Learning outcomes assessed in this assessment
2. Demonstrate knowledge and a critical understanding of organizational responses to chemical incidents and environmental hazards.
4. Critically evaluate the contribution of the consistent, efficient, and effective delivery of health protection services to the health of populations.
Assessment Guidelines
Identify a specific chemical or environmental incident of public health importance that has taken place within the last 10 years. Provide an overview of the context and consequences of the incident, and critically evaluate how it was managed by public health authorities at the time. Finally, make recommendations for how similar future incidents might be better managed drawing on some of the lessons learnt, as well as a wider evaluation of current best practice.
Your work should include and cover the following sections/aspects and content (as shown and stated in the table below). The specific percentage marks allocated to each section/aspect of your work is stated below. Please also note that the Level 7 marking criteria (located towards the end of this assessment brief) will also be used to reflect this overall grade. Please remember that achievement and demonstration of learning outcomes 2 and 4 is being assessed in this assessment.
Section/aspect Content to cover Marks available
Introduction An introduction to the assignment that introduces the identified and specific chemical or environmental incident of public health importance that has taken place within the last 10 years. The incident identified could be, for example, at a local, regional or national level within a country or other relevant setting etc. An overview of the identified and specific chemical or environmental incident needs to be provided here in relation to the following:
(1) the context of the incident (the overview should cover important aspects such as what happened in terms of the specifics and the nature of the incident, setting and location of the incident, what was the chemical(s)/hazardous substance(s) involved and what was contaminated (e.g., water, land, soil, air, food etc.), relevant
acute/chronic aspects related to the incident); and
(2) the consequences of the incident (e.g., who was affected
(e.g., the population(s) exposed), health effects such as mortality, injury etc. and 15 Marks
damage caused such as environmental damage).
Discussion In relation to the identified and specific chemical or environmental incident, this section needs to critically evaluate how it was managed by the relevant public health authorities at the time of the incident. This will require critical consideration of the main steps/stages involved in the management of the chemical or environmental incident, the public health authorities and organisations involved and how they worked together and communicated in their response to dealing with the incident. In relation to the public health authorities and organisations involved, identification of positive responses and areas where the responses needed improvement need to be made clear. 30 Marks
Implications Drawing on lessons that were learnt from the identified and specific chemical or environmental incident, make recommendations for how similar future incidents might be better managed. In making these recommendations, wider current best practice needs to be considered through critically evaluating relevant examples (e.g., from other countries, internationally etc.) of consistent, efficient and effective delivery of health protection services that deal with/have dealt with chemical or environmental incidents in 30 Marks
order to protect the health of populations. Please support the
recommendations made through the use of supporting evidence.
Conclusion Effective summary of key points. 10 Marks
Presentation and Referencing High quality presentation that conforms to principles of academic writing and contains minimal errors in sentence construction, grammar and punctuation. The assignment followed appropriate academic conventions regarding in-text citations and referencing. 15 Marks
Section/aspect Tutor Feedback Mark
Introduction
/15
Discussion
/30
Implications
/30
Conclusion
/10
Presentation and Referencing
/15