Inter-agency adult support and protection practice

Purpose Collaborative inter-agency working is of paramount importance for the public protection agenda worldwide. The purpose of this paper is to disseminate the findings from a research study on the inter-agency working within adult support and protection (ASP) roles in the police, health and social care. Design/methodology/approach This realistic evaluation study with two inter-related phases was funded by the Scottish Institute for Policing Research. This paper reports on Phase 1 which identified existing gaps in the implementation of effective inter-agency practice by reviewing the “state of play” in inter-agency collaboration between the police and health and social care professionals. In total, 13 focus groups comprising representatives from Police Scotland (n=52), Social Care (n=31) and Health (n=18), engaged in single profession and mixed profession groups addressing issues including referral and information exchange. Findings On analysing context-mechanism-outcome (CMO), gaps in joint working were identified and attributed to the professionals’ own understanding of inter-agency working and the expectations of partner agencies. It recommended the need for further research and inter-agency training on public protection. Research limitations/implications This unique Scottish study successfully identified the inter-agency practices of health, social services and police. By means of a modified realistic evaluation approach, it provides an in-depth understanding of the challenges that professionals face on a day-to-day basis when safeguarding adults and informed strategic recommendations to overcome the barriers to good practices in organisational working. The methods used to determine CMO could benefit other researchers to develop studies exploring the complexities of multi-causal effects of cross-boundary working. The use of the same case study in each focus group helped to neutralise bias. However, the voluntary nature of participation could have resulted in biased perceptions. The limited numbers of health professionals may have resulted in less representation of health sector views. Practical implications This paper reports on a Scottish study that focused on the coordinated and integrated practices amongst the police, health and social services’ professionals who support and protect adult members of society at risk of harm and has implications for their practice. Social implications Whilst the focus of this study has been on ASP, the conclusions and recommendations are transferable to public protection issues in many other contexts. Originality/value Studies on the joint-working practices amongst police and health and social services’ professionals who support and protect adult members of society at risk of harm are uncommon. This study investigated professionals’ perceptions of gaps and concerns pertaining to integrated working by means of a realistic evaluation approach. It recommended the need for further research and inter-agency training on public protection.

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Case definition for health and social care services integrated initiatives

Journal of Integrated Care ◽

10.1108/jica-09-2018-0057 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 27 (4) ◽

pp. 264-275 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Siu Mee Cheng ◽

Cristina Catallo

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Social Services ◽

Literature Search ◽

Social Care ◽

Case Definition ◽

Content Type ◽

Health And Social Services ◽

Care Integration ◽

Health And Social Care ◽

Integrated Health

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a case definition of integrated health and social services initiatives that serve older adults, and will provide characteristics to aid in the identification of such initiatives. The case definition is intended to ease the identification of integrated health and social care initiatives. Design/methodology/approach A limited search was undertaken of both scientific and gray literature that documented and/or examined integrated health and social services initiatives. In addition, literature on well-documented and generally accepted integrated healthcare and social services models that reflect collaborations from healthcare and social services organizations that support older adults was also used to develop the case definition. Findings The case definition is as follows: healthcare organizations from across the continuum of care working together with social services organizations, so that services are complementary and coordinated in a seamless and unified system, with care continuity for the patient/client in order to achieve desired health outcomes within a holistic perspective; the initiatives comprise at least one healthcare organization and one social care organization; and these initiatives possess 18 characteristics, grouped under 9 themes: patient care approach; program goals; measurement; service and care quality; accountability and responsibility; information sharing; culture; leadership; and staff and professional interaction. Research limitations/implications A limitation of this study is that the characteristics are based on a limited literature search. The quality of some of the literature both gray and published was not definitive: information on how they undertook the literature search was not provided; exclusion and inclusion criteria were not included; and there was insufficient detail on the design of the studies included. Furthermore, the literature reviews are based on integrated initiatives that target both seniors and non-senior’s based services. The cross-section of initiatives studied is also different in scale and type, and these differences were not explored. Practical implications The case definition is a useful tool in aiding to further the understanding of integrated health and social care initiatives. The number of definitions that exist for integrated health and social care initiatives can make it confusing to clearly understand this field and topic. The characteristics identified can assist in providing greater clarity and understanding on health and social care integration. Originality/value This study provides greater coherence in the literature on health and social care integration. It aids in better framing the phenomenon of healthcare and social services integration, thereby enhancing understanding. Finally, the study provides a very useful and concrete list of identifying characteristics, to aid in identifying integrated health and social care initiatives that serve older adults.

