After collating your questions and feedback, we tried our best to answer them in this page.
Thank you for your time in providing us feedback on the qualification documents for:
- New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Level 2)
- New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Level 3) (with strands)
- New Zealand Certificate in Health Support (Level 4) (with strands in Aged Residential Care or Home-based Support)
Questions and feedback that relate to ALL qualifications
Question/Feedback |
Answer |
| What is a qualification document? |
The qualification document has changed from what you are used to. It is now a high-level specification of all the required learning outcomes for graduates and other important information for programme developers. The details can now be found in the programme. |
| What is a programme? |
A programme is a detailed plan for learning that leads to the award of a qualification. There may be a variety of programmes that lead to the same qualification, but with different approaches, structures and emphases. |
| Where is the unit standard information? |
The unit standards are written in the programme document. The sector will be consulted on this during the programme development stage. |
| What do you mean by health and wellbeing sectors? |
The health and wellbeing sectors include: health care, disability support, aged care and social services. The graduate outcomes for these qualifications are written so they can be achieved by people working in a range of health and wellbeing sectors. |
| Why do we call our trainees ‘graduates’? Isn’t that someone who has a degree? |
‘Graduate’ is what NZQA calls a person who has completed a qualification. We call them ‘trainees’ while they are learning. Some of the language and terms we have to use on NZQA documents are a bit different from the terms that are commonly used. We’ll make sure that the supporting resources explain these for the sector. |
| Do you have to do the level 2 qualification before you can start level 3? |
No, where you start may be based on your current level of knowledge and experience. Level 2 graduates who wish to advance within our sectors may consider enrolling in the level 3 qualification next. |
| We don’t do all the things listed in the conditions. Does that mean the qualification can’t be achieved in our organisation? |
For conditions that say ‘may include …’, the programmes don’t have to include all the conditions if they are not suited to your workplace. These are just guidelines for programme developers. For conditions that say ‘must include …’, they have to be included in all programmes, but there aren’t that many of those. |
| What happened to the Health Support Level 4 qualification? |
Some feedback suggested that the scope of this qualification was too narrow and didn’t include particular skills linked to certain settings or allow for emerging skills. We want to make sure these skills are adequately covered and plan to do more work on this qualification. Careerforce will now develop the following three level 4 qualifications at the same time:
We need to make sure that all three of these level 4 qualifications are clear, cohesive, fit-for-purpose and future proofed. We will consult with the sector again on all three qualifications. This will allow the sector to review all the proposed content together. |
| What is Careerforce doing next? |
Careerforce is carrying on with the programme development for the Health and Wellbeing level 2 and level 3 qualifications including the development of the unit standards that make up the programmes. Once the sector is happy with these we’ll start work on the learning and assessment resources. We are also starting work on the level 4 and level 5 qualifications which will follow the same process. We’ll be consulting with our sectors throughout to ensure that we are developing relevant qualifications that address sector needs. |
| How do I get an answer to some other questions? |
You are welcome to send us an email at review@careerforce.org.nz for questions or feedback. We will keep on updating this page should more questions come along. |
Questions that relate to the NZ Certificate in Health and Wellbeing Level 2
Question/Feedback |
Answer |
| Our staff needs to understand how to work safely. |
We’ve rewritten this condition to make it clearer that safety of self and others is an important part of performing person-centred tasks and functions. |
| Infection control and moving and handling are extremely important for caregivers in the health and disabilities sectors to understand. Why aren’t they included in the qualification? |
Infection control and moving and handling are important parts of working safely in the health care and disabilities sectors but they don’t apply to social services. We’ll make sure that infection control and moving and handling are covered in the programmes. |
| Why is the Code of Rights not compulsory? |
It is essential for everyone working in health and disability sectors to know about The Code of Rights. However, social services programmes will include codes relevant to their sector. |
Questions that relate to the NZ Certificate in Health and Wellbeing Level 3
Question/Feedback |
Answer |
| What happened to the dietitian strand in the level 3 qualification? |
After feedback from the industry this has been included in the Therapy Assistant strand. |
| What happened to the dental strand in the level 3 qualification? |
We have not continued with the dental assistant strand because it is still being reviewed. |
| I have some people in my workplace who aren’t covered by any of the strands. |
If there is clear evidence of industry need established, we can add extra strands to cover other roles in the future. |
You may find the result of the E-consultation in the following links:
New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Level 2)
New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Level 3) with strands
Updated on 23 June 2014