Housing, health and social care – an introduction

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Handy
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Good Life ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
The Government ◽  
Proportionate Universalism ◽  
Significant Factors

Purpose – There are clear links between health, housing and social care. The homeless live much shorter lives as do those people living in poorer quality accommodation and areas of deprivation. Life expectancy and the quality of life in later years are both drastically affected by Marmot's (2010) social gradient, with people from poorer backgrounds often doing worse. A decent home is fundamental to a healthy and a good life. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – The research approach reviewed existing articles, examples from the housing sector and analysis of a range of data from organisations including the NHS. Findings – Good housing helps to support better health but it is not the only answer – joined up working between agencies and Marmot's proposal of proportionate universalism are significant factors in finding solutions to this long-standing issue. Social implications – Costs to the government, health services and local authorities and other agencies could be reduced by wider thinking around the link between housing, health and other support. Originality/value – This paper focuses on the existing links between health, housing and social care.

Diagnosis of “acopia”: prescription for neglect?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoe Hodges
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Appropriate Care ◽  
Care And Support ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Professional Disciplines ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to reflect upon the usefulness of the word “acopia” as a diagnosis in relation to individuals in hospital. Design/methodology/approach A response to existing literature and consideration of application to practice with adults who may be vulnerable. Findings The term “acopia” is derived from medicine but has gained popularity throughout health and social care. It is a term that has no diagnostic tool or agreed characteristics. Practical implications Practitioners across a number of professional disciplines need to be aware of the individual circumstances, preferences and priorities of individuals to secure the most appropriate care and support for each person. Failure to acknowledge complexity of an individual’s presenting condition at hospital admission may have fatal consequences. Originality/value The importance of language used to refer to adults who are likely to be vulnerable may influence the quality of the care and treatment that they receive.

scholarly journals The importance of a room with a view for older people with limited mobility

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 273-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Musselwhite
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Limited Mobility ◽  
Human Element ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Vantage Points ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how older people who are almost entirely housebound use a view from their window to make sense of the world and stay connected to the outside space that they cannot physically inhabit. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews with 42 individuals were carried out who were living at home, were relatively immobile and had an interesting view outside they liked from one or more of their windows. Findings The findings suggest that immobile older people enjoy watching a motion-full, changing, world going on outside of their own mobility and interact and create meaning and sense, relating themselves to the outside world. Practical implications Findings suggest that those working in health and social care must realise the importance of older people observing the outdoors and create situations where that is enabled and maintained through improving vantage points and potentially using technology. Originality/value This study builds and updates work by Rowles (1981) showing that preference for views from the window involves the immediate surveillance zone but also further afield. The view can be rural or urban but should include a human element from which older people can interact through storytelling. The view often contains different flows, between mundane and mystery and intrigue, and between expected and random.

Powerless positions, silenced voices? – critical views on health and social care management

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 590-601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anneli Hujala ◽  
Sanna Laulainen ◽  
Kajsa Lindberg
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Care Management ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Care Field ◽  
Critical Approaches ◽  
Oriented Research

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide background to this special issue and consider how critically oriented research can be applied to health and social care management. Design/methodology/approach – Basic principles of critical management studies are introduced briefly to frame subsequent papers in this issue. Findings – In order to identify the wicked problems and darker sides of the care field, there is a need to study things in alternative ways through critical lenses. Giving a voice to those in less powerful positions may result in redefinition and redesign of conventional roles and agency of patients, volunteers and professionals and call into question the taken-for-granted understanding of health and social care management. Originality/value – The special issue as a whole was designed to enhance critical approaches to the discussion in the field of health and social care. This editorial hopefully raises awareness of CMS and serves as an opening for further discussion on critical views in the research on management and organization in this field.

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

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.

scholarly journals Service user and carers perspectives of joint and integrated working between health and social care

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 62-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ailsa Cameron ◽  
Lisa Bostock ◽  
Rachel Lart
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Integrated Services ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Policy Debates ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an update to a review of the joint working literature in the field of health and social care for adults, with particular emphasis given to the experiences of users and carers. Design/methodology/approach – The aims of the literature review remained largely the same as those of the original, they were to identify: models of joint working, evidence of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness and the factors promoting or hindering the models. However, to reflect the growing interest in the experiences of users and carers a fourth aim was added to map these experiences. Given their prominence in terms of policy debates about integration, the review focused on jointly organised services for older people and people with mental health problems in the UK only. Findings – The review demonstrates tentative signs that some initiatives designed to join-up or integrate services can deliver outcomes desired by government. Importantly some studies that report the experiences of users of services and carers suggest that they perceive benefits from efforts to join-up or integrate services. However it is our contention that the evidence is less than compelling and does not justify the faith invested in the strategy by current or previous governments. Originality/value – The study updates our knowledge of the impact of joint working in the field of health and social care for adults. Importantly the paper highlights what is known about the experiences of users and carers of joint/integrated services.

