Critical Thinking and Problem Solving in Care
About the course
Critical thinking and problem-solving are essential skills in health and social care, enabling professionals to make informed decisions, assess risks, and provide safe, high-quality care. In fast-paced care environments, workers must analyse complex situations, identify solutions, and apply evidence-based reasoning to ensure the best outcomes for service users.
This course provides a comprehensive framework for developing critical thinking and problem-solving abilities in care settings. It explores the importance of objective analysis, structured decision-making, risk assessment, and ethical problem-solving to improve service delivery and professional competency.
Care managers and care staff will gain practical skills to navigate ethical dilemmas, work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams, and apply reflective practice to continuously improve care standards.
By completing this course, participants will:
✔ Enhance decision-making and problem-solving abilities in daily care practice.
✔ Learn how to assess situations logically and identify root causes before taking action.
✔ Develop strategies to manage risks, overcome biases, and avoid assumptions.
✔ Improve team collaboration and communication for effective problem resolution.
✔ Apply structured problem-solving models and reflective practice to drive continuous improvement.
This course is ideal for care professionals, team leaders, managers, and support staff who want to develop their critical thinking skills and improve problem-solving strategies in care environments.
What will you learn
Understanding Critical Thinking in Health and Social Care
Learn the fundamentals of critical thinking, why it is essential in care, and how to develop a logical and evidence-based approach to decision-making.
- What is Critical Thinking?
Understand the definition, key elements, and characteristics of critical thinking and how it differs from general thinking in care practice. - The Importance of Critical Thinking in Care
Learn how critical thinking enhances problem-solving, risk assessment, ethical decision-making, and service user outcomes. - Key Characteristics of a Critical Thinker
Explore the traits of effective critical thinkers, including logical reasoning, open-mindedness, and attention to detail. - Barriers to Critical Thinking in Care
Identify common challenges, such as cognitive biases, emotional involvement, and hierarchical structures, and learn strategies to overcome them. - Developing a Critical Thinking Mindset
Learn practical steps to build critical thinking skills, including reflective practice, questioning techniques, and structured problem-solving frameworks.
Problem-Solving Strategies in Care Environments
Gain the skills to identify, analyse, and resolve issues in health and social care settings.
- Defining Problem-Solving in Care
Understand the importance of structured problem-solving and how it improves care quality, efficiency, and safety. - Identifying and Analysing Problems in Care Settings
Learn how to recognise problems early, assess their causes, and determine their impact on service users and staff. - Evidence-Based Decision-Making in Care
Discover how to use research, policies, and expert advice to make informed and justifiable decisions. - Collaborative Problem-Solving with Colleagues and Service Users
Explore techniques for working with multidisciplinary teams to resolve challenges and enhance person-centred care. - Overcoming Challenges in Complex Care Situations
Learn how to manage ethical dilemmas, resource limitations, and conflicting service user needs effectively.
Decision-Making and Ethical Considerations in Care
Develop the ability to balance professional responsibilities, legal requirements, and ethical considerations when making care decisions.
- The Decision-Making Process in Health and Social Care
Learn a step-by-step framework for making sound care decisions that align with professional standards. - Assessing Risks and Benefits in Care Decisions
Develop skills to weigh potential risks against benefits, ensuring safe and justified care interventions. - Balancing Autonomy and Duty of Care
Understand how to respect service user choices while maintaining professional accountability. - Ethical Dilemmas in Care: Case Study Approaches
Explore real-world ethical scenarios, including confidentiality concerns, informed consent, and resource allocation. - The Role of Policies and Legislation in Decision-Making
Learn how key regulations, such as the Care Act 2014 and Mental Capacity Act 2005, shape ethical and legal care decisions. - Managing Bias and Emotional Influence in Decisions
Discover strategies to reduce personal biases, overcome emotional decision-making, and ensure fair and impartial care.
Implementing Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving in Everyday Care
Apply critical thinking and problem-solving techniques to real-world care challenges.
