Micro-Enterprise and Personalisation

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Needham ◽  
Kerry Allen ◽  
Kelly Hall
Keyword(s):  
Social Care ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Local Market ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Independent Variable ◽  
Similar Cost ◽  
Micro Enterprises

Shifts to independent delivery of health and social care services has led to increased numbers of micro-enterprises. Could these tiny organisations with just 5 or fewer employees be the best way of delivering cost-effective health and social care services in the context of decreased budgets and increased demands? What size is 'just right' for a care provider? This book explores size as an independent variable in care services, comparing outcomes and value for money across micro, small, medium and large organisations. Using interviews and surveys with 108 people using services and careers in 27 case study organisations it focuses on the contribution micro-enterprise can make to the care sector. Findings indicate that the quality of service provided by small organisations does support the assumption of an affinity between being small and being personalised. Small and micro-enterprises can deliver more personalised services, particularly in the home. They also offer better outcomes than larger providers for a similar cost. However stability can be a problem for micro-enterprises, particularly those that employ staff and need to have a relatively consistent financial turnover. The Care Act 2014 creates a conducive policy environment for micro-enterprise, as local authorities must stimulate a diverse local market and facilitate personalisation of services. However the challenges of austerity are a powerful counterweight, discouraging the sorts of innovative and experimentation which would allow micro-enterprise to thrive.

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.

Mental Health and Social Care Providers Facing Requests of Assisted suicide from Elderly in Nursing Homes in Switzerland

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S11-S12
Author(s):  
D.A. Castelli Dransart ◽  
S. Voélin ◽  
S. Elena
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Older People ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Home Care Services ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Competing Interest

IntroductionIn some Swiss states, right-to-die associations are allowed to assist older people in nursing homes provided that certain requirements are fulfilled.ObjectivesTo investigate how health and social care providers and their institutions reacted to and dealt with requests of assisted suicide.MethodAn exploratory qualitative study was carried out in the States of Fribourg and Vaud among 40 professionals working in nursing homes, home care services or social welfare agencies.ResultsThe requests of assisted suicide questioned the professional mission, the quality of accompaniment provided to the older people and both professional and personal values. Health and social care providers were required to ponder over ethical dilemmas or decisions. Several challenges were reported, such as: taking into account and articulating personal freedom or needs with collective functioning or organizational constraints before, during and after the assisted suicide; reconciliating self-determination with protection towards vulnerable people (beneficere, non maleficere).ConclusionsAssisted suicide challenges and changes professional end-of-life practices. Education and support should be provided to health and social care providers faced with it.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Integrated Care

2020 ◽  
pp. 166-191
Keyword(s):  
Integrated Care ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Governance Challenges ◽  
Quality Health ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Local Levels

Delivering high quality health and social care is considered to be one of the key governance challenges in the UK. People are living longer, and chronic diseases are more prevalent, which puts ever more pressure on health and social services to deliver. In order to better co-ordinate these services and deal with increased demand and funding pressures, authorities at both national and local levels are moving towards integrated care services. However, the integration of these services is plagued with difficulties. This chapter will explore the complexities of joining-up health and social care. It includes a case study of Continuing Healthcare (CHC), which is a package of care provided by the National Health Service (NHS) and which involves a number of providers across the health and social care sectors. While much of the chapter focuses on health and social care challenges in England, it will finish with analysis of Scotland's progress towards integrated services.

scholarly journals Responding to the NHS and social care workforce crisis

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil Hanney ◽  
Helen Karagic
Keyword(s):  
Social Care ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Apprenticeship Learning ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
The Government ◽  
Further Education Colleges

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyse the development of a foundation degree, including a higher apprenticeship route, which enables learners to access both higher education (HE) and health and social care professional programmes. The underpinning rationale is the urgent workforce crisis in health and social care services. Design/methodology/approach The authors will review the multiple drivers which stimulated course development and the creation of a community of practice to ensure quality management. This case study illustrates the potential of a higher apprenticeship to enable both personal and professional development. Findings The paper provides insight into working with a number of further education colleges, how to ensure consistency in delivery and assessment and the strategies which contribute to quality assurance. This case study illustrates the potential of work-based learning to transform lives and to provide the workforce required by our public services. Practical implications This paper explores the lessons learnt from setting up a new collaborative partnership and the processes that need to be in place for success. Social implications The paper discusses the potential of widening access into HE, the positive impact on recruitment to professional courses and the long-term effect on the public service workforce. Originality/value The government is committed to the expansion of apprenticeship learning in health and social care. This paper shares the authors’ experience of working with a range of employers and education providers, the challenges and successes and recommendations for development.

scholarly journals Political representation and effects of municipal mergers

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oskari Harjunen ◽  
Tuukka Saarimaa ◽  
Janne Tukiainen
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Political Representation ◽  
House Prices ◽  
Substantial Reduction ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Local Politicians ◽  
Geocoded Data

AbstractWe study the effects of municipal mergers using novel geocoded data on local public sector jobs and local politicians' place of residence. We find that the mergers had no effects on municipal expenditures overall after eight years. However, the mergers led to highly unequal geographic political representation in the post-merger councils among the merged municipalities. Small and politically marginalized municipalities experienced a substantial reduction in local public jobs in administration and health and social care services relative to the municipalities with stronger representation. Development of house prices suggests that the quality of the service-tax bundle deteriorated in these politically marginalized municipalities.

scholarly journals Caring for Persons With Intellectual Disabilities and Challenging Behavior: Staff Experiences With a Web-Based Training Program

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anh Truong ◽  
Catrin Alverbratt ◽  
Anette Ekström-Bergström ◽  
Helena Antonsson
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
Workplace Learning ◽  
Challenging Behavior ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Municipal Health

Background: Clear and effective communication is a prerequisite to provide help and support in healthcare situations, especially in health, and social care services for persons with intellectual disabilities, as these clients commonly experience communication difficulties. Knowledge about how to communicate effectively is integral to ensuring the quality of care. Currently, however, there is a lack of such knowledge among staff working in the disabilities sector, which is exacerbated by challenges in the competence provision in municipal health and social care services. Therefore, the aim of the study was to explore staffs' experience of web-based training in relation to their professional caring for persons with intellectual disabilities and challenging behavior. The intention is to move toward well-evaluated and proven web-based training in order to contribute to competence provision in this specific context.Methods: Fourteen semi-structured interviews were carried out with individual staff members to gather data regarding their experiences with web-based training in relation to their profession. The collected data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis with a focus on both manifest and latent content.Results: The staff's experiences with the web-based training program were presented as a single main theme: “Web-based training for staff initiates a workplace learning process by promoting reflections on and awareness of how to better care for persons with intellectual disabilities and challenging behavior.” This theme contained three categories which are based on eight sub-categories.Conclusion and clinical implications: The benefits of web-based training for workplace learning could clearly be observed in the strengthening of professional care for persons with intellectual disabilities and challenging behavior. Staff members claimed to have gained novel insights about how to better care for clients as well as about the importance of interactions in their encounters with clients. Professional teamwork is crucial to providing effective care for persons with intellectual disabilities and challenging behavior. Hence, future research aimed at investigating the views of other healthcare professionals, such as registered nurses, is recommended to improve the competence provision within municipal health and social care services and thereby enhance the quality of care.

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