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Collaborating across health and social care: joint funding an adult protection Coordinator post in Caerphilly, UK

The Journal of Adult Protection ◽

10.1108/jap-06-2014-0020 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 17 (2) ◽

pp. 139-147

Author(s):

Andrea Giordano ◽

Alison Neville

Keyword(s):

Social Services ◽

Social Care ◽

Service Improvement ◽

Health Board ◽

Content Type ◽

Health And Social Care ◽

Abuse And Neglect ◽

Vulnerable Adults ◽

Adult Protection

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to improve the consistency and quality of the response to vulnerable adults who experience abuse and neglect within NHS, independent healthcare and social care settings is noted by practitioners, agencies and patients. Health and social care policy frameworks promote principles of service improvement and consistency, along with a focus on outcomes and resource effectiveness and interagency collaboration. The Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) coordinator role carries the responsibility of coordinating a response to individual referrals of abuse and neglect as described as part of the Designated Lead Manager role in the Wales Interim POVA Policy and Procedures for the POVA from abuse (Wales Adult Protection Coordinators Group, 2013). Design/methodology/approach – This paper will explore the benefits realised through a registered nurse being seconded from the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board into a newly created joint adult protection Health Coordinator post within the Caerphilly County Borough Council social services department POVA team. Findings – This is the first example of such partnership working in adult protection in Wales and has provided a number of benefits in relation to: providing adult protection advice; coordinating the response to referrals of vulnerable adult abuse and neglect within health and social care settings; carrying out or buddying others to complete adult protection investigations; facilitating the two day non-criminal POVA investigation training course and, awareness raising within the local Health Board. The development of a student nurse placement in the social services POVA team cements the multiagency collaborative approach that this development sought to achieve. Originality/value – The need to improve the consistency and quality of the response to vulnerable adults who experience abuse and neglect within NHS, independent healthcare and social care settings is noted by practitioners, agencies and patients.

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A new health and social care context in Wales

Journal of Integrated Care ◽

10.1108/jica-05-2017-0013 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 25 (4) ◽

pp. 265-270 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Stewart Greenwell ◽

Daniel Antebi

Keyword(s):

Social Services ◽

Social Care ◽

Well Being ◽

Content Type ◽

Frontline Workers ◽

The People ◽

Specialist Services ◽

The Social ◽

Health And Social Care ◽

Making A Difference

Purpose The Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014 and the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 provide a direction of travel for all public services in Wales and a framework for delivering the aspirations in the legislation. Although specifically referring to social care, both pieces of legislation are as relevant to the NHS as they are to other public bodies, providing an opportunity for NHS Wales and local government, in particular, to be equal partners in making a difference to the people and communities they serve. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach A viewpoint paper. Findings In Wales the time is right to do things differently in health and social care, so the authors will reflect on why current services are struggling and propose an approach that is rooted in communities rather than in specialities. The authors suggest developing a centre of gravity in the community through a multi-agency collaboration to achieve the greatest health, social care and economic impact. Originality/value Attention needs to be directed to supporting people, communities and frontline workers to become more resilient, rather than our current focus on specialist services.

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The Use of Internet-Based Health and Care Services by Elderly People in Europe and the Importance of the Country Context: Multilevel Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.15491 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Sebastian Merkel ◽

Moritz Hess

Keyword(s):

Digital Divide ◽

Elderly People ◽

Social Services ◽

Social Care ◽

The Internet ◽

Health And Social Services ◽

Care Services ◽

Country Level ◽

Health And Social Care ◽

Use Of Internet

BACKGROUND Digital health care is becoming increasingly important, but it has the risk of further increasing the digital divide, as not all individuals have the opportunity, skills, and knowledge to fully benefit from potential advantages. In particular, elderly people have less experience with the internet, and hence, they are in danger of being excluded. Knowledge on the influences of the adoption of internet-based health and care services by elderly people will help to develop and promote strategies for decreasing the digital divide. OBJECTIVE This study examined if and how elderly people are using digital services to access health and social care. Moreover, it examined what personal characteristics are associated with using these services and if there are country differences. METHODS Data for this study were obtained from the Special Eurobarometer 460 (SB 460), which collected data on Europeans’ handling of and attitudes toward digital technologies, robots, and artificial intelligence, including data on the use of internet-based health and social care services, among 27,901 EU citizens aged 15 years or older. Multilevel logistic regression models were adopted to analyze the association of using the internet for health and social care services with several individual and country-level variables. RESULTS At the individual level, young age, high education, high social class, and living in an urban area were positively associated with a high probability of using internet-based health and social services. At the country level, the proportion of elderly people who participated in any training activity within the last month was positively associated with the proportion of elderly people using these services. CONCLUSIONS The probability of using internet-based health and social services and their accompanying advantages strongly depend on the socioeconomic background. Training and educational programs might be helpful to mitigate these differences.

