The course has been developed to enhance the knowledge and skills of health care practitioners so they may improve client/patient care; it offers all health care workers the opportunity to gain an academic award regardless of professional standing provided they meet the entry requirements and have the opportunity to achieve the aims and outcomes via access to clients/patients in the health care arena; the course consists of 2 distinct aspects: the Continuous Professional Development scheme (CPD); and the mandatory units for the academic award; the CPD with its flexible approach enables the student to undertake individual units of study as offered in the CPD scheme or from specified level H units from courses within the HSC portfolio; students are thus able to choose how they fulfil their needs and those of their employer particularly the evidence required for achievement of the dimensions of the Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF).