Health: The legal, financial, regulatory and structural environment

Assessment Task. Learning outcomes covered (detail) Guidance for task. Question 1:
LO1. Explore and evaluate the legal, financial, regulatory and structural environment under which health and social care services are provided.
LO2. Understand and explain the importance of governance and accountability and the manner in which financial aspects of health and social care services are managed and communicated to a range of stakeholders.
LO3. Produce, present and communicate budgets and product and service costs and make decisions based on sound financial and management accounting theory and practice.
LO4. Reflect on and demonstrate awareness of, the impact of financial constraints, costs and budgets on health and social care service managers, their clients and other stakeholders.
Questions
(a) Critically analyse the legal, financial and regulatory environment of health and social care. (10 marks)
(b) Critically evaluate the use of alternative funding options such as Private Finance Initiatives (PFI), agency partnerships, competitive tendering and outsourcing in the health and social care sector. (10 marks)
(c) Discuss agency theory in the context of the NHS. Explain the importance of and ways of communicating with stakeholders in the context of budgeting (10 marks)