- Applying Critical Thinking to Real-World Care Scenarios
Learn how to analyse complex care situations, assess different perspectives, and implement effective solutions. - Problem-Solving in Multi-Agency and Team-Based Care
Explore the role of interdisciplinary collaboration in delivering coordinated and effective care solutions. - Managing Conflict and Difficult Situations in Care
Develop conflict resolution skills to handle disagreements with service users, families, and colleagues. - Reflective Practice: Learning from Experience in Care
Understand how structured reflection enhances learning, decision-making, and professional development. - The Future of Critical Thinking in Health and Social Care
Learn how emerging technologies, evolving ethical standards, and workforce challenges will shape critical thinking in the future.
By completing this course, care professionals will gain the confidence and skills to think critically, solve problems effectively, and improve service delivery in health and social care settings.
Course Content
References
Reference List
Below is a reference list containing relevant legislation, guidelines, and research sources that align with the course content.
Legislation and Policies:
- The Care Act 2014 – Establishes duties for local authorities and care providers to ensure high-quality, person-centred care and support for individuals making complaints.
- The Mental Capacity Act 2005 – Defines the legal framework for assessing an individual’s capacity to make decisions regarding their care and their right to raise concerns or complaints.
- The Equality Act 2010 – Protects individuals from discrimination and ensures equal access to complaint procedures in health and social care settings.
- The Health and Social Care Act 2012 – Outlines regulatory requirements for healthcare providers, ensuring patient rights are upheld in complaint management
- The Data Protection Act 2018 (GDPR) – Governs the secure handling of personal and sensitive data in complaints procedures, protecting service users’ confidentiality.
- The Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009 – Provides the legal framework for NHS and social care complaints procedures.
- The Human Rights Act 1998 – Ensures that individuals’ rights are protected when making complaints about their care, including the right to fair treatment and due process.
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Guidelines – Evidence-based recommendations for handling complaints effectively in health and social care settings.
- Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) – Principles of Good Complaint Handling (2023) – A guide to ensuring fairness, transparency, and accountability in complaints resolution.
- Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) – Effective Complaints Handling in Social Care (2022) – Outlines best practices for responding to complaints in local authority and social care services.
- Skills for Care (2022). ‘Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving in Social Care’ – A professional report on decision-making, reflection, and effective communication in care settings.
- Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Code of Conduct (2018) – Ethical and professional standards for nurses and midwives, including complaint-handling responsibilities.
- Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) – Ethical Decision-Making in Adult Social Care (2021) – Discusses ethical considerations in managing complaints, balancing autonomy, and best-interest decision-making.
- Healthwatch England (2023). ‘What People Think About Making Complaints in Health and Social Care’ – Provides insights into service user experiences and barriers to making complaints.
- Brookfield, S. (2017). Critical Thinking: A Practical Guide. Routledge. – Explores critical thinking strategies for analysing complaints and resolving conflicts in professional practice.
- Boud, D., & Molloy, E. (2013). Feedback in Higher and Professional Education: Understanding It and Doing It Well. Routledge. – Discusses how feedback mechanisms can improve complaints handling and service improvement.
- Moon, J. (2006). Learning Journals: A Handbook for Reflective Practice and Professional Development.Routledge. – Highlights the role of reflection in learning from complaints and improving professional care standards.
- Vincent, C. (2010). Patient Safety. BMJ Books. – Explores strategies for handling complaints to improve patient safety and organisational learning.
- Tanner, C. (2006). “Thinking like a nurse: A research-based model of clinical judgment in nursing.” Journal of Nursing Education, 45(6), 204-211. – Examines the importance of clinical judgment in responding to complaints effectively.
- Facione, P. A. (2011). Critical Thinking: What It Is and Why It Counts. Insight Assessment. – Explores decision-making and reasoning skills in handling complaints and improving service outcomes.
- Higgs, J., Jones, M. A., Loftus, S., & Christensen, N. (2008). Clinical Reasoning in the Health Professions.Elsevier. – Discusses structured approaches to problem-solving in complaints management.
- Leape, L. L. (2015). “Patient complaints and malpractice risk.” New England Journal of Medicine, 373(23), 2273-2275. – Analyses the link between complaints, service quality, and legal risks in healthcare.
- Reader, T. W., Gillespie, A., & Roberts, J. (2014). “Patient complaints in healthcare systems: A systematic review and coding taxonomy.” BMJ Quality & Safety, 23(8), 678-689. – Provides insights into common themes in complaints and best practices for resolution.

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