Time for some home truths – exploring the relationship between GPs and social workers

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 51-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Mangan ◽  
Robin Miller ◽  
Jeremy Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between general practitioners (GPs) and social care professionals by reflecting on a project (the Home Truths project) which sought to improve joint working between general practice and social care though an action-research process. Design/methodology/approach – iMPOWER's Home Truths project involved gathering local data regarding joint working in local areas and using this data as a catalyst for change. The Institute of Local Government Studies and the Health Services Management Centre at the University of Birmingham were asked to act as a critical friend to the project. This involved supporting the design of the data collection, offering advice on the process and to carrying out a short evaluation of the impact of the first wave. The paper reflects on the collected data from the sites and information from the impact evaluation. Findings – The paper highlights the poor quality of the relationship between GPs and social workers. Findings that illustrate this include GPs’ poor knowledge of social care services; a perception that social care services were of poor quality and rating the quality of their relationships with social workers as poor. However GPs felt that knowing more about social care could help prevent their patients going into residential care earlier than necessary and wanted to work more closely with social care to exploit the benefits and opportunities. The interventions that have been put in place to try and improve relationships focus on the day-to-day working lives of the professionals rather than attempting to introduce new initiatives. Research limitations/implications – The response rate from GPs in the areas was low (average response rate was 10 per cent in each area) and it may be that only those GPs who are interested in working with social care responded. The initiatives that have been developed appear to be reasonable responses to the issues identified. However, a lack of discrete outcomes through which to measure improvement will make it difficult to demonstrate the impact of the interventions. Originality/value – This paper underlines that despite many years of policy makers promoting better integration, the relationship between the key gate-keepers within the health and social care systems is still poor. The findings from the Home Truths surveys and action plans has gone some way to address the gap identified in the evidence base about the relationships between GPs and social workers.

Modernising the regulation of health and social care professionals: the Law Commissions’ final report and draft Bill

2014 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 411-420
Author(s):  
Tim Spencer-Lane
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Final Report ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
The Law ◽  
Draft Bill ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to summarise the Law Commissions’ final report and draft Bill on the regulation of health and social care professionals. Design/methodology/approach – To summarise the key recommendations that are relevant to adult safeguarding. Findings – The final report concludes that new legislation is needed to govern the UK regulators of health and social care professionals. Originality/value – The paper sets out the recommended new legal framework.

Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards: complexity, confusion and case law – a commentary

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 245-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Lennard
Keyword(s):  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Literature Search ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Case Law ◽  
Best Interests ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Critical Studies ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Definition Of

Purpose – As a healthcare professional caring for people who lack capacity, the author has noted a wide variation in knowledge and awareness by staff of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). The purpose of this paper is to examine the DoLS and the background to their coming into being, describes their operation and qualifying requirements, and the continuing problems with their application nationwide. Design/methodology/approach – Utilising a literature search of government papers, official reports of statutory bodies, and critical studies, it examines the central criticisms of DoLS, particularly the lack of a clear statutory definition of deprivation of liberty, and reports on the wide variation in knowledge of the legislation by staff in health and social care, and uneven application of the safeguards nationwide. Findings – It cites evidence from studies showing that even professionals with high levels of expertise in the field find the legislation confusing, and presents testimony from legal experts that case law has failed to clarify the issues for professionals. Originality/value – Finally, it argues that the legislation is now too complex to successfully amend, and tentatively suggests that, pending a government review to make the process more understandable, health care professionals make ‘precautionary’ applications for DoLS. The author argues that, notwithstanding its faults, the process is a worthwhile exercise in care planning and ensuring that people's care is in their best interests and the least restrictive available.

scholarly journals Commissioning personalised care in the English adult social care sector: an action research model to support leadership development

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet McCray ◽  
Adam Palmer
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
The South ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the perspectives of English adult social care sector partners on the qualifications and standards required for leaders as they prepare to meet the demands of commissioning personalised care. Continuing an action research cycle guided by Coghlan and Brannicks (2010, p. 4) organisational centred model (McCray and Palmer, 2009) it benefits from the previous experience and reflection in action of the partners and researchers. Set in a general social care context, lessons learned from the study outcomes will be of interest to both commissioners of services and service users with acquired brain injury. Design/methodology/approach – A model of action research informed by Coghlan and Brannicks’ (2010, p. 4) organisational centred model focused on context, quality of relationships, quality of the research process and its’ outcomes was used. The role of the authors was to facilitate diagnosis of the leadership issues arising from the implementation of personalised care in the English adult social care sector and in collaboration with sector partners seek resolutions. Six focus groups comprising two commissioners, service providers, user group and care manager/social work leads were facilitated at two separate events in the south of England. Findings – Findings presented are derived from focus group discussions with strategic and organisational leaders and service user partners from the English adult social care sectors. Analysis of focus group data identified a number of themes. The overarching themes of human resource management, gaps in industry standards and leadership are discussed here. Whilst industry sector standard qualifications and frameworks may be at the centre of strategic planning for transformation, findings here have identified that additional support will be required to create leaders who can commission successfully to create cultural change. New approaches to leadership development may be needed to facilitate this process. Research limitations/implications – The study offers a single method qualitative research approach based on two local authorities in the south of England. It presents a localised and particular view of leadership development needs. Practical implications – The paper shows how action research can make a contribution to knowledge and practice. Originality/value – The paper provides interesting new insights into the skills for commissioning in a changing public and third sector environment with reference to commissioning personalised support for people with brain injury.

Exploring multidimensional quality attributes of incentive travels

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (8) ◽  
pp. 2198-2214
Author(s):  
Jin-Soo Lee ◽  
Chia-Hao Chiang
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Quantitative Method ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Strategic Plans ◽  
Quality Scale ◽  
Reward Program ◽  
The Government ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore a multidimensional quality scale for the identification of incentive travel attributes. Design/methodology/approach The combined qualitative and quantitative method was used. Findings The resulting quality scale comprises 32 items with eight factors: image and attractions, accessibility, site environment, hotel facilities, opportunities for networking and sense of achievement/reward, program, specially arranged program and local people. Practical implications The results of this study provide insights for practitioners in Taiwan, particularly the government bodies concerned and incentive event organizers, and thus assist the practitioners in making strategic plans and decisions to ensure event quality and overall attendee satisfaction. Originality/value The value of this study is the first attempt to develop and validate a scale for capturing the quality of incentive events.

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