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Health and social care leaders’ self-rated competence and learning needs in small and medium-sized enterprises

Clinical Nursing Studies ◽

10.5430/cns.v7n2p62 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 62

Author(s):

Mari Helena Salminen-Tuomaala ◽

Kirsi Paavola ◽

Paula Paussu

Keyword(s):

Social Services ◽

Group Dynamics ◽

Qualitative Data ◽

Social Care ◽

Development Project ◽

Learning Needs ◽

Health And Social Services ◽

Health And Social Care ◽

Simulation Based ◽

Dialogic Interaction

Objective: The study is a descriptive survey based on quantitative and qualitative data. Its purpose is to describe leaders’ self-assessed competence and learning needs in small and medium-sized health and social care enterprises as part of a larger research and development project in Finland. The information produced will be used in planning a simulation-based coaching intervention. The project partners are a health technology enterprise and two educational institutions.Methods: Data were collected in late 2017 from 23 leaders of 20 enterprises using an internet-based questionnaire. The quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS for Windows and the qualitative data using inductive content analysis.Results: The leaders felt confident about their ability to organize day-to-day activities, but reported learning needs related to interaction and entrepreneurship. Training was required in supporting staff in challenging situations, in understanding group dynamics and in developing dialogic interaction and emotional intelligence. The leaders were interested in learning how to market their services and improve the competitiveness of their enterprise with help of digitalization and networking, and how to prepare for the reform of health and social services. Most leaders were involved in practical care work and reported a need to update their clinical skills.Conclusions: Increasing self-management contents and fostering an entrepreneurial attitude in nursing and social work curricula may provide one answer to the learning needs reported in this study. Simulation-based education can provide an effective learning environment for both students and professionals in health and social services.

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Social care legislation as an act of integration

Journal of Integrated Care ◽

10.1108/jica-03-2016-0009 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 24 (3) ◽

pp. 139-149

Author(s):

Natalie Davies ◽

Wulf Livingston ◽

Emyr Owen ◽

Peter Huxley

Keyword(s):

Social Services ◽

Online Survey ◽

Social Care ◽

Well Being ◽

Health Board ◽

Senior Managers ◽

Content Type ◽

Face To Face ◽

North Wales ◽

Health And Social Care

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate health and social care integration in North Wales in a short window of time between the assent of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 and its implementation in 2016. Design/methodology/approach – The findings are based on the experiences of health and social care professionals from six Local Authorities and one Regional Health Board working in a management role with strategic responsibility, gathered from an online survey (n=43), semi-structured face-to-face interviews (n=14) and supplemented with reflective interviews with regional coordinators responsible for facilitating cross-organisational working (n=2). Findings – Senior managers are devoting considerable energy to understanding the implications of the new legislation, ensuring that their organisations will be ready and able to successfully implement it. This work is perceived to be commensurate with wider agendas to transform and integrate working practices and services, influenced by a range of financial, environmental, organisational, social and policy factors. Originality/value – This research has direct implications for stakeholders in North Wales, having already been used to shape conversations about integration in the region, and furthermore builds upon existing knowledge in the academic and professional field of integration, with additional limited wider implications for policy and research.

