Britain: Health and the people: c1000 to the present day

AQA

GCSE

This thematic study requires a diachronic analysis of the development of medicine, surgery, and public health in Britain from c1000 to the present. Candidates must evaluate the interplay of key factors—War, Superstition/Religion, Chance, Government, Communication, Science/Technology, and the Individual—in driving change or maintaining continuity. Assessment focuses on the shift from supernatural explanations (God, astrology) to rational scientific methodology (Germ Theory, Genomics), and the transition from laissez-faire governance to the welfare state (NHS). Mastery of the chronology of key turning points, specifically the Renaissance, the Industrial Revolution, and the Modern era, is essential for high-level credit.

Objectives

Exam Tips

Pitfalls

Key Terms

Mark Points

What You Need to Demonstrate

Key skills and knowledge for this topic

Award marks in Q1 (Utility) for evaluating provenance (Nature, Origin, Purpose) specifically regarding its value to the enquiry, not general reliability
Credit responses in Q2 (Significance) that distinguish between short-term impact and long-term legacy/turning points
Candidates must identify a valid basis for comparison in Q3 (e.g., 'both involved government intervention') before detailing similarities
Award top levels in Q4 (Factors) for sustained judgment that weighs the relative importance of the stated factor against others (e.g., Science vs. Chance)

Example Examiner Feedback

Real feedback patterns examiners use when marking

"You have described the event accurately; now explain *why* this was a turning point for medicine using specific terminology"
"In your comparison, explicitly state the similarity in the opening sentence before providing the evidence"
"Your source analysis identifies the origin; now explain how the author's purpose affects the source's utility for this specific enquiry"
"To reach the top level, you must explain the relationship between factors, e.g., how Science depended on Technology"

Marking Points

Key points examiners look for in your answers

Award marks in Q1 (Utility) for evaluating provenance (Nature, Origin, Purpose) specifically regarding its value to the enquiry, not general reliability
Credit responses in Q2 (Significance) that distinguish between short-term impact and long-term legacy/turning points
Candidates must identify a valid basis for comparison in Q3 (e.g., 'both involved government intervention') before detailing similarities
Award top levels in Q4 (Factors) for sustained judgment that weighs the relative importance of the stated factor against others (e.g., Science vs. Chance)

Examiner Tips

Expert advice for maximising your marks

💡In Q1 (Utility), explicitly link the content of the source to your own contextual knowledge to validate or challenge its weight
💡For Q2 (Significance), structure the answer around 'at the time' and 'over time' to ensure full marks
💡In Q4 (16 marks), ensure the conclusion does not just repeat points but provides a final weighing of the factors relative to the question
💡Use the 'Factors of Change' explicitly in your analysis (e.g., 'War acted as a catalyst for...') to signal AO2 analysis

Common Mistakes

Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

Confusing the specific contributions of Pasteur (Germ Theory, 1861) and Koch (identifying specific bacteria)
Asserting a source is 'biased and therefore useless' without explaining how the bias affects utility for the specific enquiry
Narration of events in the Significance question (Q2) rather than analyzing the consequences or impact
Failing to link the Medieval period to the Renaissance, treating them as entirely separate rather than a slow evolution

Key Terminology

Essential terms to know

Likely Command Words

How questions on this topic are typically asked

How useful

Explain the significance

Compare

Has [factor] been the main factor

Explain

Describe

Ready to test yourself?

Practice questions tailored to this topic