What care services are available, and who provides them?
The health and social care provision available to meet people's needs - the statutory, voluntary, private and informal sectors - what each provides, and how they work together to support individuals.
An SQA National 5 Care answer on the health and social care provision available to meet needs, covering the statutory, voluntary, private and informal sectors, what each provides, and how the sectors work together.
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What this dot point is asking
Once a person's needs are known, the next question is who meets them. The SQA wants you to know the different sectors that provide health and social care, what each one offers, and how they work together. Knowing the provision lets you suggest suitable services for a person in a scenario question.
Why there are different sectors
No single organisation can meet every care need, so care comes from a mix of providers. Together they form a network that can support a person at home, in the community or in a residential setting. The SQA expects you to recognise each sector and match it to a person's situation.
The four sectors of care
Learn each sector as who runs it, how it is funded, and an example service.
- Statutory sector. Run and funded by the government from taxation. It must provide certain services by law. Examples: the NHS (hospitals, GPs, district nurses) and local council social work (home care, social workers, residential care).
- Voluntary sector. Run by charities and not-for-profit organisations, funded mainly by donations, grants and fundraising. It often fills gaps and supports particular groups. Examples: a charity day centre, a carers' support group, a helpline.
- Private sector. Run by businesses for profit, paid for by the individual or by the council or NHS buying a place. Examples: a private care home, a private nursery, a paid home-care agency.
- Informal sector. Unpaid care given by family, friends and neighbours. It provides a huge amount of everyday support and keeps many people at home. Example: an adult daughter who shops, cooks and provides personal care for an elderly parent.
How the sectors work together
In real life a person rarely uses only one sector. The sectors combine to give complete support.
Why this matters in care
Knowing the provision means a care worker can signpost a person to the right services and build a package that meets all their needs. It also shows why services must work together and share information (within confidentiality), and why supporting unpaid carers matters. In a scenario question, the marks come from naming suitable services and saying which sector each belongs to.
Try this
Q1. Name the sector that is run and funded by the government from taxes. [1 mark]
- Cue. The statutory sector.
Q2. State one example of care provided by the voluntary sector. [1 mark]
- Cue. Any charity or not-for-profit service, such as a charity day centre, a carers' support group or a helpline.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
SQA N5 style4 marksDescribe two different sectors that provide care, and give an example of a service from each.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark describe question needs two sectors, each developed with an example, to score four marks.
Sector 1. The statutory sector is care provided by the government and funded from taxes, such as the NHS and local council social work. An example is an NHS hospital or a council home-care service.
Sector 2. The voluntary sector is care provided by charities and not-for-profit organisations, often funded by donations and grants. An example is a charity that runs a day centre or a helpline.
Markers reward each sector that is clearly described and linked to a correct example. You could equally use the private or informal sector. Naming a sector with no description or example would not gain full marks.
SQA N5 style3 marksExplain the role of the informal sector in meeting people's care needs.Show worked answer →
This is an explain question worth 3 marks, so give developed points about the informal sector.
Point 1. The informal sector is unpaid care given by family, friends and neighbours, so it provides a large amount of everyday support such as help with shopping, cooking, personal care and company.
Point 2. It often meets needs that formal services do not reach, keeping people at home and independent for longer and reducing pressure on paid services.
Point 3. However, informal carers can need support themselves, because caring can affect their own health, work and wellbeing, which is why services exist to help carers.
Markers reward an answer that explains what the informal sector does and why it matters, not just "family help out".
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Sources & how we know this
- National 5 Care Course Specification — SQA (2017)