S.R., 2018. A conceptual framework highlighting e-learning
implementation barriers. Information Technology & People.
Double, K.S., Birney, D.P. and Walker, S.A., 2018. A meta-analysis and systematic review of
reactivity to judgements of learning. Memory, 26(6), pp.741-750.
Akbarov, A., Gönen, K. and Aydogan, H., 2018. Students' Attitudes toward Blended Learning in
EFL Context. Acta Didactica Napocensia, 11(1), pp.61-68.