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“Sliding Doors”: innovative approaches to supporting culture change

Journal of Integrated Care ◽

10.1108/jica-11-2013-0046 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 22 (4) ◽

pp. 154-164 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Gill Walker ◽

Laura Gillies

Keyword(s):

Older People ◽

Social Services ◽

Social Care ◽

Care Staff ◽

Educational Drama ◽

Content Type ◽

The People ◽

Health And Social Care ◽

The Difference ◽

Policy Direction

Purpose – Reshaping Care for Older People (RCOP) and Integration of Health and Social Care are central to providing a care system in Scotland that meets older people's current and future needs. Their implementation requires a workforce with the appropriate knowledge, skills and values to engage with older people across health and social care sectors, which requires a change in professionals’ thinking about services. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – NHS Education for Scotland, the Scottish Social Services Council and a learning and development consultancy designed and delivered innovative education resources to support health and social care staff across Scotland to understand the new agenda and recognise its meaning for practice. Findings – Two related resources were developed: workshop using actors to depict scenarios from older people's lives to support participants to reflect on the new policy direction and outcomes-focused approaches; and an online resource using the same characters that can be delivered locally for groups and individuals. Participants were enabled to identify what they need to do differently and how they can support one another to make necessary changes. A formal evaluation has been commissioned. Originality/value – The resource characters represent the people the new policy is designed to affect. By following their lives through an educational drama approach, health and social care staff can understand the difference RCOP and the integration agenda can make and recognise their part in effecting change.

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Between three chairs: Experiences of being a patient with chronic widespread pain in an intersectoral setting in Denmark

Health Psychology Open ◽

10.1177/2055102919852500 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 205510291985250 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rikke Schultz ◽

Marius Brostrøm Kousgaard ◽

Peter la Cour ◽

Annette Sofie Davidsen

Keyword(s):

Social Services ◽

Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽

Social Care ◽

Chronic Widespread Pain ◽

Organizational Level ◽

Widespread Pain ◽

Sufficient Time ◽

Pain Experience ◽

Health And Social Services ◽

Health And Social Care

This study explores how patients with chronic widespread pain experience their contacts with health and social services in Denmark, including general practice, hospitals, and municipality job centers. We analyzed interviews with 10 patients using interpretative phenomenological analysis and found the following four superordinate themes: meeting different attitudes, fragmentation of treatment, the importance of time, and feeling trapped. Findings show that when patients do not feel understood by professionals, they can resort to withdrawal strategies. On an organizational level, patients said that they needed sufficient time in meetings and better coordination of interventions in and between the health and social care sectors.

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Maritime City: using serious gaming to deliver child protection training

Advances in Dual Diagnosis ◽

10.1108/add-11-2013-0027 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 34-42

Author(s):

Jonathon Davies

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Child Protection ◽

Design Methodology ◽

Social Care ◽

Serious Game ◽

Children And Families ◽

Discussion Paper ◽

Content Type ◽

Health And Social Care ◽

The University

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuses the development and application of Maritime City, a developing virtual urban community created by the University of Greenwich to supplement the delivery of child protection training. Design/methodology/approach – Maritime City is a “serious game” developed by the University of Greenwich to deliver child protection training to health and social care professionals working with children and their families. This discussion paper will consider the practice landscape for these professionals and their training needs for working with families where children are at risk of harm. This paper will also consider some of the innovative pedagogical approaches to providing this training through the use of a serious game. Finally, this paper will also share some of the thinking behind the work and several of the learning activities that have been used with students. Findings – Maritime City offers a safe, new medium to explore and reflect upon child protection assessment in a family situation. It offers health and social care professionals, at all stages of their careers, a unique opportunity to evaluate child protection issues. Amongst its advantages, Maritime City gives professionals involved in child protection the opportunity to evaluate and re-evaluate a case without putting children or service users at risk. As the game is in the early stages of use further evaluations are required to discern its effects on practice. Originality/value – Maritime offers a unique opportunity of completing a child protection home visit using a range of tools to help participants draw on their own experiences and those of others to prepare them for working with children and families.

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Asian Older People: Housing, Health and Access to Services

Ageing and Society ◽

10.1017/s0144686x96006344 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 17 (2) ◽

pp. 141-165 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

WAQAR I. U. AHMAD ◽

REG WALKER

Keyword(s):

Older People ◽

Family Support ◽

Social Services ◽

Social Care ◽

Access To Services ◽

Health And Social Services ◽

Welfare Benefits ◽

Health And Social Care ◽

Inadequate Housing ◽

Low Levels

We report the findings of a survey of 104 Asian older people in Bradford. For a high proportion, their condition was characterised by poverty, limited entitlements, inadequate housing, low levels of knowledge of health and social services, and problems of access to welfare benefits, health and social care. The situation of women was of particular concern. The study also highlights the problems of divided families, caused by restrictive immigration rules, resulting in many elderly people having no family support in